Offensive operations of the Duke of Dalmatia—Partial retrogression
of the British—Ill success in the storming of the breaches at St.
Sebastian—Movements of the various divisions—Great extent of
the British line along the Pyrenees—Interesting domestic scene
attending the departure of the Author's Division from the town
of Bera—Battle of Pampeluna—Embarrasing situation of the light
division through an accidental separation from the army—Successes
obtained over the French, and their consequent retreat—Active
movements, and capture of the enemy's baggage—A trait of
character—Continued advantages gained over the French, who are
driven beyond the Pyrenees.
The Duke of Dalmatia, on the 25th of July, assaulted the passes in
the neighbourhood of Roncesvalles,[59] and the Count d'Erlon that of
Aretesque, four miles in front of Maya. The result of this day's combat
obliged Generals Cole, Byng, and the Spanish General Morillo, to fall
back from Roncesvalles; owing to which retrograde, the British army
were taken in reverse. The fifth division, at daybreak, had stormed
the breaches of St. Sebastian without success; two thousand men had
fallen, or were made prisoners, at the various points of contest; and
General Hill fell back, during the night, from the pass of Maya. So
far every thing seemed propitious to the views of the French marshal.
Under all these circumstances, General Campbell, (who was stationed
with a Portuguese brigade at the pass of Los Alduides,) finding his
flanks laid bare, retired from that post, and, during the 26th, formed
a junction with General Picton, who, by a flank movement to the right,
had marched from Olacque to Lizoain, for the purpose of succouring the
troops falling back from Roncesvalles.
During these operations, General Hill had taken up a strong position at
Irrueta, sixteen miles from the pass of Aretesque, where he opposed,
for the time being, the farther progress of the Count d'Erlon. This
position covered the flank of General Picton's column, retrograding
from Zubiri, and prevented the Count d'Erlon from uniting with the
Duke of Dalmatia; and also enabled the sixth division to march direct
to the rear from San Estevan, and to unite at the well-arranged
point _d'appui_, five miles in front of Pampeluna, where, on the
27th, the general-in-chief joined those troops which had retired from
Zubiri, under the command of Generals Picton, Cole, Byng, Campbell,
and Morillo, and who were now drawn up on a strong ridge in front of
Pampeluna, and flanked by the rivers Arga and Lanz. General Picton was
in a manner thrown back on the left of the Arga, in front of Olaz,
and supported by General Cotton, with the cavalry in reserve, for the
purpose of preventing the enemy from taking the right of the army in
reverse by the road from Zubiri. The enemy, who had followed the march
of the troops by that road, had no sooner arrived opposite the third
division, than by an oblique prolongation to their right, they began
to extend their line across the front of the General-in-chief, under
a fire of small-arms,—by which manœuvre they succeeded in cutting
off General Hill's retreat by the Maya road, running through Ortiz;
he, therefore, having passed through Lanz, hedged off diagonally in
a westerly direction, and, by an oblique march, formed a junction
with the seventh division (from St. Estevan) at Lizasso, thence to
co-operate, if possible, with the left of the General-in-chief,
whose position in front of Pampeluna was about eighteen miles from
that place. During these various movements, General Graham, with
the first and fifth divisions, and a corps of Spaniards, remained
stationary on the left bank of the Bidassoa, for the double purpose
of covering St. Sebastian, (the siege of that place was now converted
into a blockade, and the battering train embarked at the port of los
Passages,) and watching General Villate. The latter lined the opposite
bank of the river, to be in readiness to assume the offensive, for the
purpose of raising the siege of St. Sebastian, or hanging on General
Graham's rear, in the event of the Duke of Dalmatia gaining a victory
at Pampeluna, or succeeding in cutting off in detail the various
divisions of the British army, now thrown into echelon, and extending
from the banks of the Bidassoa, in front of Irun, to seven miles in
an easterly direction beyond Pampeluna; a distance of at least sixty
miles for the army to unite to either flank, (between two fortresses,
whose ramparts were garnished with the cannon and small-arms of the
enemy,) on an irregular quarter circle: amid multifarious barren rocks,
towering mountains, and extensive forests, over whose inhospitable
regions it was necessary, amongst other things, to convey provisions,
ammunition, and biscuit bags, for the daily consumption of the
moveable divisions,—an operation attended with great difficulty under
such circumstances.
