Battle of Corunna - Napoleonic Wars Battle of Corunna

Battle of Corunna - Napoleonic Wars Battle of Corunna Battle of Corunna - Conflict: The Battle of Corunna was part of the Peninsular War, which was in turn part of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). Battle of Corunna - Date: Sir John Moore held off the French on January 16, 1809. Armies Commanders: British Sir John Moore16,000 infantry9 guns French Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult12,000 infantry4,000 cavalry20 guns Battle of Corunna - Background: Following the recall of Sir Arthur Wellesley after the signing of the Convention of Cintra in 1808, command of British forces in Spain devolved to Sir John Moore. Commanding 23,000 men, Moore advanced to Salamanca with the goal of supporting the Spanish armies that were opposing Napoleon. Arriving in the city, he learned that the French had defeated the Spanish which jeopardized his position. Reluctant to abandon his allies, Moore pressed on to Valladolid to attack the corps of Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult. As he neared, reports were received that Napoleon was moving against him the bulk of the French army. Battle of Corunna - British Retreat: Outnumbered more than two-to-one, Moore began a lengthy withdrawal towards Corunna in the northwest corner of Spain. There the ships of the Royal Navy waited to evacuate his men. As the British retreated, Napoleon turned the pursuit over to Soult. Moving through the mountains in cold weather, the British retreat was one of great hardship that saw discipline break down. Soldiers looted Spanish villages and many became drunk and were left for the French. As Moores men marched, General Henry Pagets cavalry and Colonel Robert Craufurds infantry fought several rearguard actions with Soults men. Arriving at Corunna with 16,000 men on January 11, 1809, the exhausted British were shocked to find the harbor empty. After waiting four days, the transports finally arrived from Vigo. While Moore planned the evacuation of his men, Soults corps approached the port. To block the French advance, Moore formed his men south of Corunna between the village of Elvina and the shoreline. Late on the 15th, 500 French light infantry drove the British from their advance positions on the hills of Palavea and Penasquedo, while other columns pushed the 51st Regiment of Foot back up the heights of Monte Mero. Battle of Corunna - Soult Strikes: On the following day, Soult launched a general assault on the British lines with an emphasis on Elvina. After pushing the British out of the village, the French were promptly counterattacked by the 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch) and the 50th Foot. The British were able to retake the village, however their position was precarious. A subsequent French attack forced the 50th to retreat, causing the 42nd to follow. Personally leading his men forward, Moore and the two regiments charged back into Elvina. Fighting was hand-to-hand and the British drove the French out at the point of the bayonet. At the moment of victory, Moore was struck down when a cannon ball hit him in the chest. With night falling, the final French attack was beaten back by Pagets cavalry. During the night and morning, the British withdrew to their transports with the operation protected by the guns of the fleet and the small Spanish garrison in Corunna. With the evacuation complete, the British set sail for England. Aftermath of the Battle of Corunna: British casualties for the Battle of Corunna were 800-900 dead and wounded. Soults corps suffered 1,400-1,500 dead and wounded. While the British won a tactical victory at Corunna, the French had succeeded in driving their opponents from Spain. The Corunna campaign exposed issues with the British system of supply in Spain as well as a general lack of communication between them and their allies. These were addressed when the British returned to Portugal in May 1809, under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. Selected Sources British Battles: Battle of CorunnaBattle of Corunna

9 Tips for Handling a Difficult Coworker

9 Tips for Handling a Difficult Coworker No matter where you work, there always seems to be at least one coworker who is difficult to deal with. Sometimes, that coworker even turns into a bully, and that can affect your job performance and self-esteem when all you want to do it get along and get the job done. If you let it go, you can end up losing your temper, and that could adversely affect you both personally and professionally. However, there are some ways you can get along or defuse the situation to make life easier on the job. 1. Difficult CoworkersAll work situations have difficult coworkers from health care jobs to sales jobs. It may be the office gossip, the one who never seems to be able to get the job done without help or the serial dodger, who never seems to take responsibility and blames everyone else for his or her shortcomings. Then there is the nasty coworker, who never has anything nice to say about you, no matter what. Your first step in dealing with difficult coworkers is to identify who they are to ensur e you aren’t blaming the wrong person.2. Discuss the ProblemWith a workplace bully or backstabber, it may be necessary to confront the person instead of letting the behavior continue. Having a calm discussion about the problem may have a surprising response. Some people do not realize the adverse impact their statements and actions have on others and be genuinely surprised and taken aback. Try to talk reasonably and hold your temper, but let the person know that you will take the issue to a superior if the actions continue.3. Talk to a FriendA little unbiased opinion is never harmful, so talking over your coworker situation with a friend can be a good idea. It not only lets you vent your frustrations but can give you an unbiased opinion of what may be going on and how to handle the situation.4. Use Humor to Defuse a SituationWhile this type of tactic can work for some people, not everyone is able to make a humorous comment to defuse a situation spontaneously. A light bit of h umor might be the tactic for you if you have a funny side.5. Have an Exit StrategyHaving an excuse to get away from a difficult coworker can help. Whether inventing a phone call you have to make, work you have to do right away or another excuse, spend as little time with the toxic coworker as possible. When people realize they aren’t being listened to, they give up.6. Keep Your Co-Worker Problem PrivateYou don’t want your character questioned, so maintain your cool when faced with a problem co-worker. Complaining to others in the office might get you branded as a problem yourself, so keep any complaining down to those in your family or a close friend outside the office. Going public with grievances is always a bad idea.7. Be Bigger Than Your Co-WorkerYou know the old adage, â€Å"You can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.† This applies to coworkers too. It doesn’t mean you have to come in every day with a new joke or be the person who organi zes birthday parties. However, just being pleasant, smiling and polite can improve another person’s attitude toward you.8. A Friend Can’t Be an EnemyWhile it doesn’t work in all cases, being friendly but not overly friendly to a difficult coworker can produce positive results. If the problem is gossip, having a friendly conversation can set things straight. If, on the other hand, the coworker is trying to take credit for work you have done, you can let your boss know beforehand that you are working on a certain aspect of a project, so you will get the credit.9 Go to Your BossNo one likes to do this, but sometimes there is no other choice if your requests to your toxic coworker have fallen on deaf ears. If you do decide to take the matter up with your supervisor, make sure to go armed with the information you need to make your case. Take notes on how this person’s actions are affecting your work and productivity on projects, and write down exactly what tha t person is doing to adversely affect your work.Whether working in a health care job or another field, there are ways to deal with toxic coworkers to make your job easier. Searching for a job can be easier too. TheJobNetwork lets you enter your job interests and qualifications and does the job search for you. All you have to do is enter your qualifications and interests in employment, and you will receive job alerts via email to choose which jobs interest you. To get started now, sign up with TheJobNetwork.