After the turn Change of the 19th century , Governor-General Wellesley began Process_start what became Becoming two decades of accelerated expansion Expansion of Company territories .

As the British-Portuguese forces were outnumbered here , on July 22 , General Arthur Wellesley , 1st Duke of Wellington sent Sending Brigadier-General Robert Craufurd a letter , saying Statement that he ( Wellington ) was `` not desirous of engaging Participation in an affair Hostile_encounter beyond the Coa . ''

The Second Battle Hostile_encounter of Porto , also known as the Battle Hostile_encounter of the Douro or the Crossing Motion_directional of the Douro , was a battle Hostile_encounter in which General Arthur Wellesley 's Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated Conquering Marshal Nicolas Soult 's French troops on 12 May 1809 and took Conquering back the city of Porto .

After taking command Control of the British troops in Portugal on 22 April , Wellesley ( later named Name_conferral 1st Duke of Wellington ) immediately advanced Cause_to_make_progress on Porto and made a surprise crossing Motion_directional of the Douro River , approaching Arriving Porto where its defences Defending were weak .

Wellesley pursued Aiming the French army , but Soult 's army escaped Escaping annihilation by fleeing Escaping through the mountains .

During the siege , part of the Spanish troops marched Self_motion towards Salamanca to join Becoming_a_member the Allied army under Arthur Wellesley , commanded Control by General Santocildes , and contributed Assistance successfully in the campaign with the capture of Tordesillas , blocking Hindering Toro and Zamora , and occupying Valladolid .

The Battle Military_operation of Orthez ( 27 February 1814 ) saw the Anglo-Portuguese Army under Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley , Marquess of Wellington attack Attack an Imperial French army led Bringing by Marshal Nicolas Soult in southern France .