The day before the Battle of Barrosa

In February 1811, during the Peninsular War, General Graham's Anglo-Portugeuse division, which included the 2/87th Regiment, sailed from Cadiz to Tarifa. Due to bad weather Graham had to land at Algeciras and then march to Tarifa. The plan was that this force would join a Spanish army at Tarifa and attack the rear of the French who were besieging Cadiz; the intended outcome was that the Allies would compel the French to abandon their siege.

The Allied Commander was the Spanish General la Peña, generally regarded as incompetent, who exasperated his subordinates and exhausted his men because he changed his orders so frequently. By 4 March 1811, it was clear that battle was imminent, but instead of resting his men after the long march from Tarifa, la Peña ordered another night march. At dawn on 5 March 1811, the opening phases of the Battle of Barrosa began.