Battle of Benavente

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, Spain42.0031°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 and wounded	55 killed and wounded, 3 officers and 70 other ranks captured.

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 of the French 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.

Peninsular war: Napoleon's invasion

200km
125miles

Corunna

14

13

12

Benavente

11

10

9

Zaragoza

8

7

Somosierra

6

Tudela

5

4

3

Roses

2

Zornoza

1

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current battle

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