Improved State of the Weather – Lord Wellington determines on establishing the Right Wing of his Army between the Nive and Adour – Operations connected with the Passage of the Nive, and Battles of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of December, ending, in the complete Defeat of Marshal Soult – The Left Wing resumes its old Cantonments – Precautions against Surprise.

With the commencement of December, the weather once more became more favourable for active operations. Though a considerable fall of snow had taken place on the upper regions of the Pyrenees, the lower parts of the mountains remained quite clear, and in the plains and valleys the weather might be considered as mild. The Marquess of Wellington now determined to avail himself of the improved state of the roads and of the fall of the rivers (as sudden as their rise in this mountainous country), to establish the right wing of the allied army upon the right bank of the Nive, and in a position which would intercept the direct communication between Bayonne and St. Jean Pied de Port. It had been the Field-Marshal’s intention to cross the Nive in following up the victory gained over the French in November, but the heavy, and almost incessant, rains, put a stop to farther progress at that time. The enemy, in the mean while, guarded with his left wing the right bank of the Nive, and communicated by strong patrols of cavalry, with a division of his army, under General Paris, stationed at St. Jean Pied de Port.

The 9th of December was the day fixed on for carrying into effect the Field-Marshal’s intention; which he resolved to delay no longer, although heavy rain again fell on the preceding day. The first and fifth divisions, with Lord Aylmer’s brigade, forming together the left wing of the army under Sir John Hope, were ordered to advance by the great road leading from St. Jean de Luz towards Bayonne to reconnoitre the enemy’s intrenched camp opposite the village of Anglet; and to examine the course of the Adour, from the flank of the intrenched camp, resting on that river opposite the old convent of St. Bernard, to the sea. Major-General Alten was directed to reconnoitre, with the light division, the intrenched camp between the right of Sir John Hope’s corps and the left bank of the Nive, by advancing from Bassussarry along the road leading from St. Pé towards Bayonne. This operation, by menacing the enemy’s camp on the most important side, was calculated to withdraw his immediate attention from that part of his army which occupied the right bank of the Nive, against which the principal efforts of the British Field-Marshal were intended to be directed.

To dislodge the French from the banks of the Nive, Marshal Beresford was directed to effect the passage of that river with the sixth division opposite Ustaritz, whilst Sir Rowland Hill should make his passage at Cambo with the second division. Major-General Pringle’s brigade of the second division, forming an intermediate corps between those under Marshal Beresford and Sir Rowland Hill, was directed to cross at the ford of Halsou, a village about midway between Ustaritz and Cambo, but upon the right bank of the Nive. In the town of St. Jean de Luz there had been no indication of the approaching movement, till a convoy of some pontoon boats, a few days before, created a suspicion of approaching operations.

On the 7th of December, intelligence was brought to the army, of the great overthrow which the French had sustained in the battle of Hanau, of the important event of the restoration of Hanover to the British crown, and of the declaration of independence and exemption from French bondage, made by the States of Holland. The receipt of this intelligence was well calculated to inspire animation into the breasts of our allies, who began now to look forward with a degree of hope they had hardly before ventured to indulge, of the speedy overthrow of the tyranny of Buonaparte. Even the French people themselves appeared to rejoice at the news, as affording to them the prospect of a release from the calamities of war. We could not but observe with what astonishment and apparent delight they gazed upon Captain Mitchell’s excellent brigade of artillery, as it passed through St. Jean de Luz, towards the outposts of Sir John Hope’s corps.

Early on the morning of the 8th, a distant cannonade was heard in the direction of our right wing, but it was of short duration, and nothing of consequence occurred. In the afternoon of this day, we first heard of the intended movement on the morrow, and immediately put ourselves in readiness for a fresh advance. Accordingly, at one o’clock in the morning, the drums beat to arms, and in an hour after, the first and second brigades of Guards assembled on their respective parades, in St. Jean de Luz and Ciboure. At three o’clock the brigades commenced their march along the great road which leads to Bayonne. It was a wet morning, and the roads being very bad, the march was excessively fatiguing to the men. On arriving at the Plateau of Barouillet, in advance of Bidart, the brigades halted till the whole of the first division, under Major-General Howard, was assembled. At dawn of day it ceased raining, and soon after we discovered the fifth division, under Major-General Hay, supported by the 12th Light Dragoons; crossing the valley which separates the hilly ground of Biarits from that of Bidart; its left extending to the sea-coast, and its right in communication with the first division. Both divisions were in columns of battalions. The light German brigade was sent out in advance of the right of the first division, en tirailleur. The light companies of the fifth division formed a cordon in front of that part of the line, whilst the light companies of the brigades of Guards and the King’s German Legion, line battalions, covered the front of the first division, along the great road leading between the Etang de Chuhigue on its left, and the Etang de Rousta on its right.

