The Peninsular War: The Battle of Fuentes De Oñoro, May 3-5th 1811

[@martyn8116]

I'm slightly shocked to find someone who likes history, Peninsular War battles, and the Sharpe books, more than me. I only found you today, so I'm going through your back catalogue. Keep up the good work. I love it.

[@redcoathistory]

Fantastic - thanks mate and I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@martyn8116]

@cellestinohernendes3081Haha! Yes, definitely a bit weird. A love of the Peninsular War isn't something you'd tend to bring up at parties.

[@NobleKorhedron]

I love the use of the exact lines from #MontyPython, @@redcoathistory. #CracksUpLaughing

[@number2and3]

I am on Volume 7 right now of Sir Charles Oman's History of the Peninsular War (been at these books about 5 months now) and I just found this channel, this video is far more detailed then most and the use of Maps is excellent. Easy sub for me!

[@steveconway1948]

Grattan's memoir is a fantastic read, I'd recomend it to all as a really well written tale which has several surprisingly humourous moments.

[@cuebj]

10:00 sounds like effective sledging in cricket!

[@OscarGomez-hx8zc]

Thank you for the great video and work!

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks a lot for watching 👍🏼

[@Matty10thDVN]

Another master piece sir, Huzzah

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks a lot!

[@joaoconchilha2231]

Great as usual.

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks Joao

[@chrsd2536]

Really well done. Thank you

[@noteanotell937]

Really enjoyed it many thanks. When I finally pass my bike test and get something worth riding I'd love to go site seeing round them parts.

[@redcoathistory]

That would be a great trip.

[@bigtrev9043]

You need to. Its awesome. Last went 14 yrs ago. Stayed in Salamanca & Ciudad Rodrigo and just went out in the car every day, Fuentes D'Onoro, Almeida & the Coa, Fort conception, Barba del Puerco, San Munoz, loads of little villages mentioned in my books

[@shawngarratt2887]

Really interesting and Injoyed listening to your dialogue roll on tomorrow night brilliant work again my friend 👍

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks Shawn!

[@peregrinemccauley5010]

Great to hear these tales of battle from the troop's perspective. Transports one right into battle, alongside our gallant troops.

[@GoogleUserOne]

Keep at it friend. You’re on the verge of getting on the good side of the KZbin algorithm

[@andygeorgeparkinson2515]

Whow !! What a brutal and close run thing that battle was , amazing that the retreat from the southern villages by 7th and Light Divisions was so successful.

[@redcoathistory]

Yes, testament to their training and professionalism.

[@99IronDuke]

Another excellent episode. Also looking forward to the Albuera episode where my family regiment won their nickname of The Diehards.

[@redcoathistory]

Fantastic - glad you enjoyed it. I'm really pleased with the Albuera episode though you might be mad to hear we don't dive into the Die Hards discussion...but we cover pretty much everything else.

[@grahamking2239]

Well worth a visit

[@cdubsoptional7849]

These videos are fantastic. I just spent most of my day off binge watching this channel. Really top notch stuff.

[@redcoathistory]

Glad you like them! Appreciate the comment.

[@cdubsoptional7849]

@@redcoathistory My local fort is Fort Niagara. The siege of 1763 is probably the most dramatic episode of its long and bloody history, but in the War of 1812, it was stormed by those damned redcoats. One of the best examples of how effective the bayonet could be. I could rant for hours about the Battle of Queenston Heights, why Brock was a moron, the Battle of Lundy's Lane, the Siege of Fort Erie, the naval arms race on Lake Ontario, etc. You remind me of the historians, reenactors, and teachers who inspired my younger self. Making the past, present, is very difficult, but you do a great job at it.

[@marklongman3860]

Really enjoying this series of videos. Never learnt any of this history in school.

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks Mark - glad you are enjoying them.

[@Baskerville22]

"Now Maitland: now's your time " !!! Isn't that Christopher Plummer playing Wellington in the movie, Waterloo ?

[@johndaws6295]

Here I lie enjoying your podcasts whilst on holiday in.Porto, Portugal and suffering in isolating a bout of COVID-19. I have visited Sintra, a beautiful village but the holiday guide(a Portuguese) knew very little about the Convention of Sintra or even the lines of Torres Vedras. It would appear that they are not taught about the Penninsular wars. I have enjoyed your podcasts they are keeping me sane.

[@redcoathistory]

Glad that the podcasts are helpijg through the pain John. Get well soon.

[@reeky9182]

liked and subbed, just by your intro I knew this was my cup of tea

[@davidpalin1790]

A good story well presented

[@julianmhall]

Just reading Bernard Cornwell's fictional account of this battle in one of the Sharpe books.

[@joshfairhurst9100]

Haha quality again top man mate .🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@redcoathistory]

Cheers, Josh.

