Editing Battle of Gamonal (section)

==Battle==
The French attacked the Spanish positions before Burgos with a ratio 2:1. The two divisions of the Army of Extremadura were arrayed on the open plain at Gamonal and, broken by a massive cavalry charge, fled in panic, leaving the invaders to sack Burgos.{{sfn|Esdaile|2003|p=133}}

According to [[Charles Oman|Oman]] (Oman, 1902), if Belvedere had attempted a stand at Burgos, he would have been able to take advantage of that city's ancient fortifications, as well as the broken ground around it: "But with the most cheerful disregard of common military precautions, the Count marched out of Burgos, advanced a few miles, and drew up his army across the high-road in front of the village of Gamonal. He was in an open plain, his right flank ill covered by the river Arlanzon, which was fordable in many places, his left completely 'in the air', near the village of Vellimar".<ref name=oman1/>

In front of the line was a large wood, which the road bisects and which gave the French troops ideal cover for hiding their movements until the last moment. Belvedere had stationed his two batteries on the centre, with six battalions in the first line, and with a cavalry regiment on each flank. The second line was formed of four battalions; two more battalions, the four guns, and his third cavalry regiment were coming up from the rear, but had not yet taken their post in the second line when the short and sudden battle was fought and lost.<ref name=oman1/>

Soult arrived with [[Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle|Lasalle]]'s light-cavalry division deployed in his front, followed by Milhaud's dragoons and three infantry divisions of the 2nd Corps—[[Georges Mouton|Mouton]] in front, then [[Pierre Hugues Victoire Merle|Merle]], with [[Jean Pierre François Bonet|Bonnet]] bringing up the rear.<ref name=oman1/>

Milhaud's division of dragoons rode southward and formed up on the banks of the river, facing the Spanish right, while Lasalle's four regiments of light cavalry composed the French centre. Mouton's twelve battalions deployed on the left and advanced through the wood, preceded by [[Tirailleur|tirailleurs]].<ref name=oman1/>

The seven regiments of cavalry which formed the left and centre of the French army delivered a devastating charge at the Spanish infantry in the plain and the regiment of Spanish hussars covering their flank was "swept away like chaff before the wind".<ref name=oman1/> The infantry were still in line and did not have time to form squares before 5,000 horsemen swept over them, riding over five battalions, taking all their colours, killing half of them or taking them prisoner. The remnant fled towards Burgos, with Milhaud's dragoons in  pursuit, while Lasalle's [[chasseurs]] fell upon the surviving half of Belvedere's army. At the same moment Mouton's infantry attacked them from the front. The result was a complete rout and all sixteen Spanish guns were captured, including those of the second line that had not even been unlimbered, let alone fired a single shot.<ref name=oman1/>

Although Belvedere himself made two attempts to rally his troops, one at the bridge, and the other outside the city itself, he was unable to stop them fleeing.<ref name=oman1/>

The only troops that held their line were, to the south, the 4th Battalion of the [[Walloon Guards|Walloon Guard]], under Colonel [[Vicente Genaro de Quesada]], and to the north, Lieutenant-colonel [[Juan Díaz Porlier]]'s 1st Regiment of Provincial Grenadiers, which managed to withstand the onslaught and retreat in order.<ref name=puell/>