At eight o’clock the first shot was fired; and immediately the whole line of light troops commenced a most spirited fire on those of the enemy, who tenaciously contested every hedge and bank that afforded shelter from our fire, and from whence they could take deliberate aim at our men. The artillery posted themselves on the eminences along the whole line, and by a fire of shells greatly aided in dislodging the French tirailleurs from behind the hedges and banks. The whole line made gradual progress in advance, the enemy not venturing to risk the approach of the allied columns, but retreating before them to Anglet. At one o’clock in the afternoon, the first division gained the heights on the right of the Bayonne road, opposite to Anglet, the light infantry driving the enemy down the slopes to the intrenched camp. The fifth division had made equal progress on the left, sweeping the whole country between Anglet and the sea, as far as the banks of the Adour, and occupying with its light infantry the Bois de Bayonne, a large pine-wood, which covers the whole space on the left of the Adour, between the intrenched camp and the sea.

Whilst the left wing, under General Sir John Hope, executed the movements on the left, the light division, under General Alten, made a corresponding advance between the left wing and the banks of the Nive; gallantly driving the enemy from behind a deep morass, which covered his advanced posts in front of Bassussarry, and compelling the French to retreat to the intrenched camp, near the Château de Marrac, the place in which King Ferdinand was so perfidiously betrayed by Napoleon.

At day-break Marshal Beresford crossed the Nive at Ustaritz, whilst Sir Rowland Hill attacked the enemy behind the Nive opposite Cambo. On every point the operations went on successfully. The sixth division, having made rapid progress towards the road leading from St. Jean Pied de Port to Bayonne, menaced the rear of part of the French left wing, compelling them to make a long detour to rejoin their comrades on the hills about Petit Monguerre. In this manner the allied army formed a sort of crescent which straitened the enemy in his positions before Bayonne.

It had been previously arranged, that the left wing should retire to its old position as soon as the right wing had accomplished its object; and it was to commence retiring at six o’clock in the evening, unless a countermand should arrive. In the afternoon the rain fell again very heavily; and it was with some difficulty that the troops got their bivouac-fires lighted, the men supposing that they were to remain on the ground which they had gained. The weather, however, was much too bad to admit the possibility of the soldiers remaining any length of time in such exposed situations; and as, at six o’clock, no counter-order had arrived, the troops of the left wing began their march back to St. Jean de Luz, and towards their several cantonments; the fifth division forming the rear guard to the whole. It was quite dark when the brigades began to retire, and the rain fell in torrents; and, on again entering the main road, it was found that the passage of the artillery, and the advance of so many troops along it, had so completely broken it up, and it was besides so deluged with rain, that, in some of the hollow-ways, it was knee deep of mud. Some idea may be formed of the difficulty of marching troops along this road when it is stated, that a little drummer, belonging to the third battalion of the First Guards, literally stuck fast in the mud, and was obliged to be lifted out, and carried for some distance by a couple of soldiers. The distance from St. Jean de Luz to the intrenched camp of Bayonne, is about twelve miles; and, as the men were marching nearly the whole day, the fatigued state and the muddy condition in which the brigades arrived late at night, in St. Jean de Luz, will readily be imagined. They had been on foot little short of twenty-four hours; and many of them were so completely exhausted, as to sink down powerless by the road-side; the weather continuing nearly the whole night as bad as it well could be. The light division also was withdrawn to its old cantonment, about Arcangues and Bassussarry.

At dawn of day, on the 10th, the enemy, in his turn, moved out of Bayonne with a strong corps, and attacked the fifth division, which had occupied its old station at Barouillet, in advance of the left wing; attacking at the same time the light division at Arcangues. The Portuguese brigade, commanded by General Campbell, was stationed on the great Bayonne road in front of the fifth division, which occupied the plateau of Barouillet. Major-General Robinson’s brigade supported the Portuguese. To the right of Barouillet, the first brigade of the fifth division, commanded by Colonel Greville, guarded the approach to the Bayonne road from the side of, the plateau of Bassussarry. Between this point and the light division at Arcangues, there was a broad-valley left almost without defence by the Allies, as it appeared certain that the French commander would not attempt advancing through this interval as long as the Allies maintained the positions of Barouillet and Arcangues.

