ORTHEZ.

A. D. 1814. February 27.

THE victories of the Pyrenees, and the consequent fall of San Sebastian and Pamplona, left the road into France open to the victorious army of the Duke of Wellington. Between the middle of October and the early part of November, the whole army crossed the Bidassao, which there forms the frontier between France and Spain. Marshal Soult retired, skirmishing where he could, and making a stand in some strong positions, for his army had been greatly reinforced. There was some hard fighting on the Nive, and on the Nivelle; but Soult was pushed back to the Adour, and across that river, on the further side of which positions strongly entrenched were preparing for him.

By Lord Wellington's earliest operations on the right, that flank of his army had been at once cleared, and the enemy had been driven from a country much intersected by rivers, and singularly difficult and defensible.

The position Soult now occupied at Sauveterre was covered by a broad river, and in other points very advantageous. Lord Wellington made so strong a demonstration upon the front of the line on which Soult now rested that, while the attention of the marshal was wholly engaged by the movements in his front, Sir Rowland Hill crossed the Gave d'Oleron, at Villeneuve, without any opposition, on the 24th of February, and turned his left. Upon this, Soult hastily abandoned his ground, transferred his head-quarters to Orthez, and took up a formidable position behind the Pau. The third and light divisions, under Sir Thomas Picton, had followed the corps of Hill, and passed the Gave d'Oleron at the same spot; and the sixth division, under Sir Henry Clinton, had crossed, also, between Montfort and Laas, without meeting any resistance; while Marshal Beresford, on the

left, kept the enemy close within their téte-de-pont at Peyrehorade. Lord Wellington, now disposing his force in three columns, determined to attack the position of Orthez. The left, under Marshal Beresford, forded the Pau about four miles above Peyrehorade, and, marching up the right bank, joined the cavalry and General Picton's division, which had crossed by a ford below Berenx. Sir Rowland Hill, with his own corps, supported by the sixth and light divisions, marched to force the bridge of Orthez; but the approach was found so strongly guarded by defences and troops, that the attempt was countermanded.

About eight in the morning of the 27th of February, the sixth and light divisions were moved down the river (to the spot where Picton had forded on the afternoon of the preceding day), and crossed over by a bridge of boats, which Lord Wellington had directed to be laid down for the artillery. The corps of Sir Rowland Hilll remained upon the high road to Sauveterre, opposite the bridge and valley of Orthez. The passage of the Pau, from the depth of the fords, and the force of the current, proved very difficult; but the soldiers, by supporting each other steadily, surmounted the danger, and crossed without loss.

Lord Wellington, having carefully reconnoitred the enemy's position, decided to attack it. Their left flank rested upon the town of Orthez, and their line was posted upon a range of heights, extending about a mile in the direction of Dax. Their right stood on a bluff, abrupt point, and was covered in front by the village of St. Boes. The centre of their line, owing to the form of the hill, stood considerably retired; and, being thus sheltered by the advanced position of the flanks, was unassailable. A reserve, of two divisions of infantry and a brigade of cavalry, was drawn up on a very elevated and commanding height upon the road to Sault de Navailles.

The dispositions of Lord Wellington were soon made. Marshal Beresford, with the fourth and seventh divisions, and Colonel Vivian's brigade of cavalry, were ordered to carry the village of St. Boes, on the right, and to assault the hill above it. Sir Thomas Picton was ordered to march with the third and sixth divisions, and a brigade of cavalry, under Lord Edward Somerset, upon the centre and left of

the enemy. The light division, under Baron Alten, was directed to advance up a ravine between these two columns, and to give support where it might be wanted. Sir Rowland Hill was instructed to lead his corps across the river, by a ford about two miles above Orthez, to gain a point in the enemy's rear, and cut off his communication with the town

of Paù.

The left wing of the allies began the battle. Sir Lowry Cole, with the fourth division, after a sharp contest, carried the village of St. Boes with spirit. Marshal Beresford now moved forward, with the division of General Cole still leading, to attack the right of the enemy on the bold hill above. The troops advanced in gallant order, but the approach was along a narrow ridge, with ravines on either side. Upon the summit of this, two lines of French infantry were drawn up to oppose them. It was not possible for the assailants to advance upon the enemy in a line of more than two battalions in front. The ground over which they marched was commanded by a heavy battery of field artillery; and in the upper part of the ravines upon their flanks, the French had posted strong bodies of light infantry. The troops behaved. admirably well, and made brave efforts to reach the summit of the position, but in vain.

