on the morning of the 26th, and moved along the high road from Peyrehorade towards Orthes, on the enemy's right. As he approached, Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton crossed with the cavalry, and Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton with the 3d division, below the bridge of Bereus; and I moved the 6th and light divisions to the same point, and Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill occupied the heights opposite Orthes, and the high road leading to Sauveterre.

The 6th and light divisions crossed on the morning of the 27th at daylight, and we found the enemy in a strong position near Orthes, with his right on the heights on the high road to Dax, and occupying the village of St. Boes, and his left the heights above Orthes and that town, and opposing the passage of the river by Sir R. Hill.

The course of the heights on which the enemy had placed his army, necessarily retired his centre, while the strength of the position gave extraordinary advantages to the flanks.

I ordered Marshal Sir W. Beresford to turn, and attack the enemy's right with the 4th division under Lieut.-General Sir Lowry Cole, and the 7th division under MajorGeneral Walker and Colonel Vivian's brigade of cavalry; while Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton should move along the great road leading from Peyrehorade to Orthes, and attack the heights on which the enemy's centre and left stood, with the 3d and 6th divisions, supported by Sir Stapleton Cotton with Lord Edward Somerset's brigade of cavalry. Major

General Charles Baron Alten, with the light division, kept up the communication, and was in reserve between these two attacks. I likewise desired Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill to cross the Gave and to turn, and to attack the enemy's left.

Marshal Sir W. Beresford carried the village of St. Boes with the fourth division under the command of Lieut.-General Sir Lowry Cole, after an obstinate resistance by the enemy; but the ground was so narrow that the troops could not deploy to attack the heights, notwithstanding the repeated attempts of Major-General Ross and Brigade-Gen. Vasconcello's Portuguese brigade; and it was impossible to turn the enemy by their right, without an excessive extension of our line.

I therefore so far altered the plan of the action as to order the immediate advance of the 3d and 6th divisions, and I moved forward Colonel Barnard's brigade of the light division, to attack the left of the height on which the enemy's right stood.

This attack, led by the 52d regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Colborne, and supported on their right, by Major-General Brisbane's and Colonel Kean's brigades of the 3d division, and by simultaneous attacks on the left by Major-Gen. Anson's brigade of the 4th division, and on the right by LieutenantGeneral Sir Thomas Picton, with the remainder of the 3d division and the 6th division under Lieut.General Sir Henry Clinton, dislodged the enemy from the heights, and gave us the victory.

In the mean time LieutenantGeneral Sir Rowland Hill had

forced

forced the passage of the Gave above Orthes, and seeing the state of the action, he moved immediate ly with the second division of infantry under Lieutenant-General Sir William Stewart, and MajorGeneral Fane's brigade of cavalry, direct for the great road from Orthes to St. Sever, thus keeping upon the enemy's left.

The enemy retired at first in admirable order, taking every advantage of the numerous good positions which the country afforded. The losses, however, which they sustained in the continued attacks of our troops, and the danger with which they were threatened by Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill's movements, soon accelerated their movements, and the retreat at length became a flight, and their troops were in the utmost confusion.

Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton took advantage of the only opportunity which offered to charge with Major-General Lord Edward Somerset's brigade in the neighhood of Sault de Navailles, where the enemy had been driven from the high road by Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill. The 7th hussars distinguished themselves upon this occasion, and made many pri

soners.

We continued the pursuit till it was dusk, and I halted the army in the neighbourhood of Sault de Navailles.

I cannot estimate the extent of the enemy's loss: we have taken six pieces of cannon, and a great many prisoners; the numbers I cannot at present report. The whole country is covered with their dead. Their army was in the ut most confusion when I saw it pass

ing the heights near Sault de Navailles, and many soldiers had thrown away their arms. The desertion has since been immense.

We followed the enemy the day after to this place; and we this day passed the Adour; Marshal Sir W. Beresford, with the light division, and Colonel Vivian's brigade, upon Mont de Marsan, where he has taken a very large magazine of provisions.

Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill has moved upon Aire, and the advanced posts of the centre are at Casares.

The enemy are apparently retiring upon Agen, and have left open the direct road towards Bordeaux.

