VIMIERO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3013, 9 October 1908, Page 4

VIMIERO.

In the next few years will occur the centenaries of Wellington's victories in the Peninsular War, which did so much to break. Napoleon's power. The history of 1808-1815 is full of names that stir the blood — Corunna, Albuera, Badejoz, Talavera, Salamanca, and Viitoria. Yet there was no official recognition in England of the centenary on August 23st of the first important action of the war, Vimiero, fought on that day in 1808. That year was the turning point in the'great struggle between England and Napoleon. Sir Arthur vVellesely landed on August Ist, and moved southward to attack JunoL On August I.7th he defeated Delaborde at Rulica, and tunned aside to occupy Vimioro. Junot came up all.confidence "to daive the leopard, into the sea." At the end of two hours' fighting every French battalion had been broken, thirteen out of twenty-three guns had been captured; and Junot was on his way to Lisbon, leaving 2,000 of his men behind him The British loss was 750. It was a triumph of tactics., Wellesley had long held that tho French system of advance in column,, with a front of 40 or 80, and a depth of 9 J or IS> was wrong, and raust give way before the steady fire of men in line, twodeep. Junot came on in the normal French style,, with every battalion in dense column, and was decisively beaten by the English in line. It is curious that while the British Government has taken no notice of the centenary, King Manuel went out with military pomp to lay the foundation stone of a memorial on the battlefield where the first blow for Portuguese liberty was struck, but by British arnia.