The enemy advanced in two strong columns, the first composed of several battalions, by the great road from Bayonne; attacking, early in the morning, the outposts of the fifth division, and driving them back upon their supports on the Plateau of Barouillet. The second came forward by the Plateau of Bassussarry, throwing out a strong line of tirailleurs supported by battalions, against the light division, which had intrenched itself in the village of Arcangues. The main body, however, pushed forward a short way beyond the left flank of the light division, sending forward strong columns to attack the right of the fifth division, thus manifesting his intention of penetrating towards Arbonne, between and in rear of the two divisions. Sir John Hope, accompanied by his staff, was ever in the thickest of the fight, encouraging by his personal example the troops of the fifth division, which had to sustain severe attacks on both flanks, and which seemed on the point of being overpowered by the formidable numbers of the enemy. The Portuguese, supported by Major-General Robinson’s brigade, sustained the attack from the great road in the most gallant style; but their exposed situation made them suffer considerable loss, and Major-General Robinson was wounded.

There is a thick coppice-wood in front of Barouillet; and to the right of the great Bayonne road, it is separated from the Maison de Barouillet, by a large field and an orchard. The enemy advanced through the wood and orchard against Barouillet, when the Portuguese on the left flank, and the ninth foot on the right, wheeled round and attacked the rear of the French columns; this bold manœuvre defeated the enemy’s project at that point, and some hundred prisoners were taken. It was about mid-day when the brigades of Guards were ordered to march from St. Jean de Luz, to support the fifth division. They arrived at the Plateau of Barouillet about three o’clock in the afternoon, just as the enemy had been checked in his attempt to dislodge the fifth division. The sight of fresh troops coming into the field cast a damp on the ardour of the enemy, and the firing gradually ceased with the close of evening. The attack upon the light division at Arcangues was most animated. Again and again the French tried to dislodge the brave light division from the defences of the church-yard and château; they were always repulsed with great loss. The French troops, however, retained possession, during the night, of the Plateau of Bassussarry, which joins the Plateau of Barouillet in front of the mayor’s house. The object of Marshal Soult’s attack was, doubtless, to oblige the left wing to retreat upon St. Jean de Luz, and thus cause the troops under Sir Rowland Hill, who had crossed the Nive, to make a corresponding retrograde movement, and thus again enable himself to have direct communication with St. Jean Pied de Port.

Meantime Sir Rowland Hill, finding on the morning of the 10th that the enemy had withdrawn the main part of his forces from the heights of Monguerre, advanced to that position, establishing his right upon the left bank of the Adour; his centre upon the heights in front of Vieux Monguerre; and his left upon the Nive, opposite Villefranque, where a pontoon bridge was laid down, to keep up communication with the centre of the army. The sixth division re-crossed to the left bank of the Nive.

A glance at the plan will immediately explain the great advantage the enemy had over the Allies, in the facility with which he could execute his movements. Bayonne might be considered as the centre of a circle; in the circumference of which the Allies were posted, having their communications divided by the Nive, and the worst possible cross roads to march on, in case of support being required, either upon one flank or the other. The facilities which the enemy now possessed of making separate attacks, direct upon any part of the Marquess of Wellington’s army, are obvious. These he could execute without any risk to his rear or flanks, as the intrenched camp before Bayonne was a sufficient safeguard against whichever wing of the Allies he might choose to leave unmolested. In this manner he was able to paralyse a large portion of the allied army, by merely leaving just a sufficiency of troops to guard his intrenched camp. How much more then is it to the credit of the Allies, who, by single divisions, defeated the strong columns which the enemy had sent forward to the attack.

The first division occupied Bidart during the night, between the 10th and 11th, to be in readiness to support the fifth division in the event of a renewed attack on the following morning. But the enemy withdrew his troops to the heights behind the Etang de Chuhigue and the Etang de Rousta, during the night, leaving strong picquets upon the Plateau of Bassussarry, and on its continuation in front of Barouillet.

