Wellington had been marching for two weeks across Spain from his port in Portugal and had finally arrived in Burgos where he paused to rest and concentrate. It was known that the French were approaching but the British were looking for a fight and considered themselves in an ideal situation. Three days earlier, French under Davout had driven off a Spanish Corps at Longrono but it had cost them. On July 7th, hearing reports of the French being very near, Wellington had ordered his Portuguese to march to Belarado but they encountered some resistance and quickly withdrew to Burgos but even while that was happening, Davout's II Corps arrived outside the walls at Burgos. Wellington sensed an opportunity to destroy this isolated Corps and ordered his army to the attack.

Link to strategic battlefield map

The initial orders from Wellington were for Hamilton's Corps to swing in from the left through the open terrain to swat Davout away. The center and right would pin in the rough ground and be ready if a few divisions show up from Belarado. From the start, the British are beset with command problems. There is only a single Corps commander for the entire army.

After little more than an hour, the French begin to receive reinforcements along both of their flanking roads. Hamilton's advance is tentative and already he is stretching himself wider than he can adequately control.

The Anglo-Portuguese army is still confident and continues with the original plan though objectives begin to shift. The terrain on the British right becomes problematic.

But the momentum stalls when MacDonald's Corps arrives after another couple of hours. The British were still struggling through the hills.

The British continue to try to execute their original attack plans as the French form a fairly solid battle line. Napoleon stays on the French right to assist St Cyr, who he is furious with for failing to get three of his divisions to the battlefield on time. MacDonald, on the French left, is not energetic and has trouble interpreting Napoleon's orders.

MacDonald makes a magnificent and energetic attack against the British right, using his cavalry supremacy. The whole of the British extreme right would be sent routing to the rear but in a wild, uncontrolled British cavalry counter-attack, the light dragoons would manage to capture the French Marshal..

The British right is in tatters but the confusion that results from the loss of Marshal MacDonald paralyzes the French left and they cannot seize the opportunity. One of the two leading British divisions would continue to attack despite the disaster on the right flank.

On the British left, the battle between Hamilton and Davout intensifies with the British getting the upper hand. Hamilton though is focussed on the attack on the hilltop and he cannot do anything with his left flank by the Monastery. His left is standing in squares, threatened by French cavalry, and battered by artillery. (disregard the Russians and pretend they are British line infantry)

Davout launches an attack up the center where Wellington had left his Portuguese divisions to hold ground. They prove remarkably untrustworthy and two French brigades send five Portuguese brigades scattering as though they were children.

As the battle wraps up, Hamilton and Davout are exhausted and they both pause to reorder their Corps. Wellington rides to confer with Hamilton and together they decide that the British army is obliged to retire on Palencia. The Spanish and Portuguese troops will retire into the fortress of Burgos to hopefully limit a French pursuit.