Peninsular Wars

Question 1

What was the size of the British Army in 1793 versus by Waterloo in 1815?

Answer 1

40,000 to 250,000

Question 2

What was the French system of conscription?

Answer 2

Levee en Masse

Question 3

What was the size of Napoleon’s Grande Armée when it entered Russia in 1812?

Answer 3

500,000

Question 4

What was the Continental System?

Answer 4

Napoleon’s policy of preventing trade between Great Britain and continental Europe, intended to destroy Great Britain’s economy.

Question 5

Why did France invade Portugal and why did Britain intervene?

Answer 5

Portugal was Britain’s oldest ally and an important trading port

Question 6

Who did Napoleon place on the French throne?

Answer 6

His brother, Joseph Bonaparte

Question 7

What was the size of the force that entered Portugal when and under who?

Answer 7

Wellington
14,000
August 1808

Question 8

How many Portuguese troops were there in 1808 to support the British?

Answer 8

5000

Question 9

What was the first battle of the Peninsula War?

Answer 9

Vimeiro (1808)

Question 10

Who was the French Marshall at Vimeiro?

Answer 10

Junot

Question 11

When did Wellington use his famous tactic and what was it?

Answer 11

Reverse slope on Vimeiro Hill

Question 12

What did British lines defeat at Vimeiro?

Answer 12

2 French columns

Question 13

How many French cannons were lost at Vimeiro?

Answer 13

13/23

Question 14

What were the French and British losses at Vimeiro and what could have made it even better?

Answer 14

2000 to 720
if Burrard had allowed assault

Question 15

Who replaced Burrard and what was his idea?

Answer 15

Sir Hew Dalrymple
refused to march on Lisbon
instead negotiate with Junot

Question 16

What was the Convention of Sintra?

Answer 16

Convention that allowed the 24,000 French to return to France with their equipment on British ships.

Question 17

Who was left in command after Wellesley, Burrard, and Dalrymple were recalled?

Answer 17

Sir John Moore

Question 18

What was the size of Napoleon’s Grande Armée that entered Spain?

Answer 18

200,000

Question 19

What was the size of the army Moore was left with to deal with Napoleon?

Answer 19

35,000

Question 20

What is an example of rear-guard action?

Answer 20

95th Rifles fought with distinction as British Army marched to Corunna

Question 21

What was the Battle of Corunna?

Answer 21

1809
Rear-guard action against French Vanguard that saw Moore perish but enabled 26,000 men to return home.

Question 22

When did Wellington return to the Iberian Peninsula?

Answer 22

April 1809 into Portugal

Question 23

Who did Wellington appoint in command of the Portuguese army and what happened?

Answer 23

Viscount Beresford
by the next year they were integrated into the regular force

Question 24

What was the Battle of Talavera?

Answer 24

1809
Battle in Spain that saw a narrow British victory with Wellington mostly on defensive
earned him title Viscount Wellington

Question 25

What were the sizes of the British and Spanish troops at Talavera?

Answer 25

20,000 and 35,000 (though of dubious quality)

Question 26

What was the size of Marshal Victor's army at Talavera?

Answer 26

50,000

Question 27

Who pushed back Victor's night time assault?

Answer 27

General Rowland 'Daddy' Hill

Question 28

Who was the Spanish General that disagreed with Wellington's plan at Talavera?

Answer 28

General Cuesta

Question 29

How many Spanish troops retreated after hearing the sound of their rifles?

Answer 29

2,000

Question 30

On what day did the Spanish refuse to fight at Talavera?

Answer 30

Sunday

Question 31

What were the British losses at Talavera?

Answer 31

5,400 or 1/4

Question 32

What were the French losses at Talavera?

Answer 32

7,300

Question 33

Which regiment of cavalry went out of control and needed to be sent back to England?

Answer 33

23rd Light Dragoons

Question 34

What were the Lines of Torres Vedras?

Answer 34

The lines Wellington retreated to as Marshal Massena invaded Portugal.

Question 35

What is the Ordenanza?