On the morning of the 11th, at dawn, the light troops of the fifth division drove in the enemy’s picquets, and the most advanced sentries were again pushed forward to their old line. The rain had fallen the greater part of the preceding day, and the troops began to experience the harassing effects of being constantly on the alert, upon ground which was soon trampled into mud. Nothing material happened during the forenoon; the men received their rations, and parties were sent out unarmed to cut wood for cooking. The weather brightened, and all was tranquil on the outposts. About two o’clock, however, some stir was visible in the enemy’s line, and in some places the French were seen cutting gaps in the fences for the passage of their artillery; a few moments after, they commenced a furious attack along the great Bayonne road, driving in the picquets upon their supports. The hill in front of Barouillet again became the scene of a hard contest. There was a general shout of “to arms” the moment this attack commenced; and the soldiers, who had gone in front of Barouillet to cut wood, ran back in all haste to get themselves armed and accoutred. The French, seeing a number of men running to the rear, imagined that the Allies had taken a panic, and set up loud cheers of “En avant, en avant!” In a few moments, however, the whole left wing was formed in perfect order. The fifth division, part of Lord Aylmer’s brigade, and the Portuguese, in first line, having its left resting on the Etang de Chuhigue, and extending from thence to the right, across the wood and orchard before mentioned, in front of Barouillet; the right resting upon the edge of the valley, between the Plateau of Barouillet and Arcangues. The brigades of Guards, and part of Lord Aylmer’s brigade, were in columns of companies, and formed a second line, in rear of Barouillet, on a narrow ridge of heathy ground. The Portuguese brigades attached to the first and fifth divisions again behaved most gallantly in sustaining the enemy’s onset, and the fifth division again maintained possession of the line in front of the mayor’s house. The French made a feint attack upon Arcangues, to cover a more serious movement against the fifth division, along the Plateau of Bassussarry. Sir John Hope shewed as before the same glorious example of heroism, in exposing his person wherever the enemy’s efforts seemed most formidable; and it is wonderful that himself and his staff, who were, during the whole of these attacks, exposed to the hottest fire, escaped with so little injury. The Marquess of Wellington had ordered the picquets to be withdrawn from the hill in front, in the event of being attacked, but directed the line of position in front of Barouillet to be strictly maintained; and night once more put an end to the contest, leaving the opposite armies in the same positions as on the former night; all Marshal Soult’s efforts to drive back the left wing proving ineffectual.

As soon as it was sufficiently dark to prevent any change of position which might be made by our troops from being discernible by the enemy, the first division, under Major-General Howard, relieved the fifth division, the latter forming in second line, on the same ground that the first had occupied. The two brigades of Guards occupied the line in front of Barouillet. The second brigade, consisting of the Coldstream and Third Guards, under Major-General Stopford, were on the left, in front of the mayor’s house. The first brigade, consisting of the first and third battalions of the First Guards, under Colonel Maitland, were to the right of the second brigade, on the brow of a hill, separated by a narrow ravine from the height so often contested, and of which the enemy retained possession at night-fall. At this point there is a small farm-house, and the slope of the hill down into the ravine in front is skirted by a remarkably thick coppice-wood; here the picquets of the third battalion were posted. On the right of this house there is another large orchard, which was occupied by the picquets of the first battalion, formed on the high ground a little in rear, under the command of Colonel Askew. The third battalion, under the Hon. Colonel Stuart, was on its left, in rear of the little farm-house just mentioned; a picquet of light infantry, commanded by Captain Lord Saltoun, was stationed at a hut in the wood, upon the left of the first brigade, to keep up communication with Major-General Stopford’s brigade, and guard against any attack along a cross road, which leads from the height occupied by the enemy, to the farm of Barouillet. Lieutenant-Colonel West commanded the picquets of light infantry guarding the extreme right.

With the close of day the rain again began to fall, and the night was so dark that it was difficult to avoid interfering with the enemy’s picquets, when posting the sentries at the bottom of the ravine. Towards morning the weather became more settled, and at sunrise it was beautifully clear. We could now distinguish the heads of the French columns on the ridge opposite to our position. Staff-officers were seen riding about in all directions, and the French drums and trumpets were heard to sound at intervals along their line. There was every appearance of the main body of the enemy being assembled at this point; and it was supposed that it was about to make a fresh attack against the left wing. Much precaution was observed in posting the picquets in the most favourable situations, and in placing strong supports immediately in rear; for this part of the line was lower than that occupied by the enemy, whose position, therefore, in some degree commanded that of the Guards.