Although the right of the army had been retiring for two days, the
light division still tranquilly remained unmolested in front of Bera;
but on the morning of the 27th, on finding that the seventh division
had quitted the heights of Echalar, and uncovered our right flank, the
first brigade quietly descended from the heights of Santa Barbara,
and the whole division concentrated behind the defile on the road to
Lazaca, the picquets being left to mask this movement, and form the
rear-guard. As soon as the division had got clear off, the picquets
evacuated the farm-houses in succession from the right; and lastly,
at ten o'clock, A. M., quitted the town of Bera within pistol-shot of
the enemy's sentinels, who pretended not to notice this retrograde,
probably being apprehensive of bringing on an action without being
able at this point to display a sufficient force to assume offensive
movements, and also conjecturing that the division might meet with
a reception little anticipated, on reaching the neighbourhood of
Pampeluna. The Duke of Dalmatia, at this moment, was still pursuing the
troops from Roncesvalles and Zubiri, and actually within a few hours
of the vicinity of Pampeluna, _two days' march behind the second and
seventh divisions, and three in rear of the light division_, and even
_threatening to intercept the sixth division_ from St. Estevan.
As I was left with the picquets at Bera, I had a good opportunity
of witnessing the _sang froid_ of the French outposts. They made
no forward movement, and as I was loitering behind, within a short
distance of the bridge of Lazaca, over which the troops had crossed to
the left bank of the Bidassoa, I observed the Spanish family, (with
whom I had recently become acquainted,) with rapid strides trudging
along the flinty road, having rushed from their only dwelling through
fear of the French, the instant they perceived the sentries retiring
from their posts. They now presented real objects of commiseration,
clad in thin shoes and silk stockings; the glossy ringlets were blown
from off the forehead of _la Señorita Ventura_, and a tear from her
dark blue eye, (shaded with raven eye-lashes), rolled down her flushed
cheek, into the prettiest pouting lips to be imagined; a _mantilla_
loosely hung across her arm, fluttering in the breeze, and a black
silk dress, hanging in graceful folds around her delicate form, gave
her, with all her troubles, a most enchanting appearance. _El Padre_
accepted the offer of my horse, and, sticking his short legs into
the stirrup leathers, composedly smoked a cigar. The mother took
my arm, the other I offered to _Ventura_, who smilingly declined,
saying, "It is not the fashion for _las Señoritas_ to take the arm of
_los Caballeros_," but politely offered her hand. While crossing the
bridge, "Here," said the little heroine, "why do you not call back
_los soldados_, and tell them to _tirár las bálas a este puénte_?" I
endeavoured to explain that our flank was turned, and all the grand
manœuvres of an army; little to her satisfaction, for she could not
comprehend any other than the front attack.
On entering the town, the family stopped at a large stone mansion of a
relation, where they intended to take up their abode for the present:
the parents urged my departure, through fear that I might fall into the
hands of the enemy. I then took my farewell of them, (as I thought, for
the last time), and galloping through the town, soon came within sight
of the division, threading its march up a steep defile, enclosed on all
sides by an extensive forest. Towards evening we encamped, one league
and a half W. N. W. of San Estevan, on the mountain of Santa Cruz, from
whence we still commanded a view of the French bivouac. Here we halted
during the night.
On the following day, the battle of Pampeluna took place thirty
miles in our rear, but, being entangled amongst the mountains, we did
not hear of the event until three days afterwards. The combat began
in a singular manner: the sixth division, under Gen. Pack, while on
its march over a rough country, intersected by stone walls, within a
few miles of Pampeluna, suddenly encountered the grey-coated French
columns in full march, debouching from behind the village of Sauroren
for the purpose of outflanking the left of the fourth division. The
consequence of these two hostile bodies clashing was, that the enemy's
van were driven back by a hot fire of musketry. The French, being thus
foiled in this manœuvre, turned their grand efforts against the front
of the heights on which the fourth division was stationed, commanded by
Sir L. Cole. The valour of the red regiments shone transcendant, and
the Marquis of Wellington repeatedly thanked the various corps, while
they were recovering breath to renew fresh efforts with the bayonet, in
driving the enemy headlong from the crest of the rugged heights; thus
forcing them, after a most sanguinary and furious contest, to desist
from farther offensive movements on that position.
