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Battle of Sainte-Foy and the Second Siege of Quebec

Despite a harsh winter in which French forces and citizen experience hunger and starvation due to a lack of French relief supplies for the second winter in a row, Louis Joseph de Saint Véran, the Marquis de Montcalm knew he had to at least attempt to retake Quebec City in the hopes of a French fleet arriving in spring. He mustered 5000 of the best soldiers and militia he could with a few guns and part marched, part sailed down the still icy St. Lawrence towards Quebec City. Despite his desire to bring it along, the Caribou (50), was double anchored in front of Montreal, still encased in thick ice and unable to move.

On March 3rd, the French commander in Quebec, Montcalm and Francois Gaston de Levis arrived with a force of 5000 French soldiers and Quebec militia in an attempt to retake Quebec City.

The British, most of whose troops were away for the winter except for a small 3500 strong, hungry, scurvy ridden garrison led by James Murry.

In a disastrous attempt to take on the French outside the still unrepair walls Murry loses to Montcalm’s forces, taking over a thousand casualties before they retreat back inside the city.

Montcalm then brings his guns to bear on the city the following day on March 4th to begin a siege against the British occupying forces.

The siege however ultimately fails, as British ships arrive on April 9th, and destroy Montcalm’s light support ships, forcing him to withdraw back to Montreal.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~850 casualties
British Forces: ~1200 casualties

French victory at first, followed by French defeat.

Invasion of Portugal

On March 12th, the Franco-Spanish army invaded Portugal in the region of Tras-os-Montes. A French Spanish force numbering 6000 French and 20000 Spanish troops entered Portugal from the northeast and met very little resistance. The Spanish forces were led by Nicolás de Carvajal y Lancaster the Marquis of Sarriá, the French were led by Charles Léonard de Baylenx, the Marquis de Poyanne.

The Franco-Spanish armies were already encumbered by significant arguments between Poyanne and Sarria. The army entered under the pretext of “liberating” Portugal from the British. So easily did they at first overrun the province that the Serria brought next to no provisions for the Spanish army. This was a major point of disagreement between himself and Poyanne as the French commander insisted on bring provisions along for the French. This in turn brought complaints from Serria who was slowed down in his advance by the French supply trains.

At first, the only real resistance in Tras-os-Montes was the fortress at Miranda, which Serria let Poyanne besiege so that he could take control of the rest of the countryside.

Siege of Miranda and Tras-os-Montes campiagn

On March 22nd, French forces under Poyanne besige the Portugese fortress of Miranda with nominal Spanish support from Serria. The Fortress fell nearly two months later on May 17th.

On April 12th, as the real reasons for the invasion became clear, Portugal issued a formal declaration of war against the French and the Spanish. The governor of Tras-os-Montes issued a call for resistance and the peasants of the countryside rose up against the Spanish. The Spanish situation quickly deteriorated due to their lack of provisions, and numerous guerrilla attacks, by the populace. Those that did not fight fled the area scorching the earth as they went leaving nothing behind of use to the Spanish.

Soon by late April the Spanish were falling back or rioting and finding the only provisions being what the French had brought. Poyanne at first lent provisions to Serria and the Spanish, but soon realized the seriousness of the situation. Which if it was not reversed he would have little left for his own French soldiers, and began to significantly cut back on what was doled out to the Spanish, creating immense resentment between the French and Spanish forces. Knowing the Miranda was provisioned, an assault was ordered out of necessity; the Spanish aided the French in an assault of the besieged Fortress and succeeded in taking in on May 17th.

Poyanne upon seeing how many provisions were gained verses how many were needed to feed the surviving combined France-Spanish forces knew it would not be sustainable. He set charges, knowing neither could hold it long term and destroyed the Fortress of Miranda, then took his French forces and enough remaining French provisions for the journey back to Spain, urging Serria to do the same. Serria being stubborn did not immediately retreat along with Poyanne, instead sending a Spanish force of light troops on to Oporto in the hopes of securing provisions for his army.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~500 casualties
Spanish Forces: ~11500 casualties (including those lost to disease and starvation)
Portuguese Forces: ~2400 casualties or captured (prisoners released under conditions that they were not to reserve for the remainder of the year)

Franco-Spanish victory over Miranda, but defeat in the Tras-os-Montes arm of the campaign.

Battle of the River Dourmo

On June 1st, a weak, desperate, starving Spanish army of 2500 led by Alexander O'Reilly, attempting to cross the river Dourmo were met by several hundred Portuguese peasants, a handful of old cannon, and perhaps less than 40 actual Portuguese soldiers (mostly manning the cannons).

After enduring a few hundred casualties O’Reilly ordered a retreat, which became a disorganized flight back to the main Spanish army near Miranda. After learning of the defeat Serria retreated from Tras-os-Montes back to spain.

Battle Results:
Spanish Forces: ~500 casualties
Portuguese Forces: unknown

Portuguese victory

Siege of Almeida

A second arm of the invasion drove toward central Portugal from the west first targeting the Fortress Almeida and then with the intent to drive on to Lisbon after meeting up with the northwest arm of the invasion. However after learning of Serria significant failure in the northwest, the Count of Aranda was put in command and Serria was sent temporarily to command the land forces besieging Gibraltar before he would later ‘resign for health reasons’ in the fall.

On June 20th Aranda would besiege the Fortress of Almeida with at first 10000, then 20,000 Spanish and 5000 French troops (those from the prior failed campaign). The fortress would fall 11 days later on July 1st.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~100 casualties (from sickness)
Spanish Forces: ~3000 casualties (mostly due to desertion and sickness)
Portuguese Forces: 50 casualties, remaining captured.

Franco-Spanish victory

By fall, The British under George Townshend and John Burgoyne had reformed and retrained the Portuguese army to 7500 Portuguese soldiers and 5000 British regulars, and numerous civilian militia. Through a series of defensive and guerrilla actions put a stop to the Franco-Spanish advance and the Spanish were forced to retreat due to lack of supplies, disease and desertion. Almeida became the only position that remained held in Franco-Spanish hands for the year. The 1761 invasion campaign was a disaster, out of initial force of ~36,000, over ~15,600 were lost. (only ~600 were French)

Faced with the reality of their unpreparedness and French demands to create proper supply lines for any future attacks, Aranda called a truce with Townshend and Silveira for the remainder of the year through to spring of 1762.