The brave Sir Edward Packenham came up to the picquets, and gave some directions to the officers on duty there. About ten o’clock, a strong line of tirailleurs advanced from the crest of the enemy’s position, along the brow of the ravine, in front of the first brigade of Guards. Some artillery had been stationed at the farm-house before described, and on seeing this body of tirailleurs, the officer in command of the guns, imagining that the attack was about to commence, fired at them, and in a moment after the whole line of picquets commenced a hot fire, which was kept up on both sides with great warmth. But no considerable body of the enemy made any advance, and it seemed probable that Marshal Soult, on finding the Allies so fully prepared for an attack, desisted from his intention of trying to force back the left wing.

The Marquess of Wellington had foreseen the enemy’s intentions, and moved the fourth and seventh divisions to the rear of the line occupied by the light division at Arcangues, and that occupied by Major-General Howard, in readiness to afford support, in case of need, at either point, prior to the attack on the 11th. The readiness with which the Field-Marshal foresaw, and provided against Marshal Soult’s manœuvres, made the enemy’s advantageous position of little real benefit to him. The skirmish was kept up during a great part of the day, and some brave officers and men were killed, and many wounded. The firing opposite the brigade of Major-General Stopford was also briskly kept up during the whole time. Captain Watson, the Adjutant to the Third Guards, was one of the first who fell; he had early in the morning remarked what abundance of laurel grew around the house of Barouillet, to deck the graves of those who should die on the field of glory; and fate struck him off the first. Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, commanding the picquet of the first battalion of the First Guards, was shot whilst giving some directions to those around him in the orchard where his men were stationed; and almost immediately after, Captain Thomson, an officer of the highest promise; also in the first battalion, fell in the act of directing the fire of his men against the French tirailleurs. Several officers were wounded; the total number, however, of killed and wounded in both brigades was below two hundred.

The tenacity with which the left wing of the army maintained its position, apparently convinced the enemy of the impracticability of gaining his object on that side; but conceiving that the Marquess of Wellington’s attention must now be almost wholly occupied in securing the defence of the left wing, he withdrew the great body of his army within the intrenched camp of Bayonne, leaving merely a cordon of outposts in front of Sir John Hope’s corps, during the night. But Lord Wellington penetrated the enemy’s design, and made immediate preparations to support the troops under Sir Row land Hill; rightly judging that Marshal Soult’s next efforts would be on that side. The fourth and sixth divisions, with the greater part of the third, were moved to the banks of the Nive, to be in readiness to support those between that river and the Adour. Marshal Beresford crossed over with the sixth division, early in the morning of the 13th.

Sir Rowland Hill, having ascertained that the French army was assembling, during the night of the 12th, in great force, opposite to his position, made preparations for receiving his meditated attack. He distributed his corps in the following order: –– upon the left, in front of the village of Villefranque, there is a long ridge of hilly ground, extending from that village towards Bayonne, bounded on one hand by the Nive, and on the other by large mill-dams, in a deep hollow, which separates the ridge from the heights of Monguerre. Upon this ridge the twenty-eighth, thirty-fourth, and thirty-ninth regiments were stationed, forming Major-General Pringle’s brigade of the second division. Upon the right, in front of the village of Vieux Monguerre, there is also a long ridge of hill, bounded on the right by the Adour, and upon the left by mill-dams, which separate it from the heights in the centre, in the same manner as the heights of Villefranque are bounded. Upon this spot the third, thirty-first, fifty-seventh, and sixty-eighth regiments were stationed, forming Major-General Byng’s brigade of the second division. The centre ridge of heights, opposite the village of Saint Pierre, was at first occupied by Brigadier-General Ashworth’s Portuguese brigade, consisting of the sixth and eighteenth line, and sixth Caçadores. But as soon as the enemy’s attack was manifested against the centre, the brigade of Major-General Barnes, also belonging to the second division, was brought forward from the heights of Petit Monguerre, and took its station on the right of General Ashworth’s Portuguese. The general form of the line thus occupied was that of a crescent, and the enemy’s attacks were principally directed against the centre of the concave side. The extent of ground taken up was about four English miles, from the Adour on the right to the Nive on the left.

In this manner, the second division, under the command of Lieutenant-General the Honourable Sir William Stewart, waited the approach of the enemy.

