SEPTEMBER 1809 FRENCH TURN
Napoleon lunges into Portugal, catches Wellington poorly deployed at Vimiero and smashes the Anglo-Portuguese army. Lisbon falls to the Spanish.
Davout arrives in central Germany to take command of the Grande Armee positioned behind the Oder as the Russians advance from Warsaw.
| Date | Name | Attacker | Defender | Description | Victor | Casualties |
| September 1809 | Vimiero |  Napoleon 90,000 |
 Wellington 60,000 |
Within four weeks of entering Spain, Napoleon crosses into Portugal with 25,000 men. Summoning Lannes's army of 50,000 and 15,000 Spaniards under Blake, the Emperor attacks Wellington's army of 60,000 at Vimiero. Wellington, unaware of Napoleon's presence on the peninsula, allows his army to be caught with strung out on the march to Lisbon. With the Guard leading the attack, Napoleon cuts the English army to pieces. Wellington is unable to mount an effective defense. Only the total sacrifice of the Portuguese corps allows Wellington to save even half his army from the debacle. Nightfall and poor weather halts the rout as the English tumble back toward Oporoto. |
France |
10,000 French 30,000 English |
The vanguard of the Russian juggernaut rolls across Silesia. Kutusov destroys Marmont's corps at Breslau.
| Date | Name | Attacker | Defender | Description | Victor | Casualties |
| September 1809 | Vimiero (Second) | Wellington 65,000 |
Napoleon 75,000 |
Reinforced by 10,000 men courtesy of the Royal Navy and 20,000 men from marched from Oporoto by Uxbridge, Wellington quickly rallies and attacks Napoleon's 75,000 men with his army of 65,000. Napoleon, underestimating England's ability to land reinforcements by sea, is caught unprepared. Wellington attacks the French center without result. Sensing the English have shot their bolt and underestimating his adversary, Napoleon orders a furious counterattack by Lannes. The French attack falters badly in the face of disciplined English musketry fire. Lannes is knocked from his horse and rendered unconscious. The ensuing French collapse is sudden and dramatic. A heroic stand by a Swiss regiment and an effective French cavalry screen limit the losses during the withdrawal. |
England |
10,000 English 20,000 French 5,000 Spanish |
| September 1809 | Breslau |  Kutusov 55,000 |
Marmont 20,000 |
At the head of 15,000 infantry and 40,000 cavalry, Kutusov attacks Marmont's 20,000 men at Breslau. Marmont is under orders to not engage the Russians and orders a fighting withdrawal. The overwhelmingly superior Russian cavalry makes the withdrawal difficult. A significant number of Frenchmen are caught on the wrong side of the Oder and forced to surrender. The survivors believe they have escaped but when local peasants show the Russians a ford, Kutusov completes the destruction of Marmont's corps. |
Russia |
10,000 Russian 20,000 French |