Battle of Majadahonda

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Battle of Majadahonda
Part of the Peninsular War
Date 11 August 1812 Location Majadahonda, Spain 40°28′00″N 3°52′00″W / 40.4667°N 3.8667°W / 40.4667; -3.8667
Belligerents
French Empire Italy Westphalia	United Kingdom Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Anne-François-Charles Trelliard	Benjamin d'Urban
Strength
2,000	2,300
Casualties and losses
100 killed, wounded or captured	176–200 killed, wounded or captured

Peninsular War
Castile 1811–13

200km
125miles

20

19

Burgos

18

Majadahonda

17

16

Salamanca

15

Astorga

14

13

12

11

Ciudad Rodrigo

10

9

8

7

Arlabán

6

5

Albuera

4

Campo Maior

3

2

Badajoz

1

  

  current battle

The Battle of Majadahonda (11 August 1812) saw an Imperial French cavalry division led by Anne-François-Charles Trelliard attack two brigades of cavalry under Benjamin d'Urban and forming the advance guard of Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Wellington's army. Trelliard's leading brigade routed d'Urban's Portuguese horsemen and overran three British cannons. King's German Legion (KGL) cavalry led by Eberhardt Otto George von Bock intervened to halt the Imperial French horsemen, but were finally compelled to withdraw when Trelliard committed his second and third brigades to the contest. The Imperial French cavalry was unable to cope with a KGL infantry battalion defending a village and they withdrew at the approach of additional British cavalry and infantry. This Peninsular War action was fought near Majadahonda, which is located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northwest of Madrid.