Whilst the operations of which I have above given the report were carrying on on the right of the army, Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope, in concert with Rear Admiral Penrose, availed himself of an opportunity which offered on the 23d of February to cross the Adour below Bayonne, and to take possession of both banks of the river at its mouth. The vessels destined to form the bridge could not get in till the 24th, when the difficult, and at this season of the year dangerous operation of bringing them in was effected with a degree of gallantry and skill seldom equalled. Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope particularly mentions Captain O'Reilly and Lieutenant Cheshire, Lieutenant Douglas, and Lieutenant Collins, of the royal navy, and also Lieutenant Debenham, agent of transports; and I am infinitely indebted to RearAdmiral Penrose for the cordial assistance I received from him in preparing for this plan, and for

that

that which he gave LieutenantGeneral Sir John Hope in carrying it into execution.

The enemy, conceiving that the means of crossing the river, which Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope had at his command, viz. rafts made of pontoons, had not enabled him to cross a large force in the course of the 23d, attacked the corps which he had sent over on that evening. This corps consisted of 600 men of the 2d brigade of guards, under the command of Major-General the Hon. Edward Stopford, who repulsed the enemy immediately. The rocket brigade was of great use upon this occasion.

Three of the enemy's gun-boats were destroyed this day, and a frigate lying in the Adour received considerable damage from the fire of a battery of eighteen pounders, and was obliged to go higher up the river to the neighbourhood of the bridge.

Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope invested the citadel of Bayonne on the 25th, and Lieut.General Don Manuel Freyre moved forward with the 4th Spanish army, in consequence of directions which I had left for him. On the 27th the bridge having been completed, Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope deemed it expedient to invest the citadel of Bayonne more closely than he had done before; and he attacked the village of St. Etienne, which he carried, having taken a gun and some prisoners from the enemy; and his posts are now within 900 yards of the outworks of the place.

The result of the operations which I have detailed to your

lordship is, that Bayonne, St. Jean Pied de Port, and Navarrens are invested; and the army having passed the Adour, are in possession of all the great communications across the river, after having beaten the enemy and taken their magazines.

Your lordship will have observ— ed with satisfaction the able assistance which I have received in these operations from Marshal Sir W. Beresford, Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, Sir John Hope, and Sir Stapleton Cotton, and from all the general officers, officers, and troops acting under their orders respectively.

It is impossible for me sufficiently to express my sense of their merits, or of the degree in which the country is indebted to their zeal and ability for the situation in which the army now finds itself.

All the troops, Portuguese as well as British, distinguished themselves the 4th division, under Lieut.-General Sir Lowry Cole, in the attack of St. Boes, and the subsequent endeavours to carry the right of the heights. The 3d, 6th, and light divisions, under the command of Lieutenat-General Sir Thomas Picton, Sir H. Clinton, Major-General Charles Baron Alten, in the attack of the enemy's position on the heights; and these and the 7th division under MajorGeneral Walker, in the various operations and attacks during the enemy's retreat.

The charge made by the 7th hussars under Lord Edward Somerset was highly meritorious.

The conduct of the artillery throughout the day deserved my entire approbation, I am likewise

much

much indebted to the QuarterMaster-General Sir George Murray, and the Adjutant-General Sir Edward Pakenham, for the assistance I have received from them, and to Lord Fitzroy Somerset and the officers of my personal Staff, and to the Marischal de Campo Don Miguel Alava.

The last accounts which I have received from Catalonia are of the 20th. The French commanders of the garrison of Llerida, Mequinenza, and Mauzon, had been induced to evacuate these places, by orders sent them by the Baron D'Eroles, in Marshal Suchet's cypher, of which he had got possession.

The troops composing these garrisons, having joined, were afterwards surrounded in the pass of Martorell, on their march towards the French frontier, by a detachment from the Anglo-Sicilian corps, and one from the first Spanish army. Lieutenant-General Copons allowed them to capitulate, but I have not yet received from him any report on this subject, nor do I yet know what is the result.

It was expected in Catalonia that Marshal Suchet would immediately evacuate that province; and I hear that he is to join Marshal Soult.

I have not yet received the detailed reports of the capitulation of Jaca.

I enclose returns of the killed and wounded during the late operations.

