The Complete Collapse of the Franco-Spanish Invasion…

The Complete Collapse of the Franco-Spanish Invasion (November 1762)

By November 1762, the Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal had turned into a full-scale catastrophe. What had begun as a well-planned conquest had devolved into a desperate retreat through a devastated landscape, with the Anglo-Portuguese forces relentlessly pursuing the broken enemy army.

The Rout at Escalos de Cima and Salvaterra (November 3, 1762)

As the Bourbon forces retreated, they suffered repeated defeats:

• At Escalos de Cima, Portuguese troops under Hamilton crushed a Spanish cavalry force, aiding in the reconquest of Penamacor and Monsanto.
• At Salvaterra, British troops under Fenton routed another retreating Spanish corps, ensuring that no organized Spanish force remained capable of counteroffensive action.

The hunters had become the hunted. The invaders, who had once entered Portugal as conquerors, plundering villages and torching those that refused to supply them, now fled through enemy territory, harassed by Portuguese regulars, militia, and enraged peasants.

Starvation, Disease, and Mass Desertion – The Army Disintegrates

As the Franco-Spanish army limped toward the border, its situation deteriorated even further:

• Hunger and torrential rains took a brutal toll on the exhausted troops.
• Thousands defected—the Portuguese government offered 1,600 reis for each Spanish deserter and 3,000 reis for those who enlisted in the Portuguese army.
• Peasants, seeking vengeance for earlier atrocities, slaughtered countless stragglers and wounded soldiers.

The Scale of Bourbon Losses – 30,000 Men Lost

The true extent of the disaster is revealed in a British diplomatic report, sent by Ambassador Edward Hay to the Earl of Egremont on November 8, 1762:

• Total Franco-Spanish losses in Portugal: 30,000 men (nearly three-quarters of the original invading force).
• Half of them were deserters, many of whom were captured or killed.
• Many Spanish deserters joined the Portuguese army, leading to the creation of new full regiments by July 1762.

This was one of the most devastating defeats Spain had suffered in the 18th century.

Portuguese and British Casualties – A Stark Contrast

In comparison, British and Portuguese losses were minimal:

• 14 British soldiers killed in combat.
• 804 British soldiers died from disease and other causes—a vastly smaller figure than the tens of thousands lost by the Franco-Spanish army.

The Final Blow – The Encirclement at Castelo Branco

By late October, the remnants of the Bourbon army had concentrated around Castelo Branco, the last stronghold before reaching the Spanish border. Other than small garrisons in Almeida and Chaves, this was their final position in Portugal.

Recognizing the opportunity for total victory, the Allied forces launched a second encirclement maneuver, aimed at cutting off the last escape routes for the Bourbon troops.

• Facing complete destruction, the Franco-Spanish forces fled to Spain.
• They abandoned thousands of wounded and sick soldiers, leaving a letter from Count of Aranda to Townshend, pleading for humane treatment of the prisoners.
• According to Portuguese military intelligence, 12,000 Spanish soldiers were left behind in hospitals, a testament to the epidemic and starvation that had ravaged the enemy army.

The Tragedy of Castelo Branco – Disease Spreads to the Victors

When Portuguese civilians and soldiers re-entered Castelo Branco, they unknowingly spread the Spanish army’s disease among the local population.

• What should have been a moment of triumph turned into a period of mourning, as many residents died from the epidemic left behind by the retreating army.
• This was one final, cruel consequence of the Bourbon invasion—even in retreat, the invaders brought suffering to Portugal.

The Precipitous Retreat – “Half-Starved, Half-Naked” Soldiers Flee Portugal

By November, the once formidable Franco-Spanish army had been reduced to a desperate mass of starving, ragged men, fleeing into Spain as fast as possible.

• Aranda’s troops left behind their sick and wounded, along with huge stockpiles of abandoned equipment.
• According to reports, the Spanish were so desperate that they fled so quickly they left their supplies behind.

This was not just a retreat—it was a total military disaster.

Spain’s Wider Defeats – A Global Setback

As the Spanish army collapsed in Portugal, Spain suffered other major defeats:

• British naval forces inflicted heavy losses on Spanish shipping.
• Spain’s empire suffered setbacks, compounding the humiliation of the Portuguese campaign.

The Ignorance of Aranda’s Admirers

While Europe watched Spain’s disaster unfold, some, like the Polish reformer Stanisław Konarski, were still unaware of reality. Anticipating Aranda’s “inevitable” victory, Konarski wrote a Latin ode praising the Spanish general’s “humanity and generosity” toward the surrendered inhabitants of Lisbon.

Ironically, Lisbon had never been threatened, much less surrendered, and the Spanish had suffered one of their worst military disasters of the 18th century.

Conclusion – A Total Strategic Defeat for Spain

The 1762 Franco-Spanish invasion of Portugal ended in catastrophe:

• More than 30,000 Bourbon soldiers lost (deserted, captured, or dead).
• The Anglo-Portuguese army emerged victorious, suffering minimal losses.
• Spain failed in its goal to subjugate Portugal, and its wider global position weakened.
• The scorched earth tactics, guerrilla warfare, and strategic maneuvering of Lippe had won the war without a major pitched battle.

The invaders had come to conquer—but left shattered, starving, and in retreat. The tide of war had turned decisively against Spain and France, and the dream of forcing Portugal into the Bourbon Family Compact had been utterly destroyed.