Lord Loudoun, Charles Lee, Burgoyne, etc - all in Portugal

jimmoyer1
24 hours ago
5 min read

Here are the major leaders on the Portugal and British side of this war against Spain and France.

William Pitt

William Pitt had urged a preemptive attack on Spain. When his policy was rejected he resigned, but war was declared between Spain and Britain in January 1762.

Lord Bute

On 25 December 1761 George III's favourite, the Earl of Bute, Secretary of State for the Northern Department, reported that a Spanish army was marching on Portugal, a false report, that "the safety Portugal is most essential to the interest of this country" and that he felt that troops should be sent. Bute suggested the dispatch of the Scottish troops in Dutch service.2 The following day a ministerial meeting decided to send troops to Portugal.

Frederick the Great and Knyphausen

Concern was also expressed that British aid to Portugal would be a diversion of assistance needed by Frederick the Great. Frederick himself was concerned about this and feared that the British valued Portugal more "because these men think like merchants", Knyphausen, Frederick's envoy in London, reported that Bute regarded the commitment to Portugal as his own work, would support it at the expense of the German war and hoped to gain credit domestically by it.

Lord Loudoun

On the declaration of war with Spain in 1762, Loudoun was appointed to succeed Lord Tyrawley as commander of the British troops destined for Portugal. He was head of all British troops sent, but he was 2nd in command to head of all allied forces in Portugal, Wilhelm, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_invasion_of_Portugal_(1762)

Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne

On 5 October 1762 Burgoyne stormed the entrenched Spanish camp of Villa Velha and routed the Spaniards with heavy losses, the last significant action in the campaign. November and December were to bring the signature of the Preliminaries of Peace at Paris and the proclamation of the cessation of arms. A Spanish attempt to seize Olivença in the closing stages of the war failed. Bourbon hopes had proved an illusion. Portugal had not been an Achilles' Heel and the troops sent there were more usefully employed than in amphibious attacks on the coast of France.

https://www.bhsportugal.org/uploads/fotos_artigos/files/TheBritishExpeditionaryForcetoPortugalin1762.pdf

3

Charles Lee

On 5 October 1762, the Anglo-Portuguese commanded by Lee attacked and completely routed the Spaniards at Vila Velha

"The attack was led by Lt. col. Charles Lee of the Dragoons of whom some, perhaps the majority, were Portuguese." In Francis, Alan David – Portugal 1715–1808 Archived 14 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Tamesis Books Limited, London, 1985, p.158 Archived 14 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_invasion_of_Portugal_(1762)#cite_ref-109

Former SC Gov Lyttelton

He was a younger son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton, (who Littleton Pa is named after) and was educated at Eton College and Mary Hall, Oxford. In 1748, he was elected a Member of Parliament.

In 1755, he was appointed Royal Governor of South Carolina, {did the first expedition against the Cherokee nation) and held the post till 1760, when he was transferred to Jamaica. He was British minister to Portugal in 1766.

https://www.carolana.com/SC/Governors/whlyttleton.html#:~:text=He%20was%20a%20younger%20son,minister%20to%20Portugal%20in%201766.

More on Lord Loudoun

Three forts are named after Lord Loudoun. There's a Loudoun County Virginia. There's a Loudoun Street Winchester VA. And up north you will find Loudoun names.

All are so named because Lord Loudoun ruled all North American forces until Dec 1757.

But people in Portugal know this name of Loudoun too.

This name gives you an indication that this was a world wide war. Even General Charles Lee of the Monmouth NJ battle of the Rev War was here in Portugual.

Lord Loudoun has a second act. He becomes second in command of forces in Portugal in July 1762. Spain joins France in this world wide war. Spain decides to invade Portugal. That invasion is known as Guerra Fantástica. Later on in that invasion, Lord Loudoun then takes over as top commander in Portugal in 1763. Portugal has long been an ally of England. Because of this, Spanish forces fought the English and Portugeuse in South America too. A ship from Clive's India Company of British forces was found sunk in the bay by Montivideo, Uruguay (Spanish) just below Brazil (Portuguese).

Lord Loudoun has a 3rd act. He creates a masterful garden at Loudoun Castle. For gardeners, this story will be a treat.

Also we will look at other aspects of Lord Loudoun, particularly his recommendation of Lt Col John Young, paymaster of the Royal American Regiment to succeed Lt Gov Dinwiddie. Because of that the House of Burgesses announced Lt Col Young's imminent assumption of the office on 12 Jan 1758.

That's it.

That's our lead story.

There's always more.

Skip around.

Read bits and pieces.

Compiled by Jim Moyer July 2024, updated 8/1/2024, 8/6/2024

Loudoun in Portugal

The British Expeditionary Force to Portugal in 1762

On the declaration of war with Spain in 1762, Loudoun was appointed to succeed Lord Tyrawley as commander of the British troops destined for Portugal.

https://www.bhsportugal.org/library/articles/the-british-expeditionary-force-to-portugal-in-1762

https://www.bhsportugal.org/uploads/fotos_artigos/files/TheBritishExpeditionaryForcetoPortugalin1762.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Almeida_(1762)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almeida,_Portugal

Charles Lee in Portugal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lee_(general)#Portugal

Old Allies, Anglo Portuguese timeline

https://www.bhsportugal.org/anglo-portuguese-timeline

1147 is the start of this relationship between the two nations

https://www.bhsportugal.org/anglo-portuguese-timeline/english-crusaders-persuaded-to-help-king-d-afonso-henriques-in-the-conquest-of-lisbon

Henry Fielding's tour in Portugal

Who is Henry Fielding?

His 1749 comic novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was a seminal work in the genre. Along with Samuel Richardson, Fielding is seen as the founder of the traditional English novel. He also played an important role in the history of law enforcement in the United Kingdom, using his authority as a magistrate to found the Bow Street Runners, London's first professional police force.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Fielding

Henry Fielding’s Voyage to Lisbon in 1754 Excerpts from the novelist’s journal, shortly before his death in Lisbon on the 8th October, 1754. Mark Crathorne

https://www.bhsportugal.org/uploads/fotos_artigos/files/K_Fielding.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_Tom_Jones,_a_Foundling

Project Gutenberg's electronic version of the Journal of a Voyage to Lisbon, by Henry Fielding, u

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1146/pg1146-images.html

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