ˌɔn twˈɛnti nˈaɪn dʒuːlˈaɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd tˈɛn, ðə spˈænɪʃ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl tˈæboʊdə, hˌuː hæd tˈeɪkən kəmˈænd ʌv ˌɛʃɪvˈæɹiəz bɹɪɡˈeɪd æt sænˈæbɹiə, wʌz dɹˈɪvən fɹʌmðə tˈaʊn baɪ fˈaɪv,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ fɹˈɛntʃ tɹˈuːps lˈɛd baɪ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl sˈɛɹəz, hˌuː hæd sˈɛt ˈaʊt fɹʌm hɪz hɛdkwˈɔːɹɾɚz æt bˈɛneɪvənt wɪððɪ ɪntˈɛnʃən ʌv θɹˈɛʔn̩ɪŋ ðə fɹʌntˈɪɹ ʌvðə tɹˈɑːzˌoʊˈɛsmˈɑːntiz, ɪnðə nˈɔːɹθ ʌv pˈoːɹtʃəɡəl.
On 29 July 1810, the Spanish general Taboada, who had taken command of Echevarria's brigade at Sanabria, was driven from the town by 5,000 French troops led by General Serras, who had set out from his headquarters at Benavente with the intention of threatening the frontier of the Tras-os-Montes, in the north of Portugal.