Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812)

Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812)
Part of the Peninsular War
British infantry storm the fortress at Ciudad Rodrigo during Wellington’s campaign in Spain
Date 7–20 January 1812[1] Location Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain 40°35′49″N 6°32′21″W / 40.59694°N 6.53917°W / 40.59694; -6.53917 Result Coalition victory[1]
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Jean Léonard Barrié	Arthur Wellesley Luís do Rego Thomas Graham
Strength
1,800[1]–2,000 153 guns	10,700–40,000[1] 36 guns
Casualties and losses
529–800[1] killed or wounded 1,000[1]–1,471 captured	250[1]–318 killed 1,100[1]–1,378 wounded

Peninsular war: Spain

200km
125miles

Toulouse

12

Vitoria

11

Tordesillas

10

Burgos

9

Salamanca

8

Ciudad

7

Talavera

6

Corunna

5

Tudela

4

Bailén

3

Valencia

2

Madrid

1

  

  current battle

  Wellington in command

  Wellington not in command

The siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, (7–20 January 1812) had the Viscount Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army besiege the city's French garrison under General of Brigade Jean Léonard Barrié. After two breaches were blasted in the walls by British heavy artillery, the fortress was successfully stormed on the evening of 19 January 1812. After breaking into the city, British troops went on a rampage for several hours before order was restored. Wellington's army suffered casualties of about 1,700 men, including two generals killed. Strategically, the fall of the fortress opened the northern gateway into French-dominated Spain from British-held Portugal. An earlier siege of the city occurred in 1810 in which the French captured it from Spanish forces.