The approach of Bonaparte with an immense army rendered it necessary for the British to withdraw, and the heavy baggage, with several brigades of infantry, commenced retiring; at the same time the cavalry patroles advanced up to the French lines and skirmished, to conceal the retrograde movement. On the morning of the 25th of December a squadron of the SEVENTH HUSSARS, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Kerrison, advanced towards _Carrion_, and encountering a French detachment of about equal numbers, made them all prisoners except the officer, who wounded Lieut.-Colonel Kerrison in the arm, and escaped.
The regiment commenced its retreat a few hours after this affair; and the army rested two days at _Benevente_, a rich open town situate in a plain extending from the Gallician mountains to the neighbourhood of Burgos. The infantry afterwards continued the retreat, while the cavalry remained in the town, and had parties watching the fords of the little river Esla. Soon after day-break on the 29th of December, six hundred cavalry of the French imperial guard crossed the stream and advanced into the plain; the British detachments retired fighting, and a piquet of the SEVENTH HUSSARS, under Lieutenant Lowther, was sharply engaged. Being joined by part of the Third German hussars, the piquets charged the French leading squadrons with signal gallantry, the ground was obstinately disputed, and a particularly animating scene presented itself. Baggage mules and followers of the army were scattered over the plain, the town was filled with tumult, the distant piquets and videts were galloping in from right and left; the French were pressing forward, and every appearance indicated that the enemy's whole army was come up and passing the river. Suddenly LORD PAGET led the Tenth hussars at speed into the plain; the piquets that were engaged united, and the whole charged. In an instant the scene changed, the French were seen galloping back, with the British at their heels; they plunged into the stream without breaking their ranks, and having gained the opposite heights, they wheeled round and appeared inclined to come forward a second time; but the British horse artillery opening upon them, they retired. Fifty-five killed and wounded Frenchmen lay on the plain, their general, Lefebre Desnouettes, and several other officers, were taken prisoners, and many of those who escaped across the river, were wounded. The piquet of the SEVENTH HUSSARS suffered severely, nearly every man being either killed or wounded.