Battle of Corunna: Sir John Moore killed covering the British embarkation

Background. Sir John Moore took command of the British force in Portugal in October 1808 following the Convention of Sintra scandal. By November, he advanced into Spain to assist Spanish armies against Napoleon. Doggedly pursued by Soult, the British retreated across northern Spain, fighting off repeated French attacks by their rearguard before the engagement at Corunna.

Commanders. Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, a British Army officer known for training reforms, died at Corunna. Marshal General Jean-de-Dieu Soult, an outstanding military commander, led the French corps. Soult had previously played key roles in Napoleon's campaigns, including Austerlitz, and commanded French forces in the Peninsular War from 1808.

Outcome. During Soult's attack, his troops were outflanked by numerically superior infantry but eventually held the battlefield due to the British retreat to their ships. Soult failed to prevent the British escape by sea. The British Foreign Secretary Canning publicly characterized the battle as a victory with 'fresh laurels blooming upon our brows' despite the army being pushed out of Spain.