Battle of Talavera - Results

Results

The French suffered most in this hard-fought set-piece battle, losing 7,390 killed or wounded. Equivalent Spanish casualties were about 1,200 and British 5,500. This was approximately 25% of the British force, compared to only 18% of the French, although it is clear that the brunt of the allied effort fell on the British. Many of the wounded on both sides were burnt to death when the dry grass of the battlefield caught fire. The next day, the 3,000 infantry of the Light Division reinforced the British army after completing a famous march of 42 miles (68 km) in 26 hours.

Meanwhile, Marshal Soult advanced south, threatening to cut Wellesley off from Portugal. Thinking that the French force was only 15,000 strong, Wellesley moved east on 3 August to block it, leaving 1,500 wounded in the care of the Spanish. Suddenly finding that Soult had 30,000 men, the British commander sent the Light Brigade on a mad dash for the bridge over the Tagus River at Almaraz. The light infantry reached there on 6 August, just ahead of Soult. Now enjoying secure communications with Lisbon, Wellesley considered joining with Cuesta again. But he found out that his Spanish ally had abandoned the British wounded to the French and remained thoroughly uncooperative in other ways. Over the following months poorly executed actions by the Spanish forces resulted in Wellesley's strategic position being compromised. The Spanish had also promised food to the British if they advanced into Spain, but this was not provided. The lack of supplies, coupled with the threat of French reinforcement (including the possible inclusion of Napoleon himself) in the spring, led to the British deciding to retreat into Portugal.

After this battle Wellesley was created Viscount Wellington of Talavera.