Portugese Line Infantry

The Portuguese have never been fond of their Spanish neighbours. This was doubly so when in 1807 Napoleon sent a large French and Spanish army across the border to crush Portugal and take its fleet to continue their war against the detested British. Great Britain and Portugal, however, had been old allies for countless years, and before long a largely untried British general called Wellesley was sent from London to eject the French from Portuguese soil.

The Portuguese troops were brave but unskilled, and outnumbered in the early days of the conflict. Reforms of the Portuguese army taken by Sir Lt.General William Beresford changed that, adopting British drill and tactics. The changes transformed the Portuguese into an effective fighting force.