Battle of Benavente

Battle of Benavente
	Part of the Peninsular War
	; Charge of the British hussars at Benavente, 29 December 1808 ; William Barnes Wollen, 1910
Date	29 December 1808
Location	Zamora, Spain42°00′11″N 5°40′27″W / 42.0031°N 5.6742°W
Result	British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Henry, Lord Paget	Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes (POW)
Strength
600	550
Casualties and losses
50 killed or wounded	55 killed or wounded ; 73 captured

Peninsular War: Napoleon's invasion

210km
130miles

14

Corunna

13

12

11

Benavente

10

9

8

Zaragoza

7

6

Somosierra

5

Tudela

4

3

2

Roses

1

Zornoza

🌍

current battle

The Battle of Benavente (29 December 1808) was a cavalry clash in which the British cavalry of Lord Paget defeated the elite Chasseurs à cheval (Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard) during the Corunna Campaign of the Peninsular War. The French chasseurs were broken and forced into the River Esla; their commanding officer, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes, was captured. The action was the first major incident in the British army's harrowing retreat to the coast and ultimate evacuation by sea.