Garcia Hernandez

Bock’s heavy (Kings German Legion) cavalry brigade and Anson’s British light cavalry brigade were in hot pursuit of the French army on the 23rd, the day after Wellington’s smashing victory at Salamanca. Marshal Marmont detailed Foy’s French division along with …

1812-07-23

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Bock’s heavy (Kings German Legion) cavalry brigade and Anson’s British light cavalry brigade were in hot pursuit of the French army on the 23rd, the day after Wellington’s smashing victory at Salamanca. Marshal Marmont detailed Foy’s French division along with Curto’s French cavalry brigade to act as the rearguard and cover the French retreat. As the Anglo-German cavalry force approached, Curto’s cavalry retreated instead of advancing to engage, leaving Foy’s infantry alone to face the cavalry. Foy quickly ordered his rear-most units to form square, but the first square charged held their fire too long. Their volley hit home, but the momentum of the charge propelled mortally wounded horses and riders into the square. The shaken infantry did not close ranks and surviving troopers burst into the square through the gaps. The square dissolved in panic - a rare event in the Napoleonic Wars. Normally a steady square could withstand the best cavalry, but the extraordinary event of horse and rider smashing into the square led to the square’s demise this time. The heavy cavalry, joined by Anson’s light cavalry, continued their pursuit and attacked a second square. The second square was so demoralized by the destruction of the first square that its troops also broke and ran before the cavalry. Foy, seeing that the field could not be held, retired with the rest of his troops. His division had fought magnificently the day before at Salamanca, allowing the French army to escape, but Garcia Hernandez was one rear guard action too many for these fatigued troops.

Garcihernández, Spain

In the Battle of García Hernández on 23 July 1812, two brigades of Anglo-German cavalry led by Major-General Eberhardt Otto George von Bock defeated 4,000 French infantry led by Major-General Maximilien Foy. In what would otherwise have been an unremarkable Peninsular War skirmish, the German heavy dragoons achieved the unusual feat of breaking three French squares, those of the 6th, 69th and 76th Line, routing the entire French force with heavy losses.

Wikipedia: Battle of García Hernández

French

British

Peninsular War