About afternoon a heavy rain fell and that overloaded the british entrenchments and you will wash away the fresh new pontoon connection over the Guadiana Lake.
Towards 24 th February 1812, the weather fixed, enabling the british doing the fresh half a dozen electric batteries, developed twenty-eight hefty guns and you can, a day later, to open fire on the San Roque lunette, Fort Picurina as well as the webpages of the created breach from the chief city fortifications, between the Trinidad and you can Santa Maria bastions.
In spite of a heavy fire regarding the weapons on the city’s fortifications, the brand new weapons from inside the Picurina was basically easily silenced and works busted.
However, the fresh new French interest try diverted to those items from hazard and you will General Kempt, commanding on the trenches, revealed their reserve against the central position of your fort’s defences.
A party from the White Division battered down the fundamental gate that have axes and you will, once forty-five minutes regarding assaulting, Fort Picurina is taken. The rest have been slain otherwise caught.
Of British storming group, doing 600 people mainly regarding the Third Department, 319 officers and you may boys was indeed murdered or wounded. Few officers have been left status adopting the endeavor.
French evident shooters used positions inside the sandbagged emplacements to choose from the United kingdom troops involved in this new advanced trenches and you can capturing the fresh siege weapons
The fresh French commandant off Badajoz, Standard Philippon, thought the newest Fort Picurina garrison for behaved defectively hence british violence should have already been repelled. Various mines, shells and you can powder drums implemented for use up against an assault was maybe not erupted. Philippon granted a general order declaring it take a look at.
88th Connaught Rangers assaulting the fresh new Palace at Storming out-of Badajoz towards the sixth April 1812 on Peninsular Conflict: visualize from the Richard Caton Woodville
A british push, would love to the back of the latest fort, intercepted a great French line, going forward about city to help brand new Picurina garrison and you will drove they back into the town fortifications
British electric batteries have been now depending in order to flame much more directly on the newest Trinidad and you may Santa Maria bastions additionally the entrenchments on their side and among them.
British dug the next Synchronous over the deal with of your own San Roque lunette, and this safe the newest dam to your Rivillas Weight.
It had been today obvious to Philippon that fundamental United kingdom attack perform slide on the southern area-east area of area, in which the Trinidad and you may Santa Maria bastions endured and he re-twofold their efforts to really improve new defences indeed there.
Into 23 rd March 1812, Soult released a just be sure to relieve Badajoz, marching northern that have as much as 21,100 guys, the biggest force he could raise without leaving Andalusia and siege regarding Cadiz dangerously denuded.
Wellington purchased Slope in order to withdraw to help you Merida to pay for northern side of the Guadiana River and you will went the brand new Fifth Department so you’re able to support Graham south-east of your urban area, replacing it outside Badajoz by the an effective Portuguese brigade.
On north, Marmont was able to assemble offers to own an upfront and you will a number away from higher guns, towards the goal of threatening Ciudad Rodrigo and you will and thus force Wellington so you can forget the new assault to the Badajoz and you may come to the assistance of the Foreign-language garrison.
Ranging from 31 th March and 5 th April 1812, 38 Uk firearms swamped the fresh French defences regarding southern area-east spot away from Badajoz.
Whenever you are initially british physical violence was set for the night time 
regarding 5 th decades toward infraction, which have 14 heavier howitzers brought up to enhance brand new firepower.
Plans was basically applied to give battle to Soult in the Albuera, in the event that he emerged too intimate in advance of Badajoz you will definitely be seized.