The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) saw an Imperial French army under King Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan attack a combined British and Spanish army led by Sir Arthur Wellesley. After several of their assaults were bloodily repulsed on the second day, the French retreated toward Madrid leaving the battlefield to the Anglo-Spanish army. Events soon compelled Wellesley, who was soon appointed Viscount Wellington, to fall back toward his base in Portugal. The following units and commanders fought at the battle, which occurred during the Peninsular War.
Commander-in-Chief of the Anglo-Spanish Army: Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley
Commander-in-Chief: Lieutenant General The Rt Hon Sir Arthur Wellesley KB
Total Anglo-Spanish forces: 52,735, 66 guns
| Division | Brigade | Units | Strength | Losses 27th | Losses 28th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Division Major General John Coape Sherbrooke 5,964 | 1st Brigade Brigadier General Henry Frederick Campbell (2,045) | 970 | 3 | 293 | ||
| 1,019 | 0 | 322 | ||||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, one company | 56 | |||||
| 2nd Brigade Brigadier General Alan Cameron (1,364) | 1/61st Foot | 778 | 7 | 265 | ||
| 2/83rd Foot | 535 | 0 | 283 | |||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, one company | 51 | |||||
| 3rd Brigade Brigadier General Ernst Eberhard Kuno, Baron Langwerth von Simmern (1,388) | 1st Line Battalion, KGL | 604 | 9 | 291 | ||
| 2nd Line Battalion, KGL | 678 | 3 | 387 | |||
| 1st Light Battalion, KGL, two companies | 106 | 36 | 43 | |||
| 4th Brigade Brigadier General Sigismund, Baron Löw (1,167) | 5th Line Battalion, KGL | 610 | 41 | 255 | ||
| 7th Line Battalion, KGL | 557 | 146 | 110 | |||
| Artillery | Sillery's Company, RA (six light 6-pounders) | RA | RA | RA | ||
| 2nd Division Major General Rowland Hill 3,885 | 1st Brigade Major General Christopher Tilson (1,891) | 1/3rd Foot | 746 | 0 | 142 | |
| 2/48th Foot | 567 | 3 | 68 | |||
| 2/66th Foot | 526 | 0 | 126 | |||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, one company | 52 | |||||
| 2nd Brigade Brigadier General Richard Stewart (2,014) | 29th Foot | 598 | 55 | 132 | ||
| 1/48th Foot | 807 | 8 | 168 | |||
| 609 | 70 | 203 | ||||
| Artillery | Heise's Battery, KGA (six light 6-pounders) | KGA | KGA | KGA | ||
| 3rd Division Major General John Randoll Mackenzie of Suddie 3,747 | 1st Brigade Major General Mackenzie (2,276) | 2/24th Foot | 787 | 9 | 343 | |
| 2/31st Foot | 733 | 119 | 131 | |||
| 1/45th Foot | 756 | 25 | 158 | |||
| 2nd Brigade Colonel Rufane Shaw Donkin (1,471) | 2/87th Foot | 599 | 198 | 60 | ||
| 1/88th Foot | 599 | 64 | 85 | |||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, five companies | 273 |
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| Artillery | Rettberg's Battery, KGA (six heavy 6-pounders) | KGA | KGA | KGA | ||
| 4th Division Brigadier General Alexander Campbell 2,960 | 1st Brigade Brigadier GeneralCampbell (1,032) | 2/7th Foot | 431 | 0 | 65 | |
| 2/53rd Foot | 537 | 0 | 39 | |||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, one company | 64 | |||||
| 2nd Brigade Colonel James Kemmis (1,928) | 1/40th Foot | 745 | 0 | 58 | ||
| 97th Foot | 502 | 0 | 53 | |||
| 2nd Battalion of Detachments | 625 | 0 | 21 | |||
| 5/60th Rifle Regiment, one company | 56 | |||||
| Artillery | Lawson's Company, RA (six 3-pounders) | RA | RA | RA | ||
| Cavalry Division Lieutenant General William Payne-Gallwey 2,969 | 1st Heavy Brigade Brigadier General Henry Fane (1,069 or 1,070) | 3rd Dragoon Guards Regiment | 525 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4th Dragoon Regiment | 545 | 0 | 12 | |||
| 2nd Brigade Major General Stapleton Cotton (989 or 1,189) | 14th Light Dragoons | 464 | 1 | 15 | ||
| 16th Light Dragoons | 525 | 0 | 14 | |||
| 3rd Brigade Brigadier General George Anson (910) | 23rd Light Dragoons | 459 | 0 | 207 | ||
| 1st Hussars, KGL | 451 | 4 | 37 | |||
| Artillery Reserve Brigadier GeneralEdward Howarth (1,011) | Elliot's Company, RA (six light 6-pounders) | RA | RA | RA | ||
| British (RA) totals | RA: 681 | RA: 2 | RA: 32 | |||
| German (KGA) totals | KGA: 330 | KGA: 0 | KGA: 34 | |||
| Total British forces: 20,735 (16,556 infantry, 3,168 cavalry, 1,011 artillery, 30 guns) | ||||||
Commander-in-Chief: Lieutenant General Gregorio García de la Cuesta, Captain-General of Castilla
Spanish cavalry units ending in a number (Nr.) are regular units, and so is the Carabineros Reales Regiment. Other cavalry units are probably newly-raised volunteers. Regular units titled Cavalry are heavy cavalry, while units titled Cazadores are light cavalry. Units labeled Regiment are probably regular infantry from the old army, though Badajoz, Canarias, Mallorca, Osuna and Salamanca are not in Charles Oman's list. Units labeled Cazadores Regiment are regular light infantry. Infantry units titled Granaderos or Provincial are the standing militia units from the old army. All other infantry units are probably newly-raised volunteers.
