39:
180:
141:
475:
458:
504:
434:
533:
487:
422:
446:
579:
545:
521:
400:
562:
362:
369:
160:
129:
376:
745:’s infantry division tried to take the bridge "a la baionette". However, by around 4.00pm, it was too dark to continue and the French, possibly considering the British defensive position too good, and also possibly low in morale due to the death of Colbert, desisted. At about 10.00pm, Paget was able to set off towards Villafranca with no sign of French troops in pursuit.
1025:
769:). Costello served with Plunkett and can both cite personally witnessed experiences and the legend he already was at the time. It's highly likely that Colbert considered himself well beyond the musket range of 80 metres and therefore safe, whereas the Baker had verified target accuracy of 200 metres.
733:
in position on the other side of the bridge, Colbert withdrew his men to reform them in a column of fours prior to rushing the bridge. Moore, meanwhile, who had almost been captured by
Colbert's men, looked on from the western hill above the road, with Paget. When the French cavalry charged across,
629:'s advance guard, British units were overwhelmed and forced to mount a hurried withdrawal across the bridge. Ultimately, however, the French forces failed to press their advance further due to heavy losses including the death of French Brigadier General
765:, and who also, with a second shot, killed the officer who came to Colbert's assistance. Although there is much discrepancy regarding the distances involved, the shot has been claimed to have been as far as 600 metres,(first published in 1841 as
777:
Although
British troops were able to gain time in their retreat towards La Coruña, Moore has since been criticised for being too hasty in his retreat and for not having made better use of strong defensive positions such as the one at Cacabelos.
697:
just a few days previously. 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
233:
734:
they were forced to retreat after being decimated by
British rifle fire. Among the French fatalities was Brigadier Colbert himself who reportedly was killed immediately prior to the French attack.
226:
1050:
219:
715:
630:
164:
1070:
1080:
145:
721:
Deciding to press his advantage, and without waiting for infantry or artillery support, Colbert prepared to attack the bridge. However, on seeing the
955:
997:
1045:
690:
669:, 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
976:
38:
532:
284:
937:
914:
618:
702:
informed Paget that French cavalry units were rapidly approaching from
Ponferrada. Soon, between 450 and 500 troopers of the 15eme
1055:
741:'s cavalry and infantry support arrived they tried to cross the river by a ford a short distance downstream from the bridge and
803:
1029:
1075:
742:
738:
71:
633:. The resulting delay allowed Moore's forces to continue their retreat while keeping their forces largely intact.
1060:
474:
319:
457:
304:
1065:
682:
324:
730:
561:
368:
274:
259:
211:
703:
361:
959:
1001:
503:
445:
309:
294:
980:
694:
614:
433:
314:
269:
133:
64:
718:
caught up with the tail end of the army, capturing around 50 British soldiers caught by surprise.
646:
486:
421:
329:
299:
933:
910:
791:
578:
399:
339:
279:
264:
544:
520:
289:
168:
977:"Plunket's Shot: A reconstruction of a famous exploit in the history of the 95th Rifles"
787:
762:
662:
642:
606:
353:
244:
179:
140:
30:
1039:
926:
711:
626:
699:
686:
657:
The village, on a plain in the mountainous region 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) past
184:
758:
754:
722:
685:, half a day's march away in the direction of La Coruña, had ridden back to see
670:
666:
622:
658:
585:
609:
that took place on 3 January 1809, at the bridge just outside the village of
86:
73:
726:
610:
109:
1024:
707:
43:
The French
General Colbert was hit by a shot fired by Thomas Plunkett.
159:
128:
753:
Colbert-Chabanais was killed by a single long-range shot from a
215:
840:
838:
836:
834:
832:
830:
861:
859:
857:
855:
853:
925:
998:"Action at the Cacabellos Defile, 3 January 1809"
625:. In the ensuing engagement with French Marshal
23:
227:
8:
112:after briefly halting pursuing French forces
716:Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais
714:'s advance guard, led by Brigadier General
234:
220:
212:
37:
20:
877:
889:
844:
821:
814:
757:, fired by a noted sharpshooter of the
865:
16:1809 battle during the Peninsular War
7:
1071:Battles involving the United Kingdom
1051:Military history of Castile and León
14:
909:. Lightning Source Incorporated.