[@tobyjugg6202]

Very entertaining - having spent time in Fuentes, even now it is possible to experience the narrowness of the streets. Its a fine area to walk to get the scale of the battlefield from Wellington's viewpoint. Looking forward to "Bloody Albuera" a battle and a half.

[@redcoathistory]

cheers Toby - I'd love to visit. Sadly for now the closest I can get - is Google street view.

[@andrewduke1489]

He’s a bit posh, I can tell. Absolutely priceless hahahaha

[@julianmhall]

'... by some mistake was not taken out...' or possibly he was stubborn and refused to leave the field of battle, which has been known.

[@blastulae]

Fuente d’Oñoro still exists by that name. It’s in Spain. Saõ Pedro de Rio Seco is in Portugal, en route to Almeida.

[@julianmhall]

'... he's posh, I can tell...' He could afford to buy his rank, and the associated costs - uniform, weapons, horse, mess bills, etc - so him being upper class and / or posh is a given :)

[@FranciscoPreira]

Great info Chris, as allways, beg your pardon but take a minute to correct the title of this video, it reads Funetes De Oñoro and it should be "Fuentes de Oñoro", best regards.

[@redcoathistory]

Oops thanks for that - have now fixed it 👍🏼

[@adrianburchell8075]

Read Sharpe's Battle, it about this battle and a great read, the retreat of the Light Division is amazing, on level ground God had made for cavalry the French were unable to destroy one British square and the gutter fight of the village itself...simply magnificent.

[@julianmhall]

Christian, I cannot find any KZbin accounts detailing Sir Arthur Wellesley's career in India prior to the Peninsular War. Seringapatam, Gawilghur, Assaye and others would seem to be good choices to study to show how he developed his tactics.

[@georgehogg3615]

could you please add a ref like season 3 episode 5 thx

[@redcoathistory]

That's a good idea

[@seandahl8441]

Did you get a new camera. This video looks very clear

[@redcoathistory]

No just my phone.

[@noahgibsonspeninsularwarsa1134]

I posted something about the false "Grenadiers of the old guards", but I forget where I posted it.

[@julianmhall]

107 shots would be 35:40 of shooting.

[@carlacarlacardoso4306]

maravilha wonderfulll i love thisss

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks, Carla. I'm glad that you like it.

[@Scout1134]

Great episode! An obscure question I never considered. How were the dead accounted for during that period? Did soldiers wear any kind of identification? So many casualties, were any of the next of kin notified, or did their mates help identify who was lost?

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks a lot - that is a great question and the truth is I'm not sure. If I get an answer I'll let you know.

[@arnoldsaunders7885]

Roll calls. The end of the film Zulu shows a roll call.

[@Swift-mr5zi]

The fact that the British had to fight the Hanoverian Legion makes me quite upset

[@redcoathistory]

Yes, it's a shame but - The Napoleonic wars were often like that tho - especially with German states where, understandably loyalty was often very torn.

[@theodoresmith5272]

This should be good!.

[@julianmhall]

IIRC they were squares in name but not actual squares as each battalion of ten companies had two sides of three companies and two sides of two companies so actually a rectangle. Mind you the order 'Form Rectangle!' would probably have got blank looks *LOL*

[@errolmills2192]

A "c" in Spanish is pronounced "K" is in kick. If it has a small reversed c beneath it, it is pronounced "s" as in hiss. This is a small and perhaps unimportant contibution but I am enjoying this series very much. I love the Sharpe novels and I like to see where Cornwell's stories vary from fact. He admits as much, to do him credit, for it necessary to do so for his narratives. It does not stray too widely though.

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks Errol. Appreciate the input.

[@blastulae]

The Spanish alphabet doesn’t contain the letter C with a little reversed c beneath it. Portuguese does. Spanish C is sometimes pronounced like K and sometimes S, or TH in Spain. The letter itself is pronounced “say”.

[@grahamking2239]

Ramsey was killed at Waterloo

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks, Graham. I didn't know that.

[@philvanderlaan5942]

100 musket balls? Yes impressive reminds me of a bit of lore from the ACW ( not a strong memory sorry ) A soldier from the army of the Potomac ( who had corps and division badges and flags taken from playing cards ) asked a soldier newly arrived from the west with General Grant what his corps badge was , the westerner not knowing what the easterner was talking about simply replied ‘ 40 rounds in the cartridge box and 60 rounds in the pockets’ ( probably never happened)

[@theodoresmith5272]

Oh boy he pronounced it badajoz with the z sound. Thats Mexican Spanish not European Spanish(Castilian). Your going to here it 😆

[@redcoathistory]

Don't worry, I butcher everyone's language, it's part of my charm :-)

[@theodoresmith5272]

Si!