| Division | Regiments | |
|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=8 | Vanguard Division Brigadier General José Pascual de Zayas y Chacón | 2nd Voluntarios de Cataluña Regiment |
| Cazadores de Barbastro Regiment, 2nd Battalion | ||
| Cazadores de Campo Mayor Regiment | ||
| Cazadores de Valencia y Albuquerque | ||
| Cazadores de Valencia Regiment, 1st Battalion (Oman: 2nd) | ||
| Tiradores de Estremadura (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Lanceros de Andalusia (cavalry) (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Michelena's Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=8 | 1st Infantry Division Major General Antonio Zayas y Potau, Marquis de Zayas | Cantabria Regiment, three battalions |
| Voluntarios de Castilla Regiment (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Canarias Regiment, one battalion | ||
| Tiradores de Mérida | ||
| Provincial de Trujillo | ||
| Granaderos Provinciales | ||
| Tiradores de Cádiz (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=7 | 2nd Infantry Division Major General Vicente Iglesias | Mallorca Regiment, 2nd Battalion |
| Velez-Malaga Regiment, three battalions | ||
| Osuna Regiment, two battalions | ||
| Voluntarios Estranjeros | ||
| 2nd Provincial de Burgos (Oman: omit 2nd) | ||
| Salamanca Regiment | ||
| Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=6 | 3rd Infantry Division Major General Francisco Gómez de Terán y Negrete, Marquis de Portago | Badajoz Regiment, 1st and 2nd Battalions |
| Cazadores de Antequera (Oman: 2nd) | ||
| Imperiales de Toledo, one battalion | ||
| Provincial de Badajoz | ||
| 2nd Provincial de Guadix (Oman: omit 2nd) | ||
| Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=7 | 4th Infantry Division Major General Rafael Manglano | Irlanda Regiment, two battalions |
| Jaén Regiment, two battalions | ||
| Sevilla Regiment, 2nd Battalion (Oman: 3rd) | ||
| Leales de Fernando VII, 1st Battalion | ||
| 2nd Voluntarios de Madrid | ||
| Voluntarios de la Corona Regiment | ||
| Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=6 | 5th Infantry Division Major General Luis Alejandro Bassecourt y Dupire | 1st Real Marina Regiment, two battalions |
| Africa Regiment, 3rd Battalion | ||
| Murcia Regiment, two battalions | ||
| Reina Regiment, 1st Battalion | ||
| Provincial de Siguenza | ||
| Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||
| ROWSPAN=7 | 1st Cavalry Division Lieutenant General Juan Henestrosa | Rey Cavalry Regiment Nr. 1 |
| Calatrava Cavalry Regiment Nr. 10 | ||
| Imperiales de Toledo Regiment | ||
| Cazadores de Sevilla Regiment | ||
| Reina Cavalry Regiment Nr. 2 | ||
| Villaviciosa Cazadores Regiment Nr. 5 | ||
| Cazadores de Madrid Regiment | ||
| ROWSPAN=10 | 2nd Cavalry Division Lieutenant General José Miguel de la Cueva y de la Cerda, Duke of Alburquerque | Carabineros Reales Regiment, one squadron |
| Infante Cavalry Regiment Nr. 4 | ||
| Pavia Cazadores Regiment Nr. 4 | ||
| Almansa Cazadores Regiment Nr. 3 | ||
| Alcantara Cavalry Regiment Nr. 7 (Oman only) | ||
| 1st Husares de Estremadura Regiment | ||
| 2nd Husares de Estremadura Regiment | ||
| Borbón Cavalry Regiment Nr. 5 (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Sevilla Regiment (part) (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Madrid Regiment (part) (Oman: excluded) | ||
| Total Spanish forces: 32,000, 36 guns (Lipscombe) or 28,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, 800 artillery, 30 guns (Oman) | ||
Total French forces: 46,180, 84 guns
Marshal of France Claude Perrin Victor, Duke of Belluno
| Division/Brigade | Strength | Units | Losses | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=1 | Headquarters Staff | ROWSPAN=1 | 47 | ROWSPAN=1 | - | 1 |
| ROWSPAN=4 | 1st Division General of Division Count François Amable Ruffin | ROWSPAN=4 | 5,286 | 9th Légère Infantry Regiment | 457 | |
| 24th Ligne Infantry Regiment | 567 | |||||
| 96th Ligne Infantry Regiment | 606 | |||||
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=5 | 2nd Division General of Division Pierre Belon Lapisse, Baron of Sainte-Hélène | ROWSPAN=5 | 6,862 | 16th Légère Infantry Regiment | 407 | |
| 8th Ligne Infantry Regiment | 437 | |||||
| 45th Ligne Infantry Regiment | 388 | |||||
| 532 | ||||||
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=5 | 3rd Division General of Division Eugène-Casimir Villatte, Count d'Oultremont | ROWSPAN=5 | 6,135 | 27th Légère Infantry Regiment | 189 | |
| 63rd Ligne Infantry Regiment | 40 | |||||
| 145 | ||||||
