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The Battle of Medina de Rioseco was fought during the Peninsular War on July 14, 1808 and resulted in the crashing defeat of the only Spanish army capable of defending Old Castile against the French.
Situation in northern Spain
Recent French operations in the region had come far short of Napoleon's expectations. In June, Marshal Bessières' flying column had tried to march on Santander to secure French communications in Galicia and guard the coast against a possible British landing. Overwhelmed by the mass resistance of the region, Bessières had been forced to turn back.
Napoleon committed more troops and formulated a new strategy. In July he ordered Bessières to renew his easterly offensive. Opposing the French was General Blake who, in uneasy partnership with General Cuesta, assembled a motley army of levies, militia, and regulars from isolated provincial garrisons. Between them the two Spanish generals commanded about 24,000 men. This force took up positions on a small elevation near Medina de Rio Seco.
The battle
On July 14, elements of two divisions from Bessières' army stormed the ridge. Most of the Spaniards fought grimly, inflicting over 1,000 French casualties, but Blake's fragile force was ultimately cracked by the determined French blows and driven west in rout. If any blame is to be found for the defeat it must rest squarely on Cuesta, who for reasons not quite clear refused to deploy his portion of the army, 6,500-strong, against the enemy.
Aftermath
Following Medina de Rioseco Bessières easily captured León and Zamora. The French were guilty of savage reprisals against both the Spanish prisoners and the populace of the neighboring cities – which ironically, had been among the very few not carried by popular uprisings.
Bessières' victory marked a great improvement to the strategic position of the French army in northern Spain. A delighted Napoleon asserted, "if Marshal Bessières has been able to beat the Army of Galicia with few casualties and small effort, General Dupont will be able to overthrow everybody he meets."
A few days later, Dupont's entire corps was broken in battle at Bailén and captured by General Castaños. With 20,000 French troops erased from the map, the French command panicked and ordered a general retreat to the Ebro, undoing Bessières' hard-fought gains.
"Battle of Medina del Rio Seco"