Busaco, battle of

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Busaco, battle of, 1810. After making peace with Austria by the treaty of Schönbrunn, Napoleon resolved to drive the English out of Spain and Portugal. Masséna was dispatched with a large force while Wellington prepared his defensive line at Torres Vedras. On 27 September 1810 Masséna, with considerable numerical superiority, launched an attack at Busaco, 125 miles north-east of Lisbon, but failed to make progress and took heavy losses. Wellington retired to Torres Vedras, from which he counter-attacked the following year.

J. A. Cannon

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