Talk:Lines of Torres Vedras

[Untitled]
I've added to the original article (which mainly concerned the construction of The Lines) by adding info on the Lines use in the campaign. BritBoy 23:56, 14 Jan 2005 (UTC)

regarding the payment
a few months ago, it was described in this page that all the expenses from building and maintaining the lines of torres vedras were payed by the portuguese crown - but for some reason that part of the text disappeared. it would be nice if someone could set it back as it was before. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.82.216.141 (talk) 01:08, 6 August 2013 (UTC)

Text removed from the article on 25 June 2016
The three lines of Torres Vedras had redoubts and forts strategically placed in the top of hills, controlling the roads to Lisbon and using the natural obstacles of the land. They did not comprise solid lines; instead, they formed groupings of heavily defended areas that were self-supporting, with mobile troops based in fortified camps ready to counterattack when necessary.

The first line, extending to 46 km, binds Alhandra to the estuary of the Lizandro River. The second line, 13 km to the south, is 39 km long and binds the Póvoa de Santa Iria to Ribamar. The third line consisting of a defensive perimeter with 3 km, from Paço de Arcos to the Tower of Junqueira, protecting a beach of embarcation (St. Julian's) about 27 km to the south of the second line, to be protected by British marines.

Initially using the Lisbon Militia units plus 5,000 to 7,000 hired peasants and later by conscription of all people within 40 mi, supervised by 18 engineering officers and around 150 NCOs, and at a cost of just £100,000, the work was completed just in time.

Within a year, by the time the French arrived, 126 forts and redoubts were built, with ravelins, detached batteries, etc. Rivers were dammed, turning large areas into swamps; ravines were choked with abatis; miles of walls were built, some 16 ft high. Lateral roads were constructed to enable swift movement of supporting troops, houses and walls demolished to clear fields of fire, hills were scarped to make an unclimbable precipice, and everything was organised to have channels where crossfire from artillery would decimate an attacking force.

The three lines were furnished with 247 pieces of artillery and provided with around 30,000 men, mainly Portuguese militia and home guard ordenanças, plus 8,000 Spanish troops and 2,500 British marines and artillerymen. This left the Regular army, of around 58,000 (being 24,000 Portuguese and 34,000 British), able to manoeuvre behind the first line, to points of danger depending on where the invaders attacked the lines.

The majority of the defences were redoubts holding 200 to 300 troops and three to six cannon, normally 12 pounders, which could fire canister shot or round shot. The redoubt was protected by a ditch, normally 16 ft wide and 12 ft deep, with parapets 8 to 14 ft thick fitted with fire steps and the redoubts were pallisaded.

A possible eastern approach down the Tagus was protected with anchored gun boats.

The fourth line was built south of the Tagus in the Almada highs to hinder an eventual invasion coming from south, with an extension of 7.3 km. It had 17 redoubts and covered trenches, 86 pieces of artillery, defended by marines, and orderlies of Lisbon, for a total of 7,500 men.

Work continued on the redoubts and 152 were eventually completed.



I removed the above text from the article because the new text mostly covers it and is supported by inline citations. Most of the above text is not supported with inline citations. If citations can be found and the details are not in the article then the text can be copied back into the article, but please see the verification policy section WP:BURDEN, and do not restore the text without the support of inline citations. -- PBS (talk) 16:49, 25 June 2016 (UTC)
 * I have reinserted a few bits you deleted but spread around the article not in one chunk. Roundtheworld (talk) 08:39, 22 April 2019 (UTC)