Soon after eight o’clock the out-posts, on the great road leading from St. Jean Pied de Port, through St. Pierre to Bayonne, were briskly attacked by overwhelming numbers of tirailleurs, and the French columns advanced close in, the rear, up the long slopes in front of the centre position, the enemy’s column extending a good way on both sides of the road. A large body, at the same time, advanced against the left of the centre, up the hollow way which separated it, from Major-General’ Pringle’s brigade on the left, the right of the French columns resting upon the mill-dams. As there was no longer any doubt of the enemy’s intention to pierce the centre, Sir Rowland Hill directed the whole of Major-General Byng’s brigade, excepting the third regiment and light companies of the others, to move to their left, and support the right of the centre. Brigadier-General Buchan’s Portuguese brigade was moved up from behind Villefranque to support the left of the centre. Lieutenant-Colonel Ross’s troop of horse-artillery, and Lieutenant-Colonel Tullock’s’ Portuguese brigade of guns, had also been moved up in aid of the centre, and a most destructive fire was opened against the French columns in their advance; the havoc caused by their fire on the great road was terrific. The light companies of General Barnes’s brigade, commanded by Major Gordon of the fiftieth regiment, which had gone forward in support of the picquets, were borne back by the massy columns of the enemy upon the main line, the light troops bravely contesting every step of the ground; and the enemy, under a tremendous fire, succeeded in establishing himself upon a height close to the position; and here a long and obstinate conflict was kept up, Major-General Barnes’s brigade and the eighteenth regiment of line in General Ashworth’s Portuguese, repeatedly dislodging the enemy from this post, but he as often retook it; till Major-General Barnes, with the ninety-second Highlanders, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron, supported on the left by the Portuguese, made a most gallant charge, and drove the enemy down from the position.

The sixth line and sixth Caçadores, upon the left centre, sustained a very formidable attack from the columns which had advanced up the hollow-way. The seventy-first regiment and a part of the ninety-second were sent to aid the Portuguese, but even this reinforcement was unable to prevent the enemy from gaining possession of a part of the position. Most fortunately, Brigadier-General Da Costa’s brigade, consisting of the second and fourteenth Portuguese regiments of the line, in Major-General Le Cor’s division, arrived at this critical moment and Sir William Stewart immediately directed the former regiment to turn the right flank of the attacking columns, whilst the fourteenth regiment, headed by its gallant commander, Major Pravassos, attacked the enemy in front, charging in columns over the rugged ground between his troops and those of the enemy, when he instantly attacked with the bayonet. The French columns were immediately checked, and the brave Portuguese, following up this success, killed great numbers of them. This gallant attack restored order upon the left of the centre.

The attack against Major-General Pringle was not so formidable; but a hot fire of tirailleurs was kept up to occupy the attention of his brigade, and prevent its aiding the troops in the centre. The Major-General, however, by judiciously placing his artillery on eminences that commanded the flank of the enemy’s movements against the centre, and occupying a line at right angles to their’s, contributed greatly to harass the French in their advance. In this position the twenty-eighth regiment caused the enemy considerable loss, by a well-directed flanking fire.

When Major-General Byng moved to the support of the centre, a whole French division crossed the mill-stream between St. Pierre and Vieux Monguerre, and made a vigorous attack against the third regiment and light troops, commanded by Colonel Bunbury. The enemy at first succeeded in gaining possession of the height and village of Vieux Monguerre; but, on being directed by Sir Rowland Hill to recover the post, the Buffs and light infantry gallantly drove the enemy back, although greatly superior in numbers. The light companies, commanded by Captain Cameron of the third regiment, distinguished themselves in this attack, taking a field officer and a number of men prisoners.

The enemy had in this manner been defeated upon all points, suffering immense loss in every attack. The great superiority of numbers brought forward by Marshal Soult required the utmost ability of Sir Rowland Hill to prepare for his attacks, and the greatest gallantry and judgment in Sir William Stewart, and the brave generals acting under his orders, to repel them.