617:, Spain, as British forces under
1023:
577:
560:
543:
531:
519:
502:
485:
473:
456:
444:
432:
420:
398:
374:
367:
360:
178:
158:
139:
127:
1081:History of the province of León
804:Timeline of the Peninsular War
248:Napoleon's campaign, 1808–1809
1:
1046:Battles of the Peninsular War
924:Esdaile, Charles J. (2003).
767:The Adventures of a Soldier
1097:
695:cavalry clash at Benavente
605:was a minor battle of the
905:Costello, Edward (1841).
681:Moore, who was camped at
255:
201:200 men killed or wounded
196:200 men killed or wounded
190:
151:
120:
47:
36:
28:
954:hadaway, Stuart (2000).
621:making their retreat to
280:Battle of Burgos/Gamonal
1056:Battles involving Spain
975:Moore, Richard (2013).
693:, had led a successful
204:Roughly 50 men captured
932:. Palgrave MacMillan.
729:, and six guns of the
152:Commanders and leaders
731:Royal Horse Artillery
356:: Napoleon's invasion
191:Casualties and losses
108:British retreat from
1032:at Wikimedia Commons
996:Rickard, J. (2008).
956:"The Peninsular War"
748:
689:whose elder brother
595: current battle
1076:January 1809 events
1030:Battle of Cacabelos
1004:on 10 November 2020
790:proceeded with the
603:Battle of Cacabelos
83: /
24:Battle of Cacabelos
928:The Peninsular War
704:Chasseurs à Cheval
647:Battle of Cardedeu
1028:Media related to
907:Rifleman Costello
792:Battle of Corunna
691:Henry, Lord Paget
661:on the road from
645:started with the
631:Colbert-Chabanais
348:
347:
305:1st Molins de Rei
210:
209:
165:Colbert-Chabanais
116:
115:
1088:
1027:
1013:
1011:
1009:
1000:. Archived from
992:
990:
988:
983:on 2 August 2013
979:. Archived from
971:
969:
967:
962:on 16 April 2021
958:. Archived from
950:
948:
946:
931:
920:
893:
887:
881:
875:
869:
863:
848:
842:
825:
819:
788:Corunna campaign
643:Corunna campaign
615:Province of León
594:
587:
581:
574:
569:
564:
557:
552:
547:
540:
535:
528:
523:
516:
511:
506:
499:
494:
489:
482:
477:
470:
465:
460:
453:
448:
441:
436:
429:
424:
417:
412:
407:
402:
395:
390:
385:
378:
377:
371:
364:
250:
249:
236:
229:
222:
213:
183:
182:
173:
163:
162:
144:
143:
132:
131:
98:
97:
95:
94:
93:
88:
87:42.600°N 6.717°W
84:
81:
80:
79:
76:
49:
48:
41:
21:
1096:
1095:
1091:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1086:
1085:
1061:Battles in 1808
1036:
1035:
1020:
1007:
1005:
995:
986:
984:
974:
965:
963:
953:
944:
942:
940:
923:
917:
904:
901:
896:
888:
884:
876:
872:
864:
851:
843:
828:
820:
816:
812:
800:
784:
775:
751:
679:
655:
639:
599:
598:
597:
596:
592:
589:
588:
584:
582:
575:
572:
570:
567:
565:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
541:
538:
536:
529:
526:
524:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
483:
480:
478:
471:
468:
466:
463:
461:
454:
451:
449:
442:
439:
437:
430:
427:
425:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
396:
393:
391:
388:
386:
383:
381:
379:
375:
372:
365:
357:
349:
344:
251:
247:
243:
242:
240:
177:
169:
157:
138:
126:
104:
91:
89:
85:
82:
77:
74:
72:
70:
69:
68:
42:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1094:
1092:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1038:
1037:
1034:
1033:
1019:
1018:External links
1016:
1015:
1014:
993:
972:
951:
938:
921:
915:
900:
897:
895:
894:
882:
870:
849:
826:
824:, p. 154.