The General-in-chief could only collect, at the end of three days,
two brigades of the second division, General Morillo's, and part of
the Count d'Abisbal's Spaniards, and the _three reserve divisions_,
to oppose the Duke of Dalmatia; which clearly demonstrates the great
difficulty of occupying such a vast and rugged range of country. The
_first_, _second_, _fifth_, _seventh_, and _light divisions_, were
too far distant to join in the action of the 28th; and even the third
division, only a few miles to the right of the field of action, could
not take part in it, as the enemy had a corps of observation opposite
General Picton, backed by a numerous train of artillery and a large
body of cavalry, in readiness to engage him, should the _sixth_ and
_fourth_ divisions lose the day.
The light division continued in position at Santa Cruz during the
whole of the 28th, having completely lost all trace of the army; and,
during these doubtful conjectures, at sunset we began to descend a
rugged pass, leading W.S.W. near Zubieta, to endeavour to cut in upon
the high road between Pampeluna and Tolosa, as it was impossible to
know whether General Graham, by this time, was not even beyond the
latter town. To add to our difficulties, the night set in so extremely
dark that the soldiers could no longer see each other, and began to
tumble about in all directions; some became stationary on shelvings
of rocks, or so enveloped in the thicket, that they could no longer
extricate themselves from the trees and underwood. The rocks and the
forest resounded with many voices, while here and there a small fire
was kindled and flared up, as if lighted in the clouds by some magic
hand. For myself, I at length became so exhausted and out of temper, at
the toil of lugging along my unwilling steed, that in a fit of despair
I mounted, and keeping a tight rein, permitted the animal to pick its
own steps. The branches of the trees so continually twisted round my
head that I expected every minute to find myself suspended; at last the
trusty horse made a dead stop, having emerged from the forest into a
small hamlet, where I encountered a few harrassed soldiers, enquiring
of each other where the main body had vanished to, or what direction
to pursue, for they no longer knew whether they were advancing or
retiring; and, without farther ceremony, they began to batter with
the butt-end of their firelocks the strong and massive doors of the
slumbering inhabitants, demanding, with stentorian voices, if any
troops had passed that way?—a difficult question for people to answer
who had just risen from their mattresses, and now timidly opened their
doors, in considerable alarm, being apprehensive that we had come at
midnight hour to rob and plunder them. At last a resolute Spaniard[60]
threw a large capote over his shoulder, and, stepping forward, said,
"_Señores Caballeros_, only inform me whence you came or whither you
are going, and I will be your guide;" but we were so bewildered, owing
to the crooked path, and the intricate windings of the forest, that no
one could take upon himself to point towards the direction of the bleak
mountain we had come from, or the name of the place we were going to;
as a matter of expediency, therefore, we patiently awaited the coming
morn.[61]
At daybreak, a scene of complete confusion presented itself, the
greater part of the division being scattered over the face of a steep
and woody mountain, and positively not half a league from whence they
had started on the previous evening. As soon as the various corps had
grouped together, they followed the only road in sight, and soon met
a mounted officer, who directed them towards Leyza: near that place
one-half of the division were already bivouacked, having reached the
valley before the pitchy darkness had set in. It was now the third
day since we had retired from Bera, and Gen. Baron C. Alten became so
uneasy, that he ordered some of the best-mounted regimental officers
to go in various directions to ascertain, if possible, some tidings of
the army, with which he had had no communication for three days, being
now isolated amongst the wilds of the Pyrenees, on the left of the
river Bidassoa, half-way between St. Sebastian and Pampeluna. At six
o'clock the same evening we again broke up and marched two leagues in
the direction of Arressa, and then bivouacked in a wood, with an order
not to light fires, thus to prevent any of the enemy's scouts or spies
ascertaining our route. Two hours after nightfall, the troops were
again put in motion, and I was left in the forest, with directions to
continue there all night, to bring off in the morning any baggage or
stragglers that might happen to go astray. At daylight on the 30th,
having collected together a few women (who dared not again encounter
another toilsome night-march along the verge of precipices); it was
a droll sight to see this noisy group defiling from the forest, many
dressed in soldiers' jackets, battered bonnets, and faded ribbons,
