Battle of Vimiero - Part Two

Move 1 - French left

General Loison moves towards Vimiero Hill with his brigade.

General Fane is holding the hill with his 1st brigade, and Wellesley is in the village watching the French deployment.

Move 1 - French centre

General Thomieres moves forward with his brigade. Marshal Junot is watching the advance at the head of the cavalry reserve under the command of general Margaron.

General Ferguson has his brigade in Vimiero and in reserve behind the village. The reserve includes his artillery which is not yet deployed. The small Portuguese brigade is further behind the village together with the cavalry reserve.

Move 1 - French right

General Delaborde and his brigade move forward.

General Ferguson holds the ridge with his brigade, one battalion in reserve.

Move 2 - French left

Marshal Junot orders Loison to move forward and engage Vimiero Hill. He unlimbered his artillery to provide support, but all of the British infantry are out of sight behind the ridge.

British artillery opens fire on the advancing French columns, but fails to hit anything

Move 2 - French centre

French infantry advance towards Vimiero. The artillery have unlimbered to bombard the village as the columns approach.

The French reserve cavalry are on halt orders as they are not required yet.

Ackland is moving his artillery and reserve battalion to the left of the village to engage any attack on the village or the nearby Vimiero Hill.

Move 2 - French right

Delaborde is nearing the ridge and has deployed his artillery. The only target that they can see is the British artillery.

British artillery open fire on the approaching columns but fails to hit.

Move 3 - French left

Loison is nearing Vimiero Hill and is firing on the enemy guns, but without success.

Fane waits for the pending French attack. His guns open fire but miss. His infantry are in line with one battalion in reserve. All are behind the crest of the hill and out of danger from the French gunners.

The artillery from Ackland’s brigade has unlimbered between the hill and the village and is preparing to open fire.

Move 3 - French centre

Junot orders Thomieres to Engage the village. Artillery fire on the right hand section of the village scores a hit. The garrison fail their morale test and are Shaken. Thomieres orders forward his leading infantry brigade to skirmish with the village to take advantage of this, but they fail to do any more damage.

Ackland’s artillery is not well positioned to support the village and can not fire on the approaching French columns. His brigade in the right hand section of the village again fail their morale test and remain Shaken.

Move 3 - French right

The infantry columns continue their advance towards the hill. The artillery fire on the enemy guns again fail to inflict any casualties

British artillery turn their fire onto the approaching French columns but also miss

Move 3 - British reserve

Wellesley orders the cavalry to advance, but due to a badly timed Poor card they fail to move.