The Battle of Valmaseda (or Balmaseda) took place on 5 November 1808, during Lieutenant-General Blake's retreat from superior French armies in northern Spain. Reinforced by veteran regular infantry from General La Romana's Division of the North (Spanish: Division del Norte), Blake's force suddenly turned on its pursuers and ambushed Marshal Victor's errant vanguard under Général de division Villatte.

Napoleon's invasion of Spain had started with the Battle of Zornoza, where Marshal François Lefebvre's failed to destroy the Spanish army, as Blake had shaken off the premature French assault and escaped with his army intact. Further mistakes were made in the French pursuit, namely when Victor carelessly allowed his Army Corps to spread out in its search for an enemy he regarded as beaten.

Major-General Eugene-Casimir Villatte commanded the 3rd Division of Lefebvre's IV Corps. This oversized unit included three battalions each of the 27th Light, 63rd, 94th and 95th Line Infantry Regiments, plus two foot artillery batteries.

Blake's Army of Galicia was made up of five infantry divisions, a vanguard and a reserve:

General Figueroa: commanded the 1st Division [Hibernia, Santiago, Mallorca, Mandoñedo, Rey].

General Martinengo: the 2nd Division [Segovia, Victoria, Voluntarios de Navarra, Pontevedra] (5,100) (seven battalions).

General Riquelme: the 3rd Division [Compostela, Gerona, Sevilla, 6th Marina] (seven battalions).

General Carbajal: the 4th Division [Granaderos] (10 battalions, one present).