Although Acevedo had retired in 1803 as a captain in the Spanish Royal Guards (equivalent to colonel in other regiments of Spain's army),[1] following the popular uprising in Asturias, he offered his services to the Junta Superior of Asturias as a military advisor, and on 12 June 1808, he was promoted to lieutenant general, serving under the orders of Joaquín Navia Osorio, marqués de Santa Cruz de Marcenado.
[1] When, some days later, the latter resigned due to disagreement with the Junta, Acevedo was promoted to captain general of Asturias and he immediately set about raising new regiments of volunteers.
[1] In September, Acevedo proposed bringing together the various Asturian units into one division which, following the war council held in Madrid after the Battle of Bailén, would then be included in Blake's Army of the Left.
[2] Three days later, however, Acevedo's rearguard was attacked by General Lefèbvre's IV Corps and some three thousand men were forced to retreat towards the Cantabrian coast, thus separating themselves from their division.
[1] On 10 and 11 November, an exhausted Army of the Left, including what remained of the Asturian Division attempted to halt the French offensive at Espinosa de los Monteros.