with dishevelled locks hanging over their weather-beaten features, as
they drove along their lazy _borricas_ with a thick stick; and, when
the terrific blows laid on ceased to produce the desired effect, they
squalled with sheer vexation, lest they might be overtaken, and fall
into the hands of the enemy's light horse. Having travelled for two
hours as a sort of guide to these poor women, I perceived an officer
at some distance in front, and, on my overtaking him, he expressed the
greatest joy at seeing me, and declared that he had been wandering for
some hours in the most agitated state of mind, not knowing whither to
bend his footsteps. The division had drawn up again during the night,
and he having, lain down on the flank of the column, had fallen into
a profound slumber, out of which he had awoke at broad daylight, with
the rays of the sun shining full on his face; and, when somewhat
recovering his bewildered recollections, he wildly gazed around for
the column which had vanished, and springing on his feet, hallooed
with all his might; but no answer was returned, a solemn silence
reigned around, save the fluttering of the birds amongst the luxuriant
foliage of the trees; the morning dew no longer bespangled the sod,
nor did the print of a single footstep remain to guide his course: at
length, in a fit of desperation, he hastily tore a passage through the
thicket, and luckily reached the road, and at random sauntered along
in no very pleasant mood, until I overtook him.—Soon after this we
heard to our left sounds like those of distant thunder; as the sky was
perfectly serene, we concluded that the noise must be caused by a heavy
firing of musketry.[62] On reaching Arriba, we found most of the doors
closed; however, we succeeded in purchasing a loaf, and then seated
ourselves on the margin of a clear mountain-stream, where we devoured
it, and forthwith solaced ourselves with a hearty draught of the
refreshing beverage. This stream looked so inviting, that we threw off
our clothes and plunged into it. Notwithstanding the cooling effects
of the bathe, the feet of my companion were so much swollen, owing to
previous fatigue, that with all his tugging he could not pull on his
boots again; fortunately mine were old and easy, so we readily effected
an exchange, and then followed the road across a high mountain, from
whose summit we saw the division bivouacked to the right of the broad
and well-paved road (near Lecumberri) which leads from Pampeluna to
Tolosa; from this position we could march to either of those places,
being half-way between them; here the division awaited the return of
its scouts the whole of the following day.
The French army being completely worn out, and having suffered terribly
in killed and wounded, continued to retreat during the 31st, followed
by the five victorious divisions of the British in three columns, by
the roads of Roncesvalles, Maya, and Donna Maria. On the evening of
the same day, although obliquely to the rear of the pursuing columns,
we received orders, if possible, to overtake the enemy, and attack
them wherever they might be found. Accordingly, in the middle of the
night we got under arms and began our march. Towards the middle of the
following day, (the 1st of August), having already marched twenty-four
miles, we descended into a deep valley between Ituren and Elgoriaga,
where the division drew up in column to reconnoitre the right flank of
the enemy, who were still hovering in the neighbourhood of San Estevan.
After an hour's halt, we continued our movement on the left of the
Bidassoa, and for three hours ascended, or rather clambered, the rugged
asperities of a prodigious mountain, the by-path of which was composed
of overlapping slabs of rock, or stepping-stones. At four o'clock in
the afternoon a flying dust was descried, glistening with the bright
and vivid flashes of small-arms, to the right of the Bidassoa, and
in the valley of Lerin. A cry was instantly set up "the enemy!" the
worn soldiers raised their bent heads covered with dust and sweat:
we had nearly reached the summit of this tremendous mountain, but
nature was quite exhausted; many of the soldiers lagged behind, having
accomplished more than thirty miles over the rocky roads intersected
with loose stones; many fell heavily on the naked rocks, frothing at
the mouth, black in the face, and struggling in their last agonies;
whilst others, unable to drag one leg after the other, leaned on the
muzzles of their firelocks, looking pictures of despair, and muttering,
in disconsolate accents, that they had never "fallen out" before.
The sun was shining in full vigour, but fortunately numerous clear
streams bubbled from the cavities and fissures of the rocks,
(which were clothed in many places by beautiful evergreens,) and
allayed the burning thirst of the fainting men. The hard work of an
infantry soldier at times is beyond all calculation, and death, by
the road-side, frequently puts an end to his sufferings,—but what
description can equal such an exit?
