Background On 3 October 1762
Count of Lippe in anticipation of a Spanish offensive across the
Zêzere River against the Portuguese headquarters at
Abrantes instructed
George Townshend to march to the
Beira Baixa country, marching along the left bank of the Zêzere river, to make a junction with
Lord George Lennox's forces and to threaten the Spanish lines of communication with
Almeida and
Ciudad Rodrigo by advancing on
Belmonte and
Penamacor. This new march was promptly executed, and Townshend's Portuguese soldiers endured the greatest privations, but his men successfully attacked a French force escorting a convoy near
Sabugal, capturing many supplies.
Surprise attack The same day, the Spanish force, who had taken Vila Velha on the 2nd, advanced on
Porto Cabrão, leaving behind eight artillery pieces guarded by 200 grenadiers and 100 horses. General Burgoyne, who was in charge of the defence of the south bank of the
Tagus in this area, noticed that only a small force was guarding the Spanish battery at Vila Velha and ordered lieutenant-colonel Charles Lee to take the head of a detachment (100 Portuguese
grenadiers, 200 men of the
85th Foot and 50 men of the
16th Light Dragoons), to pass the Tagus and to attack this position. A Portuguese grenadier of the 2nd Cascais Infantry courageously crossed the Tagus with a rope to facilitate the passage of a barge, sacrificing his life in this action. On 7 October, Lee's detachment, using surprise, launched a night attack and surprised the Spanish camp at Vila Velha. Although they were entrenched, surprise helped the British and Portuguese to overpower and disperse the Spanish horse and foot, inflicting considerable loss. As well as 250 Spanish killed, wounded, or captured, 6 guns and 60 artillery mules were acquired. Lee's primary target, however, was the artillery depot, which was mostly burned, some of it being taken. This was achieved at a cost of only 1 man killed and 10 wounded. The town was held as Portuguese and British reinforcements arrived the next day. The taking of Vila Velha effectively ended the Spanish and French invasion campaign
Aftermath By the middle of October, the Franco-Spanish army decided to retreat into Spain with Lippe and Townshend pursuing them. The Spanish were forced to leave their sick behind, and by 24 October, the Spanish and French armies were back in Spain. A few skirmishes along the border as both sides went into Winter quarters. Still, the Spanish would try once more in November at
Olivença Marvão and
Ouguela, but they were repelled. On 22 November, the Spanish commander
Count of Aranda proposed a truce to Lippe, and thus the campaign concluded. ==See also==