Battle of Salamanca

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The Battle of Salamanca (in French and Spanish known as the Battle of the Arapiles) took place on 22 July 1812. An Anglo-Portuguese army under the Earl of Wellington (future Duke of Wellington) defeated Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces at Arapiles, south of Salamanca, Spain, during the Peninsular War. A Spanish division was also present but took no part in the battle. In his analysis of the Salamanca campaign, author Rory Muir (2001) emphasizes that the quality of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army was moderately superior to Marmont's; this was determined by the Anglo-Portuguese infantry and, notably, cavalry. The difference in the quality of the infantry, however, was "not overwhelming". The French artillery was more numerous – 78 cannon against 62 – but "this was more than offset" by the strength of Wellington's cavalry, both more numerous and more skilled. Good discipline and morale were present in the Anglo-Portuguese Army, which underwent training and reorganization between...

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