Battle of Venta del Pozo In the Battle of Venta del Pozo , also known as the Battle of Villodrigo by the French , was a rear - guard action fought as part of the Peninsular War on 23 October 1812 between an Anglo - German force led by Major - General Stapleton Cotton against French cavalry under Major - Generals Jean - Baptiste Curto and Pierre Boyer . The result was a French tactical victory . Background . The Duke of Wellington ' s Anglo and Portuguese army gave up its unsuccessful Siege of Burgos on 21 October 1812 and withdrew southwest toward Torquemada . Wellington ' s 35 , 000 - man army was pursued by Maj - Gen Joseph Souham ' s heavily - reinforced Army of Portugal of 53 , 000 soldiers . Forces . Major - General Stapleton Cotton ' s rearguard included Colonel Colin Halkett ' s King ' s German Legion ( KGL ) brigade ( 1st and 2nd KGL Light battalions ) , Major - General George Anson ' s light cavalry brigade ( 11th , 12th , and 16th Light Dragoons ) , Major - General Eberhardt von Bock ' s heavy cavalry brigade ( 1st and 2nd King ' s German Legion Dragoons ) , and Norman Ramsay ' s RHA troop of six cannons . The total strength was 2 , 800 men . Curto ' s light cavalry brigade was made up of the 3rd Hussars and the 13th , 14th , 22nd , 26th , and 28th Chasseurs . Boyer ' s dragoon brigade included the 6th , 11th , 15th , and 25th Dragoons . Colonel Faverot , in charge of the 15th Chasseurs and Duchy of Berg Light Horse Lancers , and Colonel Béteille , head of the Gendarmes , also rode with the advanced guard . The French force numbered 3 , 200 men . Battle . On 23 October , Cotton drew up his cavalry at a stone bridge where the main highway crossed a deep , dry streambed . He planned to ambush the French advanced guard . Anson ' s cavalry would file across the bridge and presumably the French would follow . After a couple of French squadrons crossed , Ramsay ' s guns would open fire and Bock ' s dragoons would charge them . Meanwhile , on the British left flank , Curto ' s hussars had crossed the dry stream bed further upstream and attacked mounted Spaniards under the command of Marquinez posted on the hills overlooking the battlefield . As the Spaniards came pouring down the hills , closely pursued by the French hussars , the whole mass fell upon the 16th Light Dragoon , which was simultaneously charged by French dragoons that had crossed the bridge . The 16th Light Dragoon fell back in complete confusion and turned the wrong way , blocking both Ramsay ' s guns and Bock ' s intended charge zone . The Lancers of Berg , 15th Chasseurs , and Gendarmes then arrived in line towards the stream bed , which they found impassible . They quickly turned right , trotted over the bridge , turned left , and formed a line in front of Bock ' s heavy cavalry brigade consisting of the Berg lancer squadron closest to the bridge , followed by the five squadrons of the 15th Hussars , and finally the four Gendarme squadrons . At 17 : 00 , before the last two Gendarme squadrons had finished positioning themselves , Bock ' s Dragoons attacked in two lines . The first line of three squadrons was reeling back when the second line entered the melee . Just before this charge , the last two Gendarme squadrons managed to place themselves in such a way as to attack both KGL lines on their flank . Eight to ten minutes of bitter fighting ensued , overlooked by both armies on the surrounding heights . Bock ' s men retreated in disorder , followed by Anson ' s brigade . They soon became outflanked on both sides as more French dragoons came racing down upon them , causing the British cavalry to break in complete confusion . They finally rallied in square formations behind Halkett ' s two KGL infantry battalions as the Gendarmes , 15th Chasseurs , and Berg Lancers halted to rally themselves . Boyer ' s Dragoons charged and broke Bock ' s dragoons a second time . Wellington , arriving on the field , then directed Halkett ' s squares to fire at the French Dragoons , which unsuccessfully charged the squares three times before pulling away . The arrival of French infantry then forced the Anglo - German force to retreat , but in good order . Cotton greatly distinguished himself by his " coolness , judgment , and gallantry . " The Allies lost 165 killed and wounded and 65 captured . The French lost between 200 and 300 casualties . Other sources state 250 killed and wounded for the Allies and 85 prisoners , five of which were officers , while the French had 7 killed and 134 wounded . One of them was Colonel Béteille of the Gendarmes , who was left for dead on the field after receiving twelve sword wounds ( eight to the head , one of which cracked his skull open , and four to his left hand ) . French surgeons managed to save him . Several months later he was made brigadier general and officer of the Légion d ' honneur . Battle honours . The German 1st and 2nd KGL Light battalions wore the " Venta del Pozo " battle honour until 1918 in their subsequent service with the Hanoverian and Prussian armies .