| 95th Ligne Infantry Regiment | 27 | |||||
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=3 | Cavalry Brigade General of Brigade Louis-Chrétien Carrière, Baron de Beaumont | ROWSPAN=3 | 980 | 2nd Hussar Regiment | 16 | |
| 5th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | 23 | |||||
| Horse Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | Reserve Artillery | ROWSPAN=2 | Included above | Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) |
| |
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| Total I Corps d'Armée: 19,310 | ||||||
General of Division Horace-Francois-Bastien Sebastiani de La Porta
| Division/Brigade | Strength | Losses | Units | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=1 | Headquarters Staff | ROWSPAN=1 | 13 | ROWSPAN=1 | unknown | - |
| ROWSPAN=5 | 1st Division General of Brigade Louis Liger-Belair (vice Sebastiani) | ROWSPAN=5 | 8,118 | ROWSPAN=5 | 2,180 | 28th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions |
| 32nd Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions | ||||||
| 58th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions | ||||||
| 75th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions | ||||||
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=1 | 2nd Division General of Division Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Timbrune de Thiembronne, Count of Valence | ROWSPAN=1 | 1,600 | ROWSPAN=1 | 40 | 4th Polish Infantry Regiment, two battalions |
| ROWSPAN=6 | 3rd Division General of Division Jean Francois, Baron Leval | ROWSPAN=6 | 4,537 | ROWSPAN=6 | 1,007 | Nassau Infantry Regiment, two battalions |
| Baden Infantry Regiment, two battalions | ||||||
| Hesse-Darmstadt Infantry Regiment, two battalions | ||||||
| Holland Infantry Regiment, two battalions | ||||||
| Frankfurt Infantry Regiment, one battalion | ||||||
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=5 | Cavalry Brigade General of Brigade Christophe Antoine, Count Merlin | ROWSPAN=5 | 1,188 | ROWSPAN=5 | 48 | 10th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment |
| 26th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | ||||||
| Polish Lancer Regiment | ||||||
| Westphalian Chevau-léger Regiment | ||||||
| Horse Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | Reserve Artillery | ROWSPAN=2 | included above | ROWSPAN=2 | included above | Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) |
| Foot Artillery Battery (8 guns) | ||||||
| Total IV Corps d'Armée: 15,456 | ||||||
King Joseph Bonaparte
| Division | Strength | Losses | Units | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=5 | Madrid Garrison General of Division Jean-Joseph Paul Augustin, Marquis Dessolles | ROWSPAN=5 | 5,737 | ROWSPAN=5 | 0 | 12th Légère Infantry Regiment, three battalions |
| 51st Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions | ||||||
| King's Guard Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| 27th Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment | ||||||
| King's Guard Cavalry Regiment | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=7 | 1st Dragoon Division General of Division Marie-Victor-Nicolas de Fay, Marquis de La Tour-Maubourg | ROWSPAN=7 | 3,279 | ROWSPAN=7 | 83 | 1st Dragoon Regiment |
| 2nd Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 4th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 9th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 14th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 26th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| Horse Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=7 | 2nd Dragoon Division General of Division Count Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud | ROWSPAN=7 | 2,356 | ROWSPAN=7 | 6 | 5th Dragoon Regiment |
| 12th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 16th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 20th Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 21st Dragoon Regiment | ||||||
| 3rd Dutch Hussar Regiment | ||||||
| Horse Artillery Battery (6 guns) | ||||||
| Total Reserve: 11,372 | ||||||
. Michael Glover (historian) . 2001 . The Peninsular War 1807-1814 . London . Penguin. 0-141-39041-7.
. Nick Lipscombe . 2010 . The Peninsular War Atlas . Oxford . Osprey . 978-1-84908-364-5.
. Charles Oman . 2010 . 1902 . A History of the Peninsular War Volume I . 1 . La Vergne, Tenn. . Kessinger Publishing . 978-1432636821 .
. Charles Oman . 1995 . 1903 . A History of the Peninsular War Volume II . 2 . Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania . Stackpole . 1-85367-215-7 .