The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the
Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the
Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the
French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the
French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques.
We left our wet camp on the 15th, and advanced to the village of
Arbonne, where, for the first time during the campaign, we were
quartered in houses, except once or twice. During our stay in the camp
at Serres, or Zarre, we sent our baggage animals to Passages for corn,
on which occasion I lost another horse, the batman pretending it had
been stolen, but which, no doubt, he sold, as that trick had often been
resorted to by this time, and there was no detecting it.
On the 17th we left Arbonne, and advanced to Arcangues, sending forward
picquets to the village of Bassozari, about half a mile in front. My
battalion took up into quarters in some straggling houses in front of
the church of Arcangues, while our first battalion occupied the chateau
and outhouses of Arcangues, about a quarter of a mile to the right and
front of the church. The enemy's picquets were close to Bassozari, so
that in some places scarcely a quarter of a mile intervened between our
quarters and their outposts. They allowed us to take up our outposts
very quietly, they being now established in their intrenched camp in
front of Bayonne, and which was not far distant from our advance. There
were some houses in the line of posts occupied by the French, which, if
in our possession, would add greatly both to our security and
convenience, and which it was determined to wrest from them if
practicable.
Accordingly, on the 23d the division was put under arms, and our
brigade, being in front, had this task assigned to them. The 43d, not
having had so much work during the campaign as our two battalions had,
was selected for the purpose of driving in the enemy's picquets, whilst
we supported them. They accordingly attacked and carried the houses
without a moment's delay; but unfortunately, Captain Hobkirk of that
regiment, advancing with his company beyond the line at which it was
intended to halt, got immediately in front of some of their
intrenchments, from which he could not extricate himself, in consequence
of which our first battalion was ordered to advance to cover his
retreat; but he had by this time fallen into the hands of the enemy,
with a considerable number of his men: his lieutenant was killed, and
altogether the company suffered great loss. The remainder retreated, our
first battalion people holding the houses it was intended to occupy.
This occurred on the left of the ridge.
On the right, and adjoining a marsh which separated us from some high
ground near the river Nive, and which was occupied by another division
of our army, were two or three houses also which it was intended to
take, as their possession secured us a passage across this marsh by a
causeway, which connected two eminences, that on which we stood, and
that occupied by the other division, the principal object upon the
latter being a large chateau called Garratt's House. One company of the
43d also took those houses, supported by some more of that regiment and
my battalion; but after they were taken, from what cause I know not, an
order was sent to evacuate them, on which the 43d retired. Soon after,
they were again ordered to be re-occupied, when a company of ours
advanced, and took possession, but had not been there many minutes till
another order was sent for them to be evacuated. This order, however,
had scarcely reached them, when a charge was made on them by a body of
French cavalry, supported by a strong column of infantry. The officer
who commanded the company, either from the order he had received, or
from want of presence of mind, called to his men to run to the rear when
the cavalry charged him, by which he did not suffer much in point of
losing men, for only one was wounded by the cavalry; but it had a bad
appearance to run away from cavalry, a description of force which we had
learnt by this time almost to despise, especially as, from his post, he
might have knocked down great numbers of them, and finally have repulsed
them, had he allowed his men to fire. The houses were, however,
eventually taken possession of by another company of our battalion the
next day, which retained them in despite of the enemy. The man who was
wounded by the cavalry was shot in the head by a pistol ball: he came to
the surgeon, where the main body of the battalion was standing, to be
dressed; while this was doing, and the orderly man holding a tin-full of
water near, from which the surgeon was sponging and cleaning the wound,
a ball came, and, striking the tin, carried it right out from between
the hands of the orderly. I was standing close by, and shall not easily
forget the blank look which, as might be expected, the poor orderly put
on. There was a good deal of firing all day, which, except what the 43d
suffered, as before noticed, did little damage to the brigade.