At seven in the evening, the division having been in march nineteen
hours, and accomplished nearly forty miles, it was found absolutely
necessary to halt the second brigade near Aranaz, as a rallying
point. Being now parallel with the enemy, and some hours a-head of
the vanguard leading the left column of our army, our right brigade
still hobbled onwards; at twilight we overlooked the enemy within
stone's throw, and from the summit of a tremendous precipice: the
river separated us; but the French were wedged in a narrow road, with
inaccessible rocks enclosing them on one side, and the river on the
other: such confusion took place amongst them as is impossible to
describe; the wounded were thrown down during the rush, and trampled
upon, and their cavalry drew their swords, and endeavoured to charge
up the pass of Echalar, (the only opening on their right flank,) but
the infantry beat them back, and several of them, horses and all, were
precipitated into the river; others fired vertically at us, whilst the
wounded called out for quarter, and pointed to their numerous soldiers,
supported on the shoulders of their comrades in bearers, composed of
branches of trees, to which were suspended great coats, clotted with
gore, or blood-stained sheets, taken from various habitations, to carry
off their wounded, on whom we did not fire.
Our attention was soon called from this melancholy spectacle to
support the rifle corps,[63] while they repulsed the enemy, who had
crossed over the bridge of Yanzi to attack us, to enable the tail of
their column to get off. Night closed on us, and the firing ceased;
but, owing to our seizing the bridge, we cut off the whole of their
baggage, which fell into the hands of the column of our army following
from St. Estevan.
In this way ended the most trying day's march I ever remember. On the
following morning, soon after daylight, we filed across the bridge of
Yanzi, held by our pickets, and detached a small force to guard the
road towards Echalar, until the troops came up from the direction of
San Estevan, which had hung on the enemy's rear for the then three
previous days. Continuing our march, we once more debouched by the
defile opposite Bera, where the French sentinels were still posted,
as if rooted to the rocks on which they were stationed the day we had
taken our departure.
As soon as the second brigade came up, we again ascended the heights
of Santa Barbara, where we found a French corporal, with a broken
leg, his head resting on a hairy knapsack, and supported in the arms
of a comrade, who generously remained behind to protect the life of
his friend from the _cuchillo_ of the Spaniards. As soon as he had
delivered him to the care of the English soldiers, he embraced the
corporal, saying, "_Au revoir, bon camarade Anglais_," and, throwing
his musket over his shoulder, with the butt-end _en l'air_, he
descended the mountain to rejoin the French army on the opposite
range of heights. Of course, no one offered to molest this _simple
soldat_, who easily effected his escape. As our picquets could not
enter the valley until our right was cleared, and the enemy pushed
from the mountain of Echalar, as soon as another division attacked
those heights, the 1st rifles moved on and clambered the mountain of
St. Bernard, supported by five companies of our regiment. The soldiers
had been for two days without any sustenance, and were so weak that
they could hardly stand; however, an excellent commissary had managed
to overtake us, and hastily served out half-a-pound of biscuit to each
individual, which the soldiery devoured while in the act of priming and
loading as they moved on to the attack.
The summit of the mountain was wrapped in a dense fog: an invisible
firing commenced, and it was impossible to ascertain which party was
getting the best of the fight; the combatants were literally contending
in the clouds. When half-way up the side of the mountain, we found a
soldier of the rifles lying on his face, and bleeding so copiously
that his havresack was dyed in blood: we turned him over, and, being
somewhat recovered before he was carried off, he told us, in broken
monosyllables, that three Frenchmen had mistaken him for a Portuguese,
laid hold of him, thrust a bayonet through his thigh, smashed the stock
of his rifle, and then pushed him from off the ledge of the precipice
under which we discovered him.
The second French light infantry were dislodged, before twilight, from
the top of this mountain; but the sparkling flashes of small-arms
continued after dark to wreath, with a crown of fire, the summits of
the various rocks about Echalar.