Answer 35

The name for the Portuguese home guard.

Question 36

Who was the commander of Royal Engineers tasked with constructing the Lines of Torres Vedras?

Answer 36

Colonel Richard Fletcher

Question 37

What is the length and depth of the Lines of Torres Vedras?

Answer 37

20-30 miles and 3 defensive rings

Question 38

How many refugees did the Royal Navy supply during the invasion of Portugal?

Answer 38

200,000

Question 39

What was the Battle of Bussaco?

Answer 39

Victory that preceded withdrawal to Torres Vedras.

Question 40

What was the casualty rate per week for Massena's army outside Torres Vedras?

Answer 40

500 per week in February 1811

Question 41

What was the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro?

Answer 41

Battle that took place near Almeida and was a Wellington victory.

Question 42

What division was rescued by the Light Division during the campaign?

Answer 42

(untried) 7th Division

Question 43

What did Wellington complain about after the campaign?

Answer 43

Things went wrong when he was not personally present.

Question 44

What are Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz known as?

Answer 44

Gates of Spain

Question 45

How many fatalities were taken at the siege of Badajoz?

Answer 45

5000

Question 46

How long did it take for Ciudad Rodrigo to fall?

Answer 46

2 hours

Question 47

Which regiment was famous for only taking orders from their own officer during the siege?

Answer 47

88th Connaught Rangers

Question 48

How many days of looting, rape, and killing followed Badajoz?

Answer 48

2 days

Question 49

What was the Battle of Salamanca?

Answer 49

Decisive victory and Wellington's first real attacking battle of the war.

Question 50

How many Frenchmen were defeated at Salamanca and in what time?

Answer 50

40,000 Frenchmen in 40 minutes

Question 51

What is referred to as Wellington's 'masterstroke'?

Answer 51

Battle of Salamanca

Question 52

What tactic did Wellington use to conceal troops?

Answer 52

Reverse slope

Question 53

How many generals were killed and how many French eagles were captured at Salamanca?

Answer 53

2 and 2

Question 54

What were the French losses at Salamanca compared to British losses?

Answer 54

14,000 vs 5000

Question 55

What nationality was the division that failed to act as a blocking force at Salamanca?

Answer 55

Spanish division

Question 56

What did General Foy label Wellington after Salamanca?

Answer 56

'Master of maneuvering'

Question 57

Which city did Wellington march into following Salamanca?

Answer 57

Madrid

Question 58

What was the Battle of Vitoria?

Answer 58

Final main battle of the Peninsula that saw a decisive victory.

Question 59

How many guns were captured from Joseph Bonaparte at Vitoria?

Answer 59

151 guns (all but two)

Question 60

What was the amount of wagons left behind after Vitoria?

Answer 60

3000 convoy wagons, carriages and carts (worth £1 million)

Question 61

What did Wellington say about common soldiers after the Battle?

Answer 61

"We have in the service the scum of the earth as common soldiers"

Question 62

In what year did Wellington cross the Pyrenees and enter France?

Answer 62

1814

Question 63

What was the Battle of Leipzig?

Answer 63

Battle that spelled the end for Napoleon on the continent.

Question 64

What was the Battle of Toulouse?

Answer 64

Battle fought after Napoleon's abdication.

Question 65

What nickname was given to the Peninsula regarding its effects on France?

Answer 65

"The Spanish Ulcer"

Question 66

What was the maximum size of the British army during the Peninsula War?

Answer 66

40,000

Question 67

How many French troops were killed, wounded, or captured by British forces?

Answer 67

200,000

Question 68

What were the British losses throughout the entire Peninsula War?

Answer 68

36,000

Question 69

Where was Napoleon initially sent after the Treaty of Vienna?

Answer 69

Elba in the Mediterranean Sea

Question 70

What was Wellington's character like?

Answer 70

attention to detail tactical eg. picking locations strict disciplinarian made sure men were fed and equipped using navy

Question 71

What was Wellington's affectionate name for his troops?

Answer 71

'scum of the earth'