Albuera, Battle of

In the Peninsular War, British victory over the French 16 May 1811 at Albuera, a village some 21 km/13 mi southeast of Badajoz, Spain. A French army of about 23,000 troops under Marshal Nicolas Soult, marching to relieve the siege of Badajoz, was met by the siege force of 30,000 Allied (British, Spanish, and Portuguese) troops under General William Beresford outside Albuera. The French were able to retire in good order, taking about 500 prisoners with them, but the siege of Badajoz was not raised. Of the 6,000 British troops, only 1,500 were not wounded.