Battle of Villagarcia

Battle of Villagarcia
Part of the Peninsular War
In the right foreground British heavy dragoons of Le Marchant's brigade are depicted charging during the Battle of Salamanca. They had done the same a few months earlier at Villagarcia.
Date 11 April 1812 Location Villagarcia de la Torre, Spain 38°17′N 06°04′W / 38.283°N 6.067°W / 38.283; -6.067 Result British victory
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
François Antoine Lallemand	Stapleton Cotton John Le Marchant
Strength
1,100	1,400
Casualties and losses
53 killed or wounded[1] 136 captured[1]	51 killed or wounded

Peninsular War
Castile 1811–13

200km
125miles

20

19

Burgos

18

17

16

Salamanca

15

Astorga

14

13

12

Villagarcia

11

Ciudad Rodrigo

10

9

8

7

Arlabán

6

5

4

Campo Maior

3

2

Badajoz

1

  

  current battle

In the Battle of Villagarcia (also known as the Battle of Llerena) on 11 April 1812, British cavalry commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton routed a French cavalry force led by Général de Brigade Charles Lallemand at the village of Villagarcia in the Peninsular War. Cotton intended to trap the French cavalry, which was separated by a number of miles from the main body of the French army, by executing simultaneous frontal and flank attacks. The plan came close to disaster when the forces making the frontal assault pushed forward prematurely. The situation was saved by the timely arrival of John Le Marchant's force on the French left flank.