Albuera at 215

“The Flag, Albuera, 16 May 1811.” Painted by William Barns Wollen. In the collection of the British National Army Museum. NAM Accession Number NAM. 2001-04-325-1 The scene depicts the destruction of Col. John Colborne’s British 1st Brigade (part of the 2nd Infantry Division) by the Polish Vistula Lancers, supported by the French 3rd Hussars (d’Hubert’s outfit), during the battle of Albuera in the Peninsula Campaign. In particular, Wollen portrays the last stand of the 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs). The 1/3rd Foot entered the battle with 755 men and had only 112 men left standing at the end of the day, with at least 216 killed, a loss of some 85 percent. As one says, “It was a bad day for the regiment.” The four British regiments of Colborne’s brigade, the Buffs, 2nd/48th (Northamptonshire) Foot, 2nd/31st (Huntingdonshire) Foot, and 2nd/66th (Berkshire) Foot, were struck from the flank and rear, and were all but destroyed, with the 2/48th suffering 75 percent casualties,…