Campbell kept his battalions under strict control and halted the pursuit, bringing them back into the original line, spiking the abandoned guns on the way. Sebastiani commanded a further 10,000 men at Madridejos, to the southeast of Toledo, observing the Spanish army of Venegas, comprising 20,000 men, which was moving towards Madrid. In Spain: The War of Independence As the main battles—Talavera (July 1809) and Vitoria (June 1813)—were fought by Wellington, the guerrillas pinned down French garrisons, intercepted dispatches, and isolated convoys. Royal Artillery gunner: Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. Victor halted the advance and his cavalrymen dispersed to find forage for their horses, enabling the Spanish formations to get away without further molestation. The 24th and 96th lost 40 officers and around 1,100 men killed, wounded or captured, most of the wounded being left on the slope leading up to the British position. The Battle of Albuera almost resulted in defeat for the allied armies, but ended largely inconclusively with terrible losses on both sides. The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, Spain some 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War.At Talavera, an Anglo-Spanish army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish army under General Cuesta in operations against French-occupied Madrid. These men were liberated when Victor captured the British hospital on 6th August 1809. The other German regiments wavered under the British volleys, at which Campbell ordered his brigade to advance, led by the 7th Fusiliers. Each infantryman carried a bayonet for hand-to-hand fighting, which fitted the muzzle end of his musket. Battle of Talavera de la Reina, Spain, an 1809 battle of the Peninsular War; Battle of Talavera de la Reina (1936), during the Spanish Civil War On 11th July 1809, Wellesley and Cuesta had a difficult four-hour conference to work out a plan of campaign. Podcast of the Battle of Talavera: The British victory south of Madrid on 28th July 1809 over Joseph Bonaparte, the King imposed on Spain by Napoleon, and his French army in the Peninsular War: John Mackenzie’s Britishbattles.com podcast. Death of General Mackenzie at the Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: picture by R. Westall. Although Wellesely's forces were outnumbered, and a sizeable contingent of the Spanish ran away, he had chosen a superb defensive position and was able to beat … The Military General Service Medal 1848 was issued to all those serving in the British Army present at specified battles during the period 1793 to 1840, who were still alive in 1847 and applied for the medal. Halberdier Company (Real Guardia de Alabarderos) 2. The Battle of Talavera ( 27–28 July 1809) was a battle fought some 120 kilometers southwest of Madrid, Spain in the Peninsular War.. At Talavera an Anglo-Spanish army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish army under General Cuesta in operations against French-occupied Madrid. At around 8.30am, the cannonade ceased and officers and soldiers of both sides wandered down to the Portina Brook to drink the muddy water, mingle and gossip. In the meantime, the various French corps were on the move. The French assault, comprising the 24th and the 96th, but not the 9th Light, which was directed along the level ground, fell on Stewart’s Brigade. 4 Regiments of Provincial Grenadiers Cav… The French also had aggressive plans, with Marshal Soult’s corps re-invading Portugal, re-equipped and with its morale restored, after its disastrous retreat from Oporto, following Wellesley’s successful crossing of the River Douro. The battle honour ‘Talavera’ was awarded to the following British regiments: 3rd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons, 14th Light Dragoons, 16th Light Dragoons, Coldstream Guards, 3rd Guards, 3rd Buffs, 7th Royal Fusiliers, 24th, 29th, 31st, 40th, 45th, 48th, 53rd, 60th, 61st, 66th, 83rd, 87th and 88th Regiments. While the French conscript infantry moved about the battle field in fast moving columns, the British trained to fight in line. The French cavalry was distributed along the rear in support of the attacking infantry: Latour-Maubourg’s dragoon division behind Sebastiani, Beaumont’s 2 regiments behind Villatte and Merlin’s 4 regiments supporting Ruffin’s attack, in the plain north of the Cerro de Medellin. As the Spanish approached Gamonal, they were confronted by Latour Maubourg’s Dragoon Division. To achieve this end, Joseph had been corresponding with Soult on bringing together the French Second, Fifth and Sixth Corps for an advance towards Portugal. In spite of Victor’s strenuous objections, Joseph ordered a general withdrawal to the positions held at the beginning of the day. Spain Historic Sites Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: picture by JJ Jenkins. Ruffin’s division was to advance with all 3 regiments around the north of the Cerro de Medellin, supported by a brigade of Villatte’s Division. The 83rd and the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the KGL suffered casualties of more than half their number. History: The Battle of Talavera 1809. The British 87th and 88th Regiments ran back in wild confusion, although the third regiment of the brigade, the 60th, stood firm. Sir Arthur Wellesley positioning Spanish regiments at the Battle of Talavera on 27th/28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. The brigades of Stewart and Tilson fell back behind the crest of the Cerro de Medellin, as Rettberg’s battery struggled to return the French cannonade. 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