Corunna 1809

Moore was preparing his instructions for the soldiers to attack Soult at Sahagun and thus carry out total support of the remaining Spaniards. The British soldiers were in high spirits with the prospect of battling with the French. Moore ordered Baird to advance on Soult’s forces. Coincidentally a British Captain Waters was offered and bought the contents of the sabretache of a French officer who had been murdered.  It seemed of inestimable value and through General Stewart the papers were forwarded to HQ.  It was clear from the contents that Marshal Soult was ordered towards Benevente and troops were to advance from Madrid.  

On December 21^st,, 1808 700 French Cavalry were reported to be lodged in Sahagun. Lord Paget rode the distance of 9 miles in the rear of the French Lines and found two French cavalry Regiments, 8^th Hussars and 1^st Provisional Chasseurs at Sahagun and aimed to cut them off. Lord Paget was more able to appreciate the tactical possibilities of the position as he was further advanced in the handling of cavalry than most of his contemporaries. Paget’s plan was precise and clear to everybody. The kernel of the whole matter was to be their approach in the dark and thus arrival at first light. The 7^th, 10^th and 15^th Hussars required great discipline to achieve the objective, together with 7 guns of the Royal Artillery. 10^th Hussars arrived at 6.30am in the cold frosty morning. The 10^th Hussars effected a charge across the bridge into the town having encountered no resistance. There had been the manoeuvre around the unobserved ditch or ravine which had prevented the French from attacking the flank and the advantage of the charge at Sahagun was with the British at the top of the incline. The French were not a rudely awakened dismounted rabble of men, but two regiments of cavalry moving away from Sahagun in columns.

General Slade rode around the town with 15^th Hussars to the rear of the French. General Slade encouraged the 15th Hussars. It was sleeting so the roads were difficult for the horses. They encountered one of Debelle’s Light Cavalry picket on the high road near Sahagun and caused casualties, taking many prisoners, except for the one person who warned his comrades of the danger. The benumbed 15th Hussars in the frosty circumstances had watched the brass helmeted men with black horsehair plumes. The French could only fire a few shots. The 15^th Hussars broke into a trot and rode parallel to the French at about 80 yards away. They wheeled into line and charged shouting “Emsdorff” their first battle honour.  The charge was a shock and many French were unhorsed and ridden over.  The 15^th Hussars impact was cataclysmic. 15^th Hussars wisely broke off with their spoils.Some French broke away and were pursued for a mile but escaped.   The bulk of the French were either killed or captured. Men of the French 8^th Dragoons and 1^st Provisional Chasseurs were forming up in a vineyard in the east and were routed by the British cavalry through the overall surprise. 15^th Hussars only had 4 killed and 21 wounded. The wounds were mainly from sabre cuts which were difficult to heal but the cold weather helped to stop the bleeding. Many recovered to take part in the battle of Waterloo and lived to receive their MGS. Sir Colquhoun Grant was wounded at Sahagun and received a Small Gold Medal for Sahagun and Benevente; at Waterloo he had no less than five horses killed or wounded.  He was as well awarded a GCH and KCB. William Bates, 7/Light Dragoons and William Palmer, 7/Hussars, both received an MGS with bar Sahagun and Benevente. The issue of the single bars for Sahagun and Benevente were for those who only took part in a single action; an MGS with bars for both battles was for those who took part in each action. Due to the loss of many records with the chaos in the retreat to Corunna confusion on the matter developed.  In fact the bulk of the cavalry were only entitled to one bar.  15^th Hussar troopers were only entitled to Sahagun which was borne as a battle honour. The 10^th and 15^th Hussars had their moment of glory, with the 15^th Hussars having overthrown the French in a moment, as the French had no real opportunity to organise themselves properly in forming up despite the warning of their colleague. Lord Paget took 140 prisoners including two Lieutenant Colonels, eleven other officers with a loss of only six killed and twenty wounded; the French lost 200 men. In the vineyards east of Sahagun there were half naked corpses of French Dragoons lying in brown slush having been stripped by the peasants and the  town dogs were sidling closer.

Lord Paget’s rearguard of 10^th Hussars whilst holding off Lorge’s Dragoons near Mayorga discovered that one of Marshal Ney’s Light Cavalry Regiments was drawn up on high ground and preparing to attack. 10^th Hussars charged up the hill with difficulty as they were slipping in the mud and slush. The 10^th Hussars streaked through the French Dragoons capturing 100 prisoners.

Soult had 18,000 men but the overall French Army could annihilate Moore. Moore could still continue to reach Baird at great risk. Such a decision in following orders would endanger Moore’s 23,000 troops which were at Sahagun as well as facing the potential danger if Napoleon marched his 80,000 soldiers from