The Battle of Grijo (May 10 – May 11, 1809) was a victory for the Anglo-Portuguese army commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley (the future 1^st Duke of Wellington) over the French army commanded by Marshal Soult in the Peninsular War May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1 May 1769–14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman, widely considered one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. ... The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title and the senior Dukedom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ... Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, marshal of France Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie (March 29, 1769 - November 26, 1851), generalissimo of France, was born at Saint-Arnans-la-Bastide (now in department of the Tarn), and was the son of a country notary at that place. ... The Peninsular War (1808–1814) (known as War of Independence in Spain and as French Invasions in Portugal) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought in the Iberian Peninsula with Spanish, Portuguese, and the British forces fighting against the French. ...

In "The History of the Rifle Brigade", Willoughby Verner describes how the newly arrived 1st Battalion of Detachments fought for the first time near the village of Grijó (Vila Nova de Gaia): Built in the 16th century, the Monastery of São Salvador at Grijó 6 km inland contains the tomb of Rodrigues Sancho, illegitimate son of King Sancho and his mistress, the beautiful Ribeirinha. ...

The infantry of the advance guard consisted of the Rifle Company of the 1st Battalion of Detachments, the Companies of the 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry and the Light Company of the 29th Regiment of Foot, the whole under the command of Major Way of the 29th. Cotton with the British Cavalry came in touch with the French at dawn on the 10th, but [Major-General] Francheschi^[1] had some infantry with him and Stewart's^[2] Brigade was delayed and did not come for some time; Francheschi thereupon fell back and joined [General] Mermet at Grijó. On the 11th Wellesley ordered [Major-General] Hill to endeavour to outflank Mermet's position on the east whilst he with [Major-General] Paget's Division advanced. In the afternoon the Light Companies of the 1st Battalion of Detachments attacked Mermet but met with a stiff resistance and lost not a few. Wellesley now ordered the King's German Legion to turn the French left and the 16th Portuguese to turn their right and with the rest of Stewart's Brigade renewed the attack on the wooded heights in the centre above the village of Grijó. Mermet thereupon withdrew..."

// Early History The 29th Regiment of Foot was raised in 1694 by Colonel Thomas Farrington, an officer of the Coldstream Guards during War of the Grand Alliance known in America as King Williams War. ... General Julien Augustin Joseph Mermet (born Le Quesnoy 9 May 1772 – died Paris 28 October 1837) fought in the Napoleonic Wars. ... This article is about the postal service pioneer. ... General Sir Edward Paget (1775-1849) Served under Sir John Moore in the Peninsula War. ... When Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on July 5, 1803 the Kurfürstentum Hannover (Electorate of Hannover) was disbanded and its army dissolved. ...

Notes

1. ^  General "Michel Francheschi" is usually spelt "Michel Franceschi"
2. ^  The source is not clear if this Charles William Stewart's Brigade of dragoons or Richard Stewart's Brigade of Infantry [3]. It is probably the Infantry but another source for the battle is needed to make this clear.

Charles William Vane (born Stewart), 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCB, GCH (May 18, 1778) - (March 6, 1854) was a British soldier, politician and nobleman, the son (by his second wife) of Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, and half-brother to Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh. ...

References

• http://www.napoleonseries.org/reference/military/organization/detachments.cfm
• http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/battles/c_britarmy2.html