Though the Anglo-Spanish armies triumphed over King Joseph Bonaparte's army at the Battle of Talavera on 27 and 28 July 1809, the butcher's bill was steep.
The British counted 5,365 casualties, including 3,915 wounded while Gregorio García de la Cuesta's Spanish army lost only 400 to 500 men killed and wounded.
The battle's losers suffered more; a total of 7,268 Frenchmen were casualties.
On the morning of 29 July, General Robert Craufurd's Light Infantry Brigade and a battery of Royal Horse Artillery arrived in the British camp after an epic forced march.
Even so, General Wellesley's army was in no shape to exploit its victory.
The soldiers were on one-third rations due to the collapse of the supply system and the medical officers were unable to care for the thousands of wounded men.
With few wagons and carts, Wellesley was unable to bring supplies forward from his base at Plasencia or evacuate his wounded.
The British commander received intelligence that a French force was moving down from the north, but he assumed that there were only about 15,000 French troops.
As it happened, the threat was much worse than Wellesley imagined.

On 12 June 1809, Emperor Napoleon ordered Marshal Soult to take command of the II Corps, V Corps, and VI Corps and move against the British army.
It took some time to assemble this host but on 27 July, Marshal Mortier's 16,916-man V Corps and 1,853 dragoons set out from Salamanca toward the south.
On the 29th, Soult's own II Corps received a convoy of artillery to replace the guns lost in the 1809 Portugal Campaign.
Thus equipped, the 18,740-strong II Corps marched south on the 30th.
Marshal Michel Ney and the 12,500-man VI Corps followed on 31 July, after dropping off a brigade of 3,200 men.
Napoleon insisted that Soult keep his corps closed up to avoid defeat in detail.
At most, about 10,000 French Imperial soldiers under General of Division François Étienne de Kellermann were left behind to defend León.
Soult was aware that the Spanish and Portuguese could bring 20,000 men against Kellermann.
But he accepted the risk because he understood that Wellesley's British army was the main objective.

The Allied strategy had called for General Francisco Javier Venegas and the Spanish Army of La Mancha to prevent the French IV Corps under General of Division Horace François Bastien Sébastiani from reinforcing Joseph's army at Talavera.
In this, Venegas was completely unsuccessful, but another opportunity opened up.
With Sébastiani gone from his front, the way to Madrid was almost undefended.
Though his own army was too crippled to move at the moment, Wellesley hoped that pressure from Venegas' offensive would compel the French to retreat.
The Army of La Mancha pressed forward to Toledo and Aranjuez on 29 July, but then it unaccountably halted in place until 5 August.
Dropping off Marshal Claude Perrin Victor's 18,000-man I Corps to watch Wellesley and Cuesta, Joseph pulled back to a position at Illescas where he could move to block either Venegas or Wellesley if necessary.

Receiving news that 10,000 Portuguese under General Robert Thomas Wilson had reached a position behind his northern flank at Escalona, Victor retreated toward Madrid.
In fact Wilson only had 4,000 Portuguese and Spanish troops and was soon forced to withdraw from his isolated position.
On 1 August, Wellesley got news that the French were driving a small Spanish force under Marquis Del Reino from its position at the Puerto de Baños, a mountain pass to the north.
Though Wellesley still believed that the French force was not large, he could not ignore the threat to his supply line to Portugal.
In fact, Plasencia was captured by the French on the 1st.
That day, Cuesta detached his 5,000-man 5th Division under Major General L. A. Bassecourt to investigate.
After a heated debate with Cuesta, Wellesley agreed to move west while the Spanish general defended Talavera against Victor.
On 3 August Wellesley marched west from Talavera to Oropesa with 18,000 British troops.
He believed that he and Bassecourt were facing less than 15,000 Frenchmen
Though the Anglo-Spanish armies triumphed over King Joseph Bonaparte's army at the Battle of Talavera on 27 and 28 July 1809, the butcher's bill was steep. The British counted 5,365 casualties, including 3,915 wounded while Gregorio García de la Cuesta's Spanish army lost only 400 to 500 men killed and wounded. The battle's losers suffered more; a total of 7,268 Frenchmen were casualties. On the morning of 29 July, General Robert Craufurd's Light Infantry Brigade and a battery of Royal Horse Artillery arrived in the British camp after an epic forced march. Even so, General Wellesley's army was in no shape to exploit its victory. The soldiers were on one-third rations due to the collapse of the supply system and the medical officers were unable to care for the thousands of wounded men. With few wagons and carts, Wellesley was unable to bring supplies forward from his base at Plasencia or evacuate his wounded. The British commander received intelligence that a French force was moving down from the north, but he assumed that there were only about 15,000 French troops. As it happened, the threat was much worse than Wellesley imagined.
On 12 June 1809, Emperor Napoleon ordered Marshal Soult to take command of the II Corps, V Corps, and VI Corps and move against the British army. It took some time to assemble this host but on 27 July, Marshal Mortier's 16,916-man V Corps and 1,853 dragoons set out from Salamanca toward the south. On the 29th, Soult's own II Corps received a convoy of artillery to replace the guns lost in the 1809 Portugal Campaign. Thus equipped, the 18,740-strong II Corps marched south on the 30th. Marshal Michel Ney and the 12,500-man VI Corps followed on 31 July, after dropping off a brigade of 3,200 men. Napoleon insisted that Soult keep his corps closed up to avoid defeat in detail. At most, about 10,000 French Imperial soldiers under General of Division François Étienne de Kellermann were left behind to defend León. Soult was aware that the Spanish and Portuguese could bring 20,000 men against Kellermann. But he accepted the risk because he understood that Wellesley's British army was the main objective.
The Allied strategy had called for General Francisco Javier Venegas and the Spanish Army of La Mancha to prevent the French IV Corps under General of Division Horace François Bastien Sébastiani from reinforcing Joseph's army at Talavera. In this, Venegas was completely unsuccessful, but another opportunity opened up. With Sébastiani gone from his front, the way to Madrid was almost undefended. Though his own army was too crippled to move at the moment, Wellesley hoped that pressure from Venegas' offensive would compel the French to retreat. The Army of La Mancha pressed forward to Toledo and Aranjuez on 29 July, but then it unaccountably halted in place until 5 August. Dropping off Marshal Claude Perrin Victor's 18,000-man I Corps to watch Wellesley and Cuesta, Joseph pulled back to a position at Illescas where he could move to block either Venegas or Wellesley if necessary.
Receiving news that 10,000 Portuguese under General Robert Thomas Wilson had reached a position behind his northern flank at Escalona, Victor retreated toward Madrid. In fact Wilson only had 4,000 Portuguese and Spanish troops and was soon forced to withdraw from his isolated position. On 1 August, Wellesley got news that the French were driving a small Spanish force under Marquis Del Reino from its position at the Puerto de Baños, a mountain pass to the north. Though Wellesley still believed that the French force was not large, he could not ignore the threat to his supply line to Portugal. In fact, Plasencia was captured by the French on the 1st. That day, Cuesta detached his 5,000-man 5th Division under Major General L. A. Bassecourt to investigate. After a heated debate with Cuesta, Wellesley agreed to move west while the Spanish general defended Talavera against Victor. On 3 August Wellesley marched west from Talavera to Oropesa with 18,000 British troops. He believed that he and Bassecourt were facing less than 15,000 Frenchmen 
Battle of Arzobispo