They were beaten back by a terrible fire both of artillery and infantry. A Portuguese brigade was so roughly handled, that it broke in confusion, and was only saved by the timely support of a brigade of the light division, which moved upon its flank and covered its retreat. Under these circumstances, Lord Wellington executed one of those sudden changes of attack which exhibit the ready resource and firm resolve of a bold and able general.

At

He directed General Walker, with the seventh division, and Colonel Barnard with a brigade of the light division, to ascend the height by its left, and attack the enemy's right at that bend by which it was connected with the centre. the same time, he ordered Sir Thomas Picton and Sir Henry Clinton to lead forward their divisions, which had hitherto been waiting the result of Marshal Beresford's assault. Thus, suddenly, the face of the battle was changed; for these orders were executed with such rapidity and boldness, that the crest of the position was soon gained, and, after some

fierce and desperate fighting on the heights, the enemy suddenly retired, moving off at first in good order, and disputing their ground as they retreated handsomely. A body of French cavalry, in particular, made a gallant charge upon two corps of the sixth division, in an effort to seize the artillery of that division, but it failed, and they were repulsed steadily by the 42nd Foot. All the regiments of the third division fought hard, and were distinguished; and a brigade under General Inglis, made a most gallant charge with the bayonet on the enemy's left flank; nor could anything be finer than the advance of the 52nd Regiment, under Colonel Colborne, which, after the change of attack, led first up the hill.

in a crowd.

Marshal Soult conducted his army to the rear in regular échellons of divisions, and they held the several positions taken up till the allies closed on their front and moved upon their flank; but, as soon as he found that Lord Wellington had sent a corps across the river, and that Sir Rowland was in full march to intercept his retreat, he hastened the pace of his columns, till, as Sir Rowland pressed onwards upon a parallel line of march to cut him off from Sault de Navailles, the French broke their formation, and ran for that point with such speed, that the great body of them passed it However, nearly two thousand prisoners were taken in the pursuit; for wherever any obstacle checked their hurry, they suffered greatly. Near Sault de Navailles, Lord Edward Somerset charged them with his cavalry, and captured a great number of prisoners; and they left several guns to the victors. The French loss in killed, wounded, and taken, exceeded 6,000, and some hundreds afterward deserted, or rather disbanded, and went to their homes. The loss of the allies amounted to 277 killed, 1,923 wounded, and from sixty to seventy missing. The skill with which, at a critical part of the contest, Wellington suddenly changed front and the whole face of the battle, excited both surprise and admiration.

In this battle, Lord Wellington was struck by a spent ball: happily, it did but graze his skin, nor did he quit his saddle ill the day was won; but he then found himself so lamed and stiff that he could not ride in the pursuit. This was the only time that our most fortunate and immortal chieftain was

ever hit. In all his battles this was his only bodily hurt-a contusion rather than a wound. Yet wherever and whenever his presence was required, he exposed himself like a common dragoon.

The French army retired in the night to Hagetman, where it was joined by the garrison of Dax, and continued its retreat to St. Sever.

General Hill-who was afterwards Lord Hill, and bore the appropriate motto Avancez-followed up the retreating foe, overtook him, on the 2nd of March, in front of Aire, and, in spite of the formidable ground he occupied, charged him, beat him from the field, made a great number of prisoners, and drove Soult along the right bank of the Adour. In this affair, when the Portuguese under de Costa displayed great bravery, the allies did not lose more more than twenty in killed, and 136 in wounded. Unhappily, the Honourable Lieutenant-Colonel Hood, of the Staff, was among the slain.

After such a continuity of reverse and defeat, Bonaparte's best marshal-who, indisputably, was Marshal Soult-appeared to lose heart, and he was every day further discouraged by the news he received of the progress in other parts of France of the grand allied armies against his master. His hopes had somewhat revived at Orthez, but on the loss of that field, his brow was clouded, and he was found that night in a fit of absent-mindedness and despondence.

"He went like one that hath been stunn'd,

And is of sense forlorn :

A sadder and a wiser man,

He rose the morrow morn."

But with his sadness he re-assumed the unflinching resolution, and a good deal of the confidence of the veteran soldier and well-skilled chief; and to the last gasp, or to the last forlorn-hope of success, he and his army contended with great steadiness and bravery with their pursuers.*

Wellington Despatches. Major Moyle Sherer, Military Memoirs of the Duke. Napier, Peninsular War, &c.