French columns pushed up the hill held by them.

The cannon on both sides swept the ground with grape.

The heavy French columns suffered terribly from the fire from the English lines; but they pressed forward, gained the crest of the rise and, confident of victory, were still advancing; when Cole and Houghton's brigades came up and restored the battle, and the British line, charging through a storm of grape and musketry, fell upon the French columns and drove them down the hill again, in confusion.
The Portuguese battalions had fought well, as had the German regiment; but it was upon the British that the whole brunt of the fight had fallen.

In the four hours that the combat lasted, 7000 of the allies and over 8000 of the French had been killed or wounded.
Of the 6000 British infantry, only 1800 remained standing when the battle was over, 4200 being killed or wounded; 600 Germans and Portuguese were placed hors de combat; while of the Spaniards, who formed the great mass of the army, 2000 were killed or wounded by the French artillery and musketry, or cut down while in disorder by the French cavalry.
Never was the indomitable valour of British infantry more markedly shown than at the battle of Albuera.

The battle had been brought on, in no small degree, by their anxiety for action.