Vimiera, August 21, 1808.
Four days after Roleia, Sir Arthur Wellesley, at the head of the following regiments, inflicted a second defeat on the French army under Junot, capturing three guns and many prisoners. The following regiments bear the honour:
20th Hussars.
Queen's.
Northumberland Fusiliers.
Royal Warwicks.
Norfolk.
Lancashire Fusiliers.
Worcesters.
Cornwall Light Infantry.
South Stafford.
South Lancashire.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Sherwood Foresters.
West Kent.
King's Royal Rifles.
Highland Light Infantry.
Argyll Highlanders.
Rifle Brigade.
The casualties incurred were as follows:
Casualties at Vimiera.
| Regiments. | Officers. | Men. | ||
| K. | W. | K. | W. | |
| 20th Hussars | 1 | - | 19 | 24 |
| Royal Artillery | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| 2nd Queen's | - | - | - | 7 |
| 5th Northumberland Fus. | - | - | - | - |
| 6th Royal Warwicks | - | - | - | - |
| 9th Norfolk (2nd Batt.) | - | - | - | - |
| 20th Lancs Fus. | 1 | 1 | - | 5 |
| 29th Worcester | - | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 32nd Cornwall L.I. | - | - | - | - |
| 36th Worcester | - | 5 | 7 | 36 |
| 38th S. Staffs | - | - | - | - |
| 40th S. Lancs | - | 2 | 6 | 30 |
| 43rd Oxford L.I. | - | 3 | 27 | 51 |
| 45th Sherwood Foresters | - | - | - | - |
| 50th West Kent | 1 | 4 | 19 | 63 |
| 52nd Oxford L.I. | - | 2 | 5 | 33 |
| 50th K.R.R. | - | 2 | 14 | 22 |
| 71st Highland L.I. | - | 7 | 12 | 92 |
| 82nd S. Lancs | 1 | - | 7 | 53 |
| 91st Argyll Highlanders | - | - | - | - |
| 95th Rifle Brig. | - | 4 | 37 | 43 |
Immediately after the action negotiations were entered into with the French to secure their evacuation of Portugal. The Convention of Cintra, the result of these negotiations, raised a storm of indignation in England. The three Generals—Harry Burrard, Sir Howard Dalrymple, and Sir Arthur Wellesley—were recalled, and their conduct submitted to a Court of Inquiry held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, under the presidency of Sir Henry Dundas. The Times took a strong line against Wellesley, but the Court of Inquiry to a great extent exonerated him. Subsequently he returned to Portugal, as we know, to carry the war to a successful conclusion, thus belying his detractors.
The troops engaged at Vimiera were brigaded as under:
To which must be added about 2,000 Portuguese troops. Of the French forces it is not so easy to speak. Wellesley estimated their strength at 14,000, inclusive of 1,500 cavalry, with 23 guns. Professor Oman's figures are 13,056, including 1,850 cavalry. Whatever their strength may have been, they made but a poor stand against Sir Arthur's troops.