On the occasion of our company taking these houses the next day, a very
young officer, who happened to command it, evinced great fortitude and
presence of mind. He advanced on the enemy, who, being then rather
inclined to quietness, retreated gradually before him; but after
reaching the hedge, just beyond the principal house, told him (for they
were quite near enough to speak) that he must not advance any farther,
or they would be compelled to fire on him. The young fellow, solicitous
about nothing but obeying his orders, told them that he was determined
to have the house, and immediately putting his men under the best cover
he could, called out that they might begin to fire whenever they
pleased, he was ready for them. This young officer (whose name was Cary,
and brother to my friend who fell at Badajos) spoke excellent French, so
that the enemy understood him perfectly. The enemy did not contend any
longer for the post, but planted their sentries within about thirty
yards of ours. These sentries, indeed, were still so posted as to
prevent a passage across by the causeway, had they been so inclined; but
the next day I went with another officer across by this road, on which
occasion we actually passed to the rear of the French sentries.
A disposition had for some time been gaining ground with both armies, to
mitigate the miseries of warfare, as much as was consistent with each
doing their duty to their country; and it had by this time proceeded to
such an extent, as to allow us to place that confidence in them that
they would not molest us even if we passed their outposts for the
purpose I have mentioned. And this mutual confidence in each other was
productive of the most comfortable results to both parties. We could
move about at any time, and almost in any place, shooting or otherwise
amusing ourselves, without the dread of falling in with an enemy's
patrol, or of getting among their sentries. They never molested us from
this time, except when we either advanced upon them, or they upon us, in
hostile array. Our division had two main picquets; all this took place
at the right picquet. A few days after I happened to be at the advanced
post on the left, commanded by one of my battalion, when the French
officers beckoned to us. We, to show we were peaceably inclined, pulled
off our swords, and advanced to meet them. A number of inhabitants, who
had left their houses on our first entering the country, having heard
that we were not what we had been represented, were desirous of
returning to their homes, and the officers wished us to admit them, and
see them safe through the advanced posts. This of course we gladly
promised, and the poor people were quite overjoyed at being permitted to
visit their dwelling-places once again; but, poor creatures, I fear they
would find little there except the bare walls, if indeed these remained
entire, for, from the reasons before assigned, it could scarcely be
expected that houses without inhabitants, in the midst of an invading
army, would be much respected. Each individual among them, old and
young, carried heavy bundles on their heads, no doubt they having
removed every thing that was valuable, if portable.
The French officers were extremely polite, and asked us many questions
of the news of the day, &c.; but the commander-in-chief, hearing of the
familiarity which subsisted between the two armies, issued an order,
prohibiting British officers from holding conversations with the enemy;
for as all these conversations were necessarily conducted in French,
(very few indeed of their officers being able to speak English,) he was
apprehensive they might gain such information from our people, from
their imperfect knowledge of the French language, as might materially
injure our future proceedings. Before this order was issued, the most
unbounded confidence subsisted between us, and which it was a pity to
put a stop to, except for such weighty reasons. They used to get us such
things as we wanted from Bayonne, particularly brandy, which was cheap
and plentiful, and we in return gave them occasionally a little tea, of
which some of them had learnt to be fond. Some of them also, who had
been prisoners of war in England, sent letters through our army-post to
their sweethearts in England, our people receiving the letters and
forwarding them. They told us also how Hobkirk was situated, and were
astonished at the extent and splendour of his equipage, (for he was a
great dandy,) and could scarcely be persuaded he was only a captain.
My present commanding-officer, who was the senior captain, and in whose
mess I then was, had sent to England, and got out from thence two
immense pies, weighing nearly a hundred-weight each, and packed in tin
cases. They were composed of every kind of game, and the best
description of fowls, such as turkeys, &c., with the bones taken out,
and the meat baked till it became like brawn when cut in slices. They
were most excellent. One of these he had made a present of to our
Major-general, and the other we were eating in the mess. We had also at
this time a considerable quantity of good wine, which, by some accident,
we had got hold of. We also had bought a pig and killed it, both living
quite sumptuously at present, and having a good stock for future use.
But while we ourselves fared so well, our poor horses and mules were
literally starving. There was no kind of forage for them, except what
they could pick up in the now completely exhausted fields around us. We
had nothing else to give them.
