nine in the morning
When the morning of the 16th dawned the armies were numerically very unequal . The British had 30,000 infantry , 2,000 cavalry , and 38 guns ; the French , 19,000 infantry , 4,000 cavalry , and 40 guns ; but of these the French were all veteran troops , while Beresford had but 6,000 British troops , the remainder being Spanish and Portuguese , upon whom no reliance whatever was to be placed . The British officers present were all of opinion that their chances of success , under the circumstances , were slight indeed . The battle commenced at nine in the morning by an attack by the French general Godinot upon the bridge of Albuera . Their columns were , however , so completely plowed by the guns of the Portuguese upon the eminence behind it , that they made no progress , and Beresford perceived at once that the main attack would be made on his right . He despatched Tom Scudamore with orders to Blake to throw back his troops at right angles to the main front . The pig-headed Spaniard refused to obey , asserting that the main attack was in front .