At the Battle of Roliça (17 August 1808), the first battle fought by the British army during the Peninsular War,[5] an Anglo-Portuguese army under Sir Arthur Wellesley defeated an outnumbered Imperial French division under General of Division Henri François Delaborde, near the village of Roliça in Portugal.

On 30 July 1808, the French division of General Loison massacred the population, men, women, and children, of Évora.

On the same day, Wellesley received a letter from Viscount Castlereagh, the Secretary of War, that informed him that General Junot's forces numbered more than 25,000.

The command of this larger force would pass to Sir Hew Dalrymple (the Governor of Gibraltar, a 60-year-old general who had seen active service only in a failed campaign in Flanders in 1793–1794).

Some landing craft capsized in the rough surf making the first British casualties in the Peninsula victims of drowning.

Wellesley arrived on the 11th and soon argued with General Bernardim Freire de Andrade, the commander of 6,000 Portuguese troops, about supplies and the best route to Lisbon.

These troops had been sent by Junot to harass and hold the British while he brought his larger army into position to oppose the Anglo-Portuguese forces.

Hill, Nightingall, Craufurd, Fane with the remaining Portuguese, and the rest of the guns and cavalry were to push the centre.

The small French/Swiss force included: The village of Roliça is located in the centre of a horseshoe shape of steep hills approximately one mile wide and two deep.

[11] The French began the day to the north of Roliça backed up to the higher ground allowing them to block or protect the roads south toward Lisbon.

At this time the French final position was to the south and east of the village at the top of a steep hill that was littered with sharp rocks and the only way up was using narrow gullies.

He repulsed three assaults by the British until nearly 4:00 p.m. At this time Wellesley ordered a general advance to support the 29th & 9th Regiments of Foot.