In this way we were going on, when, on the 9th of December, Lord
Wellington, determining on passing the Nive, preparatory to future
operations, ordered our division and all the left, under Sir John Hope,
who had now succeeded Sir Thomas Graham, to make a movement in advance,
in order that the enemy's attention might be attracted to this point,
while he threw over some divisions to the right bank of that river. My
battalion had to advance along the ridge by which I had formerly passed
in peace, to meet the returning inhabitants, as may be recollected; but
now the face of affairs was completely altered;--a heavy fire was kept
up by the French picquets from the moment they saw us advance in arms,
but we soon drove them from their advanced works, and they were obliged
to take shelter in their intrenched camp, which was remarkably strong,
and which it was not intended we should attack. We accordingly halted on
the brow of the ridge, while they kept up an incessant fire, both from
their guns and infantry, but which, considering its extent and duration,
was not by any means a destructive fire.
Sir John Hope had a more laborious task to perform, or else his troops
went beyond the point intended, for they continued the fight nearly all
day, and at one time were considerably in advance, but afterwards
recalled.
The passage of the Nive was completely effected, and in the evening we
returned to our comfortable houses, a short distance in the rear, and
went to bed as usual. Next morning, however, very early, orders were
given to turn out immediately, and stand to our arms, for the enemy was
advancing; and indeed, when I came to the door, I heard a good deal of
firing. The troops turned out at once, but the mules were to get, and
the baggage to pack, and send away to the rear, or it might be lost; so
I set myself about this with all dispatch; but before any of it was put
up, I saw posting by me, with all expedition, a civil officer, who had
only a short while joined us, and who, in his hurry, had put up all he
could scrape together on his horse, on which he himself was riding. His
boots, tied together, were slung over the horse's neck, and in short he
looked more like a bagman than an officer, from the number of things he
had hanging about him. It was most laughable to see him. I called out
and asked him why he was in such a hurry, but he did not stop to give me
an answer.
I got up our baggage very well, but what to do with the pie, the pig,
and the wine, I knew not, so was constrained to leave them as they were,
hoping we might not allow the enemy to penetrate so far. I then moved
off the baggage, and, directing the servants who had charge of it to
proceed up a lane which carried them towards the rear, I moved on and
joined the battalion. Just as I reached the plateau, or high ground in
front of the church of Arcangues, I met an officer of ours to whom I had
lately lent a fine young mare, for which I had not food sufficient; and
he having no horse himself, I thought he would take care of her; but
here I met him going into the fight riding on the poor animal, although
scarcely able to drag one leg behind the other. I remonstrated with him,
but he did not mind me. The result was as might have been
anticipated--she soon after dropped down, unable to move farther, and
died; thus I lost L.35 more, which she had cost me. By this time the
enemy had driven in the regiment which had been on picquet, and one or
two of our companies were sent forward to cover their retreat to the
church behind us, where they were ordered to take post, it being a high
and fine position, and had by this time been partly fortified. My people
retired gradually before the enemy, who now advanced in great numbers.
Our 1st battalion were not so fortunate in effecting their retreat. An
officer and some men having got into a hollow way, were surrounded by
the enemy and taken; another was killed; and another, with his section,
had to force their way through a strong body which had got in his rear.
My battalion did not fall into any scrape of that nature, but sustained
a considerable loss in killed and wounded, from the vast superiority of
the enemy in point of numbers, who, no doubt, did not escape with
impunity. We held our ground at the bottom of the hill on which the
church is built, the French not being able to force us farther back; the
1st battalion, at the same time, holding the fence and ditch in front of
the Chateau, as well as that building itself. But a rather unpleasant
occurrence took place at this time. When the enemy appeared on the
plateau before mentioned, a regiment behind us, without orders, I
believe, opened a heavy fire upon them, several shots of which struck
among our men. One of them went in at the back of one of our soldiers,
and killed him on the spot; another penetrated the back window of a
house into which a party of ours had entered for defence, and very near
struck an officer, who was in the room at the time. These shots must
have been fired either by young soldiers, who scarcely knew how they
pointed their muskets, or they must have taken our people for the enemy,
from which, indeed, they were not far distant. I am confident it was
purely accidental, for no two corps could be on better terms than that
regiment and ours always were. The skirmishing continued till dark.
