The Battle of Albuera, 1811 (woodcut, coloured)

‘Marshal Beresford gained a glorious victory over the French army commanded by Marshal Soult on May 16th 1811 near Albuera in Spain, 1811’. Coloured woodcut, published 4 July 1811. After serving with distinction at Corunna in 1809, Beresford was made Commander in Chief of the Portuguese Army which he thoroughly reorganized and led throughout the Peninsular War (1808-1814). He commanded an Anglo-Portuguese army at the Battle of Albuera on 16 May 1811, where he was saved from defeat by the tenacity of the British infantry. A man of great strength, at one stage during the battle he was attacked by an enemy lancer. Beresford dodged the lance, grabbed the lancer by his collar, lifted him from his horse and dashed him to the ground.