10th Hussars Charge at Benavente

A Classic Cavalry Skirmish during the Corruna Campaign of 1808-09

Mar 13, 2008 Martin Gosling

Sir John Moore's venture into Portugal and Spain ended in his successful withdrawal to Corruna. But the French Army, led by Napoleon and Soult were close on his heels.

Napoleon invades Portugal

Despite its declared neutrality, Portugal was invaded by Napoleon in 1807. His aim was to make the country part of his Continental blockade. But the following year, Spain and Portugal both rose up against the French occupying forces and in August 1808 a British Army of 36,000 men under the command of Sir John Moore landed on the Portugese coast a hundred miles North of Lisbon.

Advance and withdrawal

Intending to support the Spanish Junta, Sir John Moore marched into Spain with part of his army, disrupting French communications and creating a diversion for his ally. Napoleon consequently delayed his invasion of Andalusia and turned to confront the British forces. Having achieved his purpose, Moore fell back into Galicia, fighting a series of brilliant rearguard actions in appaling weather.

Loss of British discipline

This was a hard campaign - swift moving and demoralising for the British soldiers who resented not being allowed to stand and confront the French. Spanish resistance collapsed and Moore was obliged to withdraw in the face of overwhelming French numbers. British discipline suffered and by the time they reached the River Esla, the French cavalry were being kept at bay by a series of counter attacks from the British rearguard; sharp and bloody affairs which gained time for the main force to complete the crossing.

The 10th Royal Hussars

Lord Paget commanded Moore's cavalry which included the 7th, 10th and 15th Hussars. They were reinforced by mounted elements of the King's German Legion which formed part of the British forces in Iberia. The 10th had been raised as a regiment of Dragoons by Brigadier Humphry Gore at the time of the first Jacobite rebellion in 1715. In 1806 the Prince of Wales (son of King George 3rd) who was then Colonel of the 10th, obtained permission to clothe and equip the Regiment as Hussars - making it the first Hussar regiment in the British Army.

Benavente

Having realised that Moore was crossing the Esla, Napoleon ordered his cavalry to drive the British rearguards into the river, but by the morning of the 29th December 1808, the last of the British patrols had already reached the Northern bank. The French cavalry at this time was composed of some of the the finest horsemen in Europe. In all their previous actions they had swept their enemies before them and therefore considered themselves invincible. So it was with considerable confidence that 600 Chasseaurs of the Imperial Guard, commanded by Colonel-General Lefebvre-Desnoettes, forded the river just above Benevente. By this time the infantry of the British rearguard had already left on the road to La Baneza. But Lord Paget and his cavalry rearguard still remained and he ordered General Slade to bring his cavalry units into position.

Charge and counter charge

The French advanced, pushing back the pickets of the 18th Light Dragoons. Slade's brigade was slow in forming up to resist them and the Chasseurs were able to repulse the charge of only 130 men led by Colonel Otway, and resume their advance. Otway reformed his men on higher ground and was joined by a troop of the King's German Legion. Again, Otway charged the French and managed to break through the first line of Chasseurs. However, there numbers were too few to sustain the fight and they withdrew. Meanwhile, in the suburbs of Benevente, Lord Paget had assembled the 10th Hussars in a fold in the ground that concealed them from the advancing French.

The French retreat

The French cavalry had advanced for over two miles from the river before Paget appeared with his forces. In addition to 450 men of the 10th Hussars he now had with him 200 from the 18th Light Dragoons and the King's German Legion. Emerging from his position he charged the enemy horsemen and following bitter fighting, drove the French in disarray back to the river. The British cavalry swords were exceptionally sharp on this occasion - they were often blunted by their metal scabbards - and one officer recorded seeing limbs and heads being cleanly severed during the melee. As the Chasseurs retreated they left fifty-five men dead or wounded on the battle field. The rest were driven into the Esla. Many prisoners were taken including the French commander, General Comte Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes.

Corunna

Sir John Moore and his exhausted troops retreated to Corunna where they reorganised and defeated the pursuing French in a decisive battle. This gave them time to re-embark on ships of the Royal Navy and return to England. The 10th Hussars later fought at Waterloo and in subsequent years underwent several amalgamations with other regiments. They are now subsumed into the King's Royal Hussars.

Sources

Years of Victory - Arthur Bryant (Collins 1951)

Corunna - Christopher Hibbert (Batsford 1961)

European History - Morse Stephens (Rivington Percival and Co - 1893)

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Officer 10th Hussars