The next object was to dislodge the enemy from the ground in front of the intrenched camp, where he still remained in great force; and the French officers were observed to use ineffectual efforts to make their infantry again come forward to the attack, a warm cannonade being kept up during the whole time against the centre of the Allies. Sir William Stewart directed Major-General Byng to unite his brigade, and attack the French upon the opposite bank of the mill-stream, in front of the heights of Vieux Monguerre. Major-General Byng attacked the enemy in the most gallant style, himself carrying the colours of the sixty-sixth (Provisional Battalion), and planting them on the hill forming the enemy’s position, under a hot fire of musketry and artillery. The third regiment crossed the mill-stream in front of Vieux Monguerre, and co-operated in the attack of the hill. The brigade, thus united, succeeded in driving down the enemy within the suburb of St. Pierre. Soon after Brigadier-General Buchan’s Portuguese brigade arrived, to support Major-General Byng. The French made an attempt to recover this point, but were repulsed. The ninth Caçadores, under Lieutenant-Colonel Browne, of Brigadier-General Buchan’s Portuguese brigade, aided in the final repulse of the enemy. The third and sixth divisions arrived, in the latter part of the day, to support the corps of Sir Rowland Hill; but the victory was decided by the brave second division, commanded by General Stewart, aided by the Portuguese.

This brilliant victory closed the harassing service which the army had undergone during five successive days, and convinced the enemy of the invincible superiority of the Allies, and of the hopelessness of every effort to regain his lost ground. At night, the French army retreated within the intrenched camp between the Nive and Adour; and Sir Rowland Hill established his advanced posts on the verge of a ravine which guards its front, opposite to the village of St. Pierre.

The Marquess of Wellington had thus fully accomplished the object of defeating the enemy’s manœuvres, of cutting off his direct communication with St. Jean Pied de Port, and of confining him to the defence of his intrenched camp before Bayonne. St. Jean Pied de Port was observed by General Morillo’s Spanish division during these operations. The allied troops were now in possession of a large tract of country, from whence they obtained a great part of their forage, obliging the enemy to draw his chief supplies from the country on the right bank of the Adour. The right wing, by its position on the left of the Adour, commanded the navigation of that river, and was often enabled to intercept the supplies destined for the French army. The roads on its right bank are generally so bad in the depth of winter, that the chief part of the provisions, for the support of the inhabitants of Bayonne, are brought in boats down the river. The positions likewise, now occupied by the army, were much more favourable for the prosecution of the campaign in the interior of the country, whenever a more favourable state of the weather should enable the Marquess to resume his operations.

These important results, however, cost the lives of a great number of brave officers and soldiers, besides a long list of wounded, including many most distinguished generals. In the battle of the 13th, Major-General Barnes, Lieutenant-General Le Cor, and Brigadier-General Ashworth, and nearly the whole of the staff and aides-de-camp of Sir William Stewart, General Barnes, and General Byng, were wounded. The fiftieth and ninety-second regiments suffered severely, losing many officers in killed and wounded. The total loss of the British, in the actions of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of December, amounted to one hundred and sixty-nine officers, and two thousand five hundred and sixteen serjeants, drummers, and privates, killed, wounded, and missing. That of the Portuguese amounted to one hundred and thirty-three officers, and two thousand two hundred and eleven serjeants, drummers, and privates, killed, wounded, and missing; making together a total of three hundred and two officers (including four generals,) and four thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven serjeants and privates, put hors de combat; and not fifteen thousand, as Marshal Soult is said to have reported, and as is stated in the Moniteur.

But if the loss of the Allies was severe, that of the enemy was much more so. In the battle of the 13th, which lasted from morning till night, the ground was covered with their slain; and it has been estimated that their total loss amounted to considerably more than six thousand men; though in the whole of the five days’ fighting, the Moniteur, according to the Marshal’s report, makes the loss sustained under four thousand men. Besides the serious losses of the enemy, Soult had the additional mortification of losing the two regiments of Frankfort and Nassau Usingen, who, on hearing that their countrymen had abjured the French yoke, came over, after the action of the 10th, to the outposts of the fourth division, in the centre of the allied army.

Tranquillity being again restored, the first division was marched back to its old cantonments; but to guard against surprise, and to give timely notice to the troops in their cantonments of any attack made by the enemy, telegraphic signal stations were formed at the churches of Guethary, Arcangues, and Vieux Monguerre. These communicated with a signal station upon a high sand-hill, on the north side of St. Jean de Luz, near the entrance to the town from the Bayonne-road. By an ingenious combination of flags, and barrels suspended from high signal-posts, it was found that notice could be almost instantaneously given at head-quarters, (now again established in St. Jean de Luz,) of whatever movement the enemy might undertake whether against the advanced posts of the left wing at Barouillet, the centre at Arcangues, or the right wing under Sir Rowland Hill between the Nive and Adour. To save time, the telegraphic sentences were so arranged, that each separate signal would at once explain the nature of the communication it was meant to convey.