3 April 1811 - Battle of Sabugal - Wellington attacks a French corps across river Coa but weather & blunders by Light Division commanders almost leads to a disaster. Plan was for three divisions to attack - 3rd, 5th & Light - but thick fog obscured the crossing points.

Picton & Dunlop (3rd & 5th) request confirmation attack to proceed but Erskine (Light) orders his men forward. Beckwith, commanding lead brigade, crosses at wrong point. Instead of attacking French flank runs into main body. Drives in pickets & advances but soon forced to halt.

Beckwith manages to hold off French column until overwhelmed by numbers. Driven back but men of 95th, 43rd & 3rd Caçadores rally & advance again. Torrential rain. Drummond’s brigade moves up but Erskine tells them not to attack. Drummond ignores him and supports Beckwith.

Fog lifts & both Wellington & Reynier, commanding French, see they have troops in trouble. Reynier begins to withdraw and Picton’s 3rd Division, lead by light companies, attack French in flank. French casualties around 750, Allied 180.

Wellington called the battle ‘one of the most glorious that British troops were ever engaged in’ referring to way the Light Division troops fought but both Beckwith & Erskine put their troops in unnecessary danger. Erskine later succumbed to mental illness and committed suicide.