The race and the combat of Benavente (december 29, 1808)

The combat of Benavente, 29 December 1808, was a rearguard action during Sir John Moore’s retreat to Corunna. After winning a minor cavalry battle at Sahagun on 21 December 1808, Moore had been forced to order his army to retreat at full speed towards Corunna in north western Spain, pursued by Napoleon himself.
The first major obstacle in Moore’s way was the River Esla. The British and French became involved in a “race to Benavente”, where there was a bridge across the river at Castrogonzalo. The British won the race, and on 28 December the bridge was destroyed. Moore’s infantry continued the retreat, while part of the cavalry was left on the Esla to delay any French advance.
On 29 December General Lefebvre-Desnouettes, the commander of the cavalry vanguard and Colonel of the Chasseurs à Cheval of the Imperial Guard, decided to make an attempt to cross the river. He led three squadrons of his chasseurs and a small detachment of Mamelukes, in all about 550 men. At first the French outnumbered the British pickets and the first British counterattack, made by 130 men from the 18th Light Dragoons under Colonel Otway, was easily defeated. They were then reinforced by men from the 3rd Dragoons of the King’s German Legion, under Major Burgwedel, and a second attack was launched. This time the dragoons broke through part of the French front line, and only just escaped being encircled.
The allied pickets then retreated back towards Benavente, where Lord Paget had placed 450 men of the 10th Hussars.


Lefebvre-Desnouettes advanced towards Benavente without waiting for reinforcements to cross the river. When he approached the village, Paget launched his surprise attack. This time the French were outnumbered, for the British now had 650 men. The French cavalry put up a short resistance before breaking. A two mile chase then followed, as the French attempted to escape back to the safety of the ford. A second French attempt to cross the river was called off after Paget brought up a battery of horse-artillery.
The exact number of casualties in this action is uncertain. Paget's report claimed that the French suffered 30 killed, 25 wounded and 70 prisoners, but their accounts state 9 killed, 98 wounded and 42 captured. Among the later was Lefebvre-Desnouettes (who spend the next three years in Britain). The British suffered 60 casualties, of whom 46 were from the German legion hussars, including three killed.

I am including two letters of Napoleon, the first addressed to Lefebvre-Desnouettes

Valderas, 29 décembre 1808
Au général Lefebvre-Desnouettes, commandant les chasseurs de la Garde impériale
Je reçois votre lettre. Je suppose que vous avez appelé à vous les Polonais qui étaient à Villafrechos. Le général Durosnel était arrivé ici. Il part à la pointe du jour pour vous rejoindre; il part pour vous rejoindre si l'ennemi occupe le pont avec l'infanterie. S'il n'est pas possible de le forcer, ne compromettez point ma Garde. Ce qu'il m'importe de savoir, c'est si l'ennemi prend sa retraite sur la route de Zamora ou sur celle d'Astorga. La route de Benavente à Zamora fait un angle très-aigu avec la route de Rio Seco à Benavente. Ainsi, en jetant des partis sur votre gauche, on devrait avoir des nouvelles, quoique je suppose que l'ennemi aura abandonné le pont, le maréchal Ney passant le gué à Villafer.

and the second addressed to the Emperatrice describing the incident

Benavente, 31 décembre 1808
A l'Impératrice Joséphine, à Paris
Mon amie, je suis à la poursuite des Anglais depuis quelques jours mais ils fuient épouvantés. Ils ont abandonné les débris de l'armée de la Romana, pour ne pas retarder leur retraite d'une demi-journée. Plus de cent chariots de bagages sont déjà pris. Le temps est bien mauvais.
Lefebvre (Lefebvre-Desnouettes) a été pris. Il m'a fait une échauffourée avec 300 chasseurs; ces crânes ont passé une rivière à la nage , et ont été se jeter au milieu de la cavalerie anglaise. Ils en ont beaucoup tué; mais, au retour, Lefebvre a eu son cheval blessé : il se noyait; le courant l'a conduit sur la rive où étaient les Anglais, il a été pris. Console sa femme.
Adieu, mon amie. Bessières, avec 10,000 chevaux, est sur Astorga.
Bonne année à tout le monde.

More information
Battle of Benavente (1808)
Histoire du Consulat et du Premier Empire - Correspondance de Napoléon 1er
Corunna 1809. Sir John Moore's fighting retreat. Philip Haythornhwaite. Campaign 83. Osprey Military Publishing, 2001