This was one of a series of masterly movements between the two
contending generals. Lord Wellington having sent a pretty strong force
across the Nive, as before mentioned, Soult imagined he had so weakened
his force on the left, as to render it probable he might penetrate it,
and thus cause his lordship to withdraw his troops again from the right
bank of the Nive; but he was anticipated; for Lord Wellington had no
sooner established himself on the other side of the Nive, than he
brought one of the supporting divisions of that movement to support us
at the church of Arcangues, it being an important post to hold; so that,
when we looked behind us, after we retired into position, we saw
innumerable bayonets glistening in the sun, and ready to move forward
whenever they should be required; but they never were wanted here, the
light division being quite sufficient to sustain any attack the enemy
had yet made on them. This, however, showed the provident care of his
lordship, and how completely he had penetrated Soult's design.
This night two or three battalions of the Nassau and Frankfort regiments
came over and left the French. They had heard that the Dutch had
declared against Bonaparte, and wished to be transported to Holland,
with all their arms and appointments, which they brought with them. We
remained in bivouack on the ridge extending between the church and
chateau of Arcangues all night, our picquets remaining in possession of
the houses and hedges at the bottom of the hill, where we stopped the
French in the morning. I visited the picquets at night, in company with
my commanding-officer, where we found all well, and alert. The next day,
there being no firing between us and those in our front, three French
officers, seemingly anxious to prove how far politeness and good
breeding could be carried between the two nations, when war did not
compel them to be unfriendly, took a table and some chairs out of a
house which was immediately in our front, and one which we had lately
occupied as a barrack; and bringing them down into the middle of the
field, which separated the advance of the two armies, sat down within
100 yards of our picquet, and drank wine, holding up their glasses, as
much as to say your health, every time they drank. Of course we did not
molest them, but allowed them to have their frolic out.
During the day, also, we saw soldiers of the three nations, viz.
English, Portuguese, and French, all plundering at the same time in one
unfortunate house, where our pie, our pig, and wine had been left. It
stood about 150 or 200 yards below the church, on a sort of neutral
ground between the two armies; hence the assemblage at the same moment
of such a group of these motley marauders. They plundered in perfect
harmony, no one disturbing the other on account of his nation or colour.
There were a great number of apples in it at the time we left it,
belonging to the owner of the house, but when we returned, two or three
days afterwards, the desolation was complete. Our once comfortable
quarter contained nothing now but filth and dirt. One poor girl had
remained in it all the while, but she could not save one article;
indeed, in such a case it would have been a service of danger to attempt
it.
At night one of our sergeants played the French a trick. He took with
him a few men, and, knowing the ground well, they passed the French
sentry unobserved, having reached the house at the top of the field out
of which they had brought the table, &c., where their picquet was
stationed. He made a rush at their arms, which he found piled in front
of the house, and set to work and broke them before the French had time
to recover from the consternation into which they were thrown by so
unexpected an assault. He and his party then came running off without
sustaining any injury. He was a most determined brave soldier this, but
afterwards lost an arm at Toulouse, and was of course discharged with a
pension.
On the 12th, the enemy made a mighty show of attacking our position,
having greatly increased their force in front of us, and had, some way
or other, found the means of spreading a report in our lines that 1800
grenadiers had been chosen to lead on the attack. They also traced out
batteries, and cut embrasures, apparently with the intention of burning
or knocking down the chateau of Arcangues, the owner of which remained
in it all this time, and was rather suspected of holding correspondence
with his countrymen. It is not unlikely it was by his means the report
above alluded to was propagated. Every thing now wore a serious aspect,
and of course every thing was done to render their attack abortive. All
were animated with the best disposition to defend the post to the last
extremity; but while the generality believed all these preparations were
serious, there were others who thought it only a _ruse de guerre_;
indeed, had our friends, the German hussars, (with whom we had often
acted in concert,) been here at this time, it is more than probable they
would have been strongly inclined to the latter opinion, for they
scarcely ever saw the French make a great bustle and noise, as if about
immediately to advance and attack, but they would coolly say, after
eyeing them awhile, "Oh, he not come to-day!" "He go away!" and were
generally certain of being right. So full of trick and artifice are our
French antagonists, that they generally act in quite a contrary manner
to what appearances indicate. But they began to be known; hence the
scepticism of some of our people on the present occasion. Accordingly,
about midnight, when the attack was to have been made, away they went,
and retired nearly into their lines, leaving only a few to keep the
ground.