Thus, after a series of difficult marches, amongst a chaotic jumble of
sterile mountains, the enemy were totally discomfited, with an enormous
loss, by a series of the most extraordinary and brilliant efforts that
had been made during the Peninsular War. For three days the French
indeed had the vantage ground, owing to their superiority of numbers at
a given point; but on the fourth day, the same divisions which had so
heroically fought while falling back, sustained, with their backs to a
hostile fortress, (whence the enemy sortied during the battle,) a most
desperate assault made by the Duke of Dalmatia, over whom the Marquis
of Wellington gained a memorable victory, and ceased not in turn to
pursue the French marshal, until he was glad to seek shelter from
whence he came. The standards of Britain again waved aloft, and flapped
in the gentle breeze over the fertile fields of France.
[Footnote 59: Pampeluna is about thirty-five miles from the extremity
of the principal pass at Roncesvalles, forty-five from that of
Aretesque, in front of Maya, and fifty miles from the pass of Bera; all
these points it was necessary to occupy on the right of the Bidassoa;
which clearly demonstrates the advantage the enemy possessed by
attacking principally at Roncesvalles.]
[Footnote 60: It was a frequent custom, when in want of a guide,
to employ a peasant, who received a dollar at the end of his day's
journey. These _Pizanos_, being accustomed to pastoral lives, were
well acquainted with every inch of ground or by-path for leagues
around their habitations, as well as the various fords across rivers
and tributary streams, the depth of which depends on the season of the
year, or the quantity of rain that might happen to fall at uncertain
periods on these mountains.]
[Footnote 61: On the 29th, at the end of four days' fighting, both
Marshals desisted from hostilities in front of Pampeluna. The French
employed themselves in edging off to their right to assist the Count
d'Erlon, who had followed the march of General Hill by Lanz. The
Marquis of Wellington, on the other hand, was drawing in the seventh
division to insure a communication with General Hill, and also watching
his adversary's movements, to take advantage of what might accrue on
the morrow.]
[Footnote 62: This firing was near Lizasso, where the enemy endeavoured
to turn General Hill's left flank by the road to Buenzu, and while
the Count d'Erlon was striving to execute this movement, the light
division, unknowingly, were marching on his right flank: however,
the General-in-chief being still in position in front of Pampeluna,
finding that the Duke of Dalmatia had weakened his left and centre, to
support the Count d'Erlon, immediately countermanœuvred, and attacked
the right of his opponent with the sixth and seventh divisions, under
Lord Dalhousie, and the left with the third division, and then pierced
the centre of the enemy with the fourth division and General Byng's
brigade of the second division, and thus before sunset pushed back
the enemy beyond Olacque. By this attack the left flank of the Count
d'Erlon became uncovered, which obliged him to fall back during the
night, towards the pass of Donna Maria, to avoid falling into the snare
originally intended for his adversary.]
[Footnote 63: One of the first I saw wounded was Capt. Perceval, of the
rifle corps. "Well," said he, "I am a lucky fellow, with one arm maimed
and useless by my side from an old wound, and now unable to use the
other."]
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and their adventures are equally tinged with the marvellous,
the pathetic, and the humorous. Our author has profited by his
opportunities, and seems as much at his ease among the Guerillas
and spoliated vineyards of Spain, as when he sketches the domestic
doings in the pleasant summer-quarters at Bath."—_Atlas._
7. The LIFE of a MIDSHIPMAN. A Tale founded on Facts, and intended to
correct an injudicious predilection in Boys for the Life of a Sailor.
In 1 vol. 8vo. with Engravings, 9s. 6d.
8. STORIES of WATERLOO. In 3 vols. post 8vo. 28s. 6d.
9. The KING'S OWN. A Tale of the Sea. By the Author of "The Naval
Officer." In 3 vols. post 8vo.
"A more vigorous, original, and characteristic performance has not
appeared in our time."—_United Services Journal._
10. The NAVAL OFFICER; or, Scenes and Adventures in the Life of FRANK
MILDMAY. In 3 vols. post 8vo. 28s. 6d.
"This is the most seaman-like composition that has yet issued from
the press. We recommend it to all who 'live at home at ease,' and
need scarcely say that no man-of-war's man should remain an hour
without it."—_Atlas._
11. The NIGHT-WATCH, or TALES of the SEA. 2 vols. post 8vo. 18s.
"As sketches of nautical life, these Tales are admirable for their
spirit, originality, and truth."—_Monthly Review._
Transcriber's Note:
Footnotes placed at end of respective chapter.
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations
in hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling and
punctuation remains unchanged.