The Battle of Rolica was fought on August 17, 1808 near the village of Rolica in Portugal, between the British under the Duke of Wellington and the French under General Delaborde. It was the first battle fought by the British army during the Peninsular War. August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (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. ... Henri François Delaborde ( 1764- 1833) was a French general of the Napoleonic Wars. ... The Peninsular War (1808-1814) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars. ...