First Battle of Porto: Soult routs the Portuguese, pontoon bridge collapses (1809)

On 29 March 1809, French forces under Marshal Soult defeated Portuguese troops outside Porto during the Peninsular War. Following the victory, Soult stormed the city, causing thousands of fleeing civilians to drown when the pontoon bridge over the Douro collapsed due to weight and artillery fire.

Episodes

Background and detail

The Battle. On 29 March 1809, Soult defeated the Portuguese forces outside Porto. The French victory led to the storming of the city. During the assault, fleeing citizens attempted to escape across the pontoon bridge over the Douro River. The bridge collapsed under the weight of people and Portuguese artillery fire, resulting in a disaster.

Aftermath. The collapse of the bridge caused thousands of deaths, estimated at 4,000 according to the Porto source, which describes it as the deadliest bridge disaster in history. The disaster occurred as civilians attempted to flee the city during the French assault on 29 March 1809.

People involved

Sources

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