Battle of Cacabelos

Part of the Peninsular War

Date	3 January 1809
Location	León, Spain
Result	British victory

Belligerents

French Empire

United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Colbert-Chabanais †

Edward Paget

Casualties and losses

200 men killed or wounded

The Battle of Cacabelos was a minor battle of the Peninsular War that took place on 3 January 1809, at the bridge just outside the village of Cacabelos, Province of León, Spain, as Sir John Moore's British army was making its retreat to A Coruña. The French cavalry Brigadier General Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais was killed by a sharpshooter at Cacabelos.

The village, on a plain in the mountainous region 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) past Ponferrada on the road from Astorga to La Coruña, is in the line of retreat taken by Moore's army to A Coruña, and its double arch stone bridge crosses the river Cua, a tributary of the Sil.

Moore, who was camped at Villafranca, half a day's march away in the direction of A Coruña, had ridden back to see Edward Paget who, just a few days previously, had led a successful cavalry clash at Benavente. The rearguard of Moore's troops, having arrived at Cacabelos the previous day, and delayed by the effects of rioting and the severe cold, was preparing to cross the bridge, when the 15th Hussars informed Paget that French cavalry units were rapidly approaching from Ponferrada. Soon, between 450 and 500 troopers of the 15eme Chasseurs à Cheval and 3eme Hussards, Marshal Nicolas Soult's advance guard, led by Brigadier General Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais caught up with the tail end of the army, capturing around 50 British soldiers caught by surprise.

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