813:
811:
808:
807:
806:
799:
796:
783:
780:
774:
771:
763:Thomas Plunket
750:
749:Plunket's Shot
747:
678:
675:
654:
651:
638:
635:
619:Sir John Moore
607:Peninsular War
591:
590:
583:
576:
571:
566:
559:
554:
549:
542:
537:
530:
525:
518:
513:
508:
501:
496:
491:
484:
479:
472:
467:
462:
455:
450:
443:
438:
431:
426:
419:
414:
409:
404:
397:
392:
387:
380:
373:
366:
359:
358:
354:Peninsular war
352:
351:
350:
346:
345:
343:
342:
337:
332:
327:
322:
317:
312:
307:
302:
297:
292:
287:
282:
277:
272:
267:
262:
256:
253:
252:
245:Peninsular War
241:
239:
238:
231:
224:
216:
208:
207:
206:
205:
202:
197:
193:
192:
188:
187:
175:
154:
153:
149:
148:
146:United Kingdom
136:
123:
122:
118:
117:
114:
113:
106:
100:
99:
92:42.600; -6.717
63:
61:
57:
56:
55:3 January 1809
53:
45:
44:
34:
33:
31:Peninsular War
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1093:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1066:1809 in Spain
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1031:
1026:
1022:
1021:
1017:
1003:
999:
994:
982:
978:
973:
961:
957:
952:
941:
939:9781403962317
935:
930:
929:
922:
918:
916:1-84677-000-9
912:
908:
903:
902:
898:
891:
886:
883:
879:
878:Costello 1841
874:
871:
867:
862:
860:
858:
856:
854:
850:
846:
841:
839:
837:
835:
833:
831:
827:
823:
818:
815:
809:
805:
802:
801:
797:
795:
793:
789:
781:
779:
772:
770:
768:
764:
760:
756:
746:
744:
740:
735:
732:
728:
724:
719:
717:
713:
712:Nicolas Soult
709:
705:
701:
696:
692:
688:
684:
676:
674:
672:
668:
664:
660:
652:
650:
648:
644:
636:
634:
632:
628:
627:Nicolas Soult
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
586:
580:
563:
546:
534:
522:
505:
488:
476:
459:
447:
435:
423:
401:
370:
363:
355:
341:
338:
336:
333:
331:
328:
326:
323:
321:
318:
316:
313:
311:
308:
306:
303:
301:
298:
296:
293:
291:
288:
286:
283:
281:
278:
276:
273:
271:
268:
266:
263:
261:
258:
257:
254:
246:
237:
232:
230:
225:
223:
218:
217:
214:
203:
200:
199:
198:
195:
194:
189:
186:
181:
176:
174:
172:
166:
161:
156:
155:
150:
147:
142:
137:
135:
134:French Empire
130:
125:
124:
119:
111:
107:
102:
101:
96:
66:
62:
59:
58:
54:
51:
50:
46:
40:
35:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1006:. Retrieved
1002:the original
985:. Retrieved
981:the original
964:. Retrieved
960:the original
943:. Retrieved
927:
906:
899:Bibliography
890:Rickard 2008
885:
873:
845:hadaway 2000
822:Esdaile 2003
817:
785:
776:
773:Consequences
766:
752:
736:
720:
700:15th Hussars
687:Edward Paget
680:
656:
640:
602:
600:
334:
320:2nd Zaragoza
185:Edward Paget
170:
121:Belligerents
29:Part of the
18:
761:, rifleman
759:95th Rifles
755:Baker rifle
739:La Houssaye
723:95th Rifles
683:Villafranca
103:Territorial
90: /
1040:Categories
866:Moore 2013
810:References
710:, Marshal
659:Ponferrada
637:Background
493:Somosierra
295:Somosierra
782:Aftermath
727:28th Foot
706:and 3eme
653:Geography
611:Cacabelos
406:Cacabelos
335:Cacabelos
325:Castellón
315:Benavente
270:Valmaseda
260:Barcelona
110:Cacabelos
798:See also
708:Hussards
667:A Coruña
623:A Coruña
464:Zaragoza
384:125miles
330:Mansilla
300:Cardedeu
285:Espinosa
60:Location
663:Astorga
568:Zornoza
389:Corunna
340:Corunna
310:Sahagún
265:Zornoza
171:†
105:changes
75:42°36′N
67:, Spain
1008:18 May
987:18 May
966:18 May
945:18 May
936:
913:
725:, the
677:Battle
593:
510:Tudela
290:Tudela
167:
78:6°43′W
743:Merle
737:When
551:Roses
382:200km
275:Roses
1010:2021
989:2021
968:2021
947:2021
934:ISBN
911:ISBN
786:The
641:The
601:The
65:León
52:Date
671:Sil
665:to
1042::
852:^
829:^
794:.
673:.
649:.
613:,
440:10
428:11
416:12
411:13
394:14
1012:.
991:.
970:.
949:.
919:.
892:.
880:.
868:.
847:.
573:1
556:2
539:3
527:4
515:5
498:6
481:7
469:8
452:9
235:e
228:t
221:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
