Battle of Benavente facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Benavente
Part of the Peninsular War
British hussars at the battle of Benavente, 29 December 1808, by William Barnes Wollen.
Date 29 December 1808 Location Zamora, Spain 42°00′11″N 5°40′27″W / 42.0031°N 5.6742°W / 42.0031; -5.6742 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Henry, Lord Paget	Lefebvre-Desnouettes  (POW)
Strength
600	550
Casualties and losses
50 killed and wounded	55 killed and wounded, 3 officers and 70 other ranks captured.

The Battle of Benavente was an exciting cavalry fight that happened on December 29, 1808. It was part of the Peninsular War in Spain. In this battle, British cavalry, led by Lord Paget, faced off against the best French cavalry. These French soldiers were called Chasseurs à cheval and belonged to Napoleon's special Imperial Guard.

The British cavalry won a clear victory. They pushed the French soldiers back and forced them into the River Esla. The French commander, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes, was even captured! This battle was an important moment during the British army's difficult retreat to the coast, where they would eventually leave Spain by ship.

Why the Battle Happened

The Corunna campaign was a big military effort. It started with battles like the Battle of Cardedeu.

Henry, Lord Paget, commander of the British cavalry

Sir John Moore was leading a British army deep into northwestern Spain. Their goal was to help the Spanish people fight against the French who had taken over their country. However, Napoleon himself arrived in Spain with a huge army. He wanted to turn the tide for France.

Because Napoleon's army was so strong, and because Madrid had fallen to the French, the British army found itself in a tough spot. They had to start retreating. Napoleon's main army began chasing them. The British cavalry, led by Lord Paget, played a crucial role. They acted as a shield, protecting the main army as it pulled back.

• On Christmas Day, the 10th Hussars captured 100 enemy cavalrymen.
• On December 27, the 18th Hussars were attacked six times. Each time, they fought back successfully.
• By December 28, the British cavalry were guarding the rear of the army at the River Esla. They were covering the army's retreat towards Astorga.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The French side had four squadrons of the Chasseurs à cheval from the Imperial Guard. They also had some special soldiers called Mamelukes of the Imperial Guard.

The British forces were made up of different cavalry units:

• The 10th Hussars and 18th Hussars from John Slade's brigade.
• Pickets (small groups of soldiers on guard) from the 7th Hussars.
• The 3rd Hussars from the King's German Legion (KGL). These units were part of Charles Stewart's brigade.

The Battle Unfolds

British cavalry pickets were spread out along the western bank of the River Esla. The river was very full because of heavy rain. The bridge at Castrogonzalo had been blown up by British engineers early on December 29.

Around 9:00 in the morning, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes found a way to cross the river. He was one of Napoleon's favorite commanders. He led three strong squadrons of his chasseurs and a small group of Mamelukes across the river.

The French soldiers pushed the British pickets back. These British soldiers were then forced towards a larger group, called the inlying picket, commanded by Loftus Otway of the 18th Hussars. Otway bravely charged, even though he was greatly outnumbered. But he was pushed back about two miles towards the town of Benavente.

In an area where walls protected their sides, the British fought back. They were now stronger, with help from a troop of the 3rd Hussars KGL. Brigadier-General Stewart was now in command. A confused hand-to-hand fight began. Even though the French were pushed back for a moment, they had more soldiers. They forced the British hussars to retreat again, almost all the way back to Benavente. Stewart knew he was leading the French right into a trap, where Lord Paget and many British reserves were waiting.

The French seemed to be winning the fight. They were getting ready for a final charge. But then, Lord Paget made a brilliant move. He led the 10th Hussars, with squadrons of the 18th Hussars supporting them. They rode around the southern edge of Benavente. Paget managed to hide his soldiers from the French. This allowed him to suddenly attack their left side.

The British soldiers had very sharp swords that day. One person who saw the battle said that French soldiers' arms were cut off cleanly, "like Berlin sausages." Other French soldiers were killed by blows to the head that split their heads down to their chin.

The French tried to retreat back to the river, fighting as they went. But their groups of soldiers eventually broke apart, and the fight turned into a chase. The chasseurs were forced into and across the river. Any French soldiers left on the western bank were either killed or captured. General Lefebvre-Desnouettes' horse was hurt, so he couldn't cross the river. He was then captured. Some people said he was captured by Levi Grisdale of the 10th Hussars, while others said it was Johann Bergmann of the King's German Legion hussars.

As the chasseurs swam their horses across the river, British soldiers fired at them with their carbines and pistols. The French cavalry regrouped on their side of the river and fired back with their carbines. However, British horse artillery then fired at them, making them scatter.

What Happened Next

The British hussars felt much better after winning against Napoleon's best light cavalry. This victory showed that they were better than the French cavalry, a feeling they had also gained at the earlier Battle of Sahagún.

However, the British army's retreat had to continue. More battles followed, like the Battle of Mansilla and the Battle of Cacabelos. These were all part of the difficult Corunna campaign.

Napoleon himself watched the battle from a hill overlooking the river. He didn't seem too upset about his "Cherished Children" (his elite guard) losing. That evening, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes, who had a small head wound, was invited to dinner by the British commander, Sir John Moore. Moore even gave him his own sword to replace the one he lost when he was captured.

The French general was sent to prison in England. But he later broke his promise not to escape and managed to get back to France. This was seen as a very bad thing to do by the English public at the time. Napoleon then put him back in charge of the guard chasseurs.

Images for kids

• 

  An officer of the Chasseurs à cheval of the Guard by Théodore Géricault, c.1812

• 

  A map from 1808 showing the River Esla, Benavente, and Castrogonzalo

• 

  General Lefebvre-Desnouettes

• 

  Brigadier General Charles Stewart

See also

In Spanish: Carrera de Benavente para niños

• Timeline of the Peninsular War