I send this dispatch by my Aidede-Camp, Maj. Freemantle, whom I beg leave to recommend to your lordship's protection. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed)

WELLINGTON,

Total Loss from the 14th to the 17th February, 1814, inclusive. British-1 lieutenant, 2 serjeants, 22 rank and file, killed; I general staff, I major, 7 captains, 8 lieutenants, I staff, 8 serjeants, 3 drummers, 120 rank and file, wounded; 4 rank and file missing.

Portuguese-I drummer, 5 rank and file, killed; 1 lieut.-colonel, I lieutenant, 2 ensigns, 4 serjeants, I drummer, 25 rank and file, wounded; 3 rank and file, missing.

General Total-1 lieutenant, 2 serjeants, I drummer, 27 rank and file killed; 1 general staff, 1 lieut.colonel, 1 major, 7 captains, 9 lieutenants, 2 ensigns, I staff, 12 serjeants, 4 drummers, 151 rank and file, wounded; 12 rank and file, missing.

Total British and Portuguese Loss, from the 23d to the 26th of February, 1814, inclusive.

2 Captains, 1 ensign, 2 serjeants, 16 rank and file, 1 horse, killed; I major, I captain, 6 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, I staff, 9 serjeants, 3 drummers, 110 rank and file, 4 horses, wounded; 1 lieutenant, I serjeant, 27 rank and file, missing.

Total Loss on the 27th of February.

British-1 major, 6 captains, 7 lieutenants, 1 staff, 21 serjeants, 2 drummers, 169 rank and file, killed; 2 general staff, 2 lieut.colonels, 7 majors, 30 captains, 49 lieutenants, 14 ensigns, 1 staff, 1 quarter-master, 67 serjeants, 11 drummers, 1203 rank and file, 33 horses, wounded; I captain, 2 serjeants, 1 drummer, 27 rank and file, I horse, missing.

Portuguese-1 lieut.-colonel, 2 majors, 4 serjeants, 59 rank and file, killed; 2 lieutenant-colonels, 2 majors,

2 majors, 5 captains, 6 lieutenants, II ensigns, 20 serjeants; 6 drummers 452 rank and file, wounded; 3 serjeants, 36 rank and file, missing.

St. Sever, March 4, 1814. My Lord,-The rain which fell in the afternoon of the 1st swelled the Adour, and all the rivulets falling into that river, so considerably, as materially to impede our further progress, and to induce me on the next day to halt the army till I could repair the bridges, all of which the enemy had destroyed. The rain continued till last night, and the river is so rapid that the pontoons cannot be laid upon it.

The enemy had collected a corps at Aire, probably to protect the evacuation of a magazine which they had at that place. Sir Rowland Hill attacked this corps on the 2d, and drove them from their post with considerable loss, and took possession of the town and magazine.

I am sorry to have to report that we lost the Hon. Lieut.-Colonel Hood on this occasion, an officer of great merit and promise. In other respects our loss was not se

Upon the arrival of the advanced guard within two miles of this town, the enemy was discovered occupying a strong ridge of bills, having his right flank upon the Adour, and thus covering the road to this place.

Notwithstanding the strength of his position, I ordered the attack, which was executed by the 2d division under Lieutenant-Gen. the Hon. Sir W. Stewart (which advanced on the road leading to this place, and thus gained possession of the enemy's extreme right,) and by one brigade of the Portuguese division under BrigadierGeneral La Costa which ascended the heights occupied by the enemy at about the centre of his position,

The Portuguese brigade succeeded in gaining possession of the ridge, but were thrown into such confusion by the resistance made by the enemy, as would have been of the most serious consequence, had it not been for the timely support given by the 2d division under Lieutenant-General Sir W. Stewart, who having previously beaten back the enemy directly opposed to him, and seeing them returning to charge the Portuguese brigade, ordered forward the first brigade of the 2d division, which, led by Major-General Barnes, charged the enemy in the most gallant style, and beat them back, throwing their column into the greatest confusion.

The enemy made various attempts to regain the ground, but Lieutenant-General the Hon. Sir W. Stewart, having now been joined by Major-General Byng's brigade, was enabled to drive them from all their positions, and finally from this town.

By