Masséna’s Failed Siege of Torres Vedras – …

Years: 1810 - 1810
October

Masséna’s Failed Siege of Torres Vedras – The French Retreat Begins (October 1810 – March 1811)

After reaching the Lines of Torres Vedras in October 1810, Marshal André Masséna’s Army of Portugal dug in near Sobral, preparing for an assault on the British and Portuguese defensive positions. However, his attempt to capture Lisbon quickly unraveled, leading to one of the most disastrous retreats of the Peninsular War.


French Stalemate at Torres Vedras (October 1810)

  • Masséna's army concentrated around Sobral, preparing for a full-scale attack on the Lines of Torres Vedras.
  • On October 14, a fierce skirmish between French troops and the Anglo-Portuguese defenders revealed the true strength of the defensive network.
  • Realizing that the fortifications were impenetrable, Masséna hesitated to launch an all-out assault.

Instead of risking a catastrophic defeat, the French dug in and attempted to hold their position before Lisbon.


The French Army Begins to Starve

  • Wellington had stripped the land north of the lines of all food, forage, and shelter through a scorched earth policy.
  • The Royal Navy ensured Lisbon remained well-supplied, while the French had no access to reinforcements or provisions.
  • As weeks passed, Masséna’s army began to starve, with desertion and disease taking a heavy toll.
  • French supply lines were stretched too thin, and Napoleon sent no reinforcements, as he was preparing for war with Russia.

The Retreat to Santarém (Late October 1810 – March 1811)

  • After a month of near-famine conditions, Masséna finally abandoned his positions before Lisbon in late October.
  • He fell back to a defensive position between Santarém and Rio Maior, hoping to hold out for reinforcements or new orders from Napoleon.
  • This retreat marked the beginning of the end of the third French invasion of Portugal, as the Anglo-Portuguese army prepared to go on the counteroffensive.

Conclusion – The Failure of Masséna’s Campaign

  • Wellington’s strategy had worked perfectly—by forcing the French into a starving siege, he defeated Masséna without needing a pitched battle.
  • The Lines of Torres Vedras had proven impenetrable, and French forces were now in full retreat.
  • Over the next several months, Wellington’s army would pursue the retreating French, liberating Portugal entirely by the spring of 1811.

The failure at Torres Vedras was one of the greatest strategic defeats of Napoleon’s forces in the Peninsular War, marking the turning point in Portugal’s struggle against French occupation.

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