At daylight next morning we again moved forward, on which there was a
good deal of firing between the Portuguese battalion that had followed
them and their rearguard; but when our people advanced to our old post
on the ridge, I, happening to be first, took off my cap, and, putting it
on the top of my sword, held it up, which the French taking for a signal
of peace, as it was intended, the firing on both sides ceased, each
party taking up the post they held previous to the late movements. We
wondered why the French had retired, but presently heard a tremendously
heavy firing in the direction of the Nive. Soult, it seems, had
withdrawn nearly all his troops from our flank, and marching rapidly
through Bayonne, had attacked General Hill, who commanded on the other
side of the Nive, with great impetuosity, thinking Lord Wellington had
weakened that force to strengthen us; but here again Soult was
outwitted, for he found on that side quite sufficient to give him as
sound a drubbing as he ever got; the Portuguese on this occasion, I
understand, performing wonders.
These five days' fighting (for on every day there was firing, more or
less, in one part or other of the line) were called the Battle of the
Nive. We had had three days' work of it--they on our right two--and Sir
John Hope's people, on our left, four, I believe, and they not trifling
ones. In every thing Soult undertook, he was completely foiled--all his
schemes having been clearly seen through by his more sagacious opponent.
Indeed he had inflicted a heavy loss on our left wing, commanded by Sir
John Hope, where the fighting had been most severe, but no doubt he
suffered equally, if not more severely than they did. I am told that the
enemy's light troops were most insolent and annoying to our heavy
regiments on the left, on this occasion. What a pity that they could not
have been opposed by troops of a similar description!
It may be remembered the civil officer of whom I made mention, as having
rode away with the greater part of his wardrobe hanging about his horse;
he was more fortunate than we were, for the things which he left, his
kind landlady took care of, and hid in some snug corner till the
business was over, and on his return restored them all to him. He said
the cause of his going off in such a hurry arose from a cannon-shot
having struck the lintel of the door or window of his house while he was
in the act of shaving, on which he bundled out with whatever he could
scrape together, and set off. I verily believe it must have been the
effect of imagination, for I remained behind him at least a quarter of
an hour, and although our houses were close together, I did not either
hear or see a shot fired in that direction till we had reached the hill,
nearly an hour after; but he constantly maintained that it was so.
We again took up our old quarters in front of the church; but oh, how
changed were they now from what they had formerly been in point of
comfort! nevertheless, they still afforded us shelter from the
inclemency of the weather. Soon after dark on this evening, a rather
unpleasant affair occurred at the left advanced post of our division. An
officer and two men coming from the French advance, with what intention
is not known, were observed by the corporal who was stationed at our
abatis, who immediately took out his rifle and shot the officer through
the body, on which his two men lifted him up and carried him into their
picquet-house. We were apprehensive this would put an end to that good
understanding which had hitherto subsisted between the picquets of the
two nations, and much regretted the circumstance. It is more than
probable the officer was coming as a sort of patrol, to ascertain
whether or not we had left the post, which, being a military
undertaking, subjected him to all the chances of war attendant thereon.
This is the more probable from his having two soldiers with him armed,
as I understand they were; but if it was meant as a friendly visit, as
formerly sometimes took place, it was greatly to be lamented; however,
they did not, on account of this occurrence, manifest any soreness or
ill-will afterwards, and the mutual good understanding continued to
subsist between us.
While we remain at rest here a short space, I will endeavour to put the
reader in possession of the character of the inhabitants, among whom we
have been sojourning for a few months past--I mean the Biscayans. From
the time we crossed the Ebro, a wonderful change took place in the
appearance of the natives; and I believe the same description of people
extend considerably into France, although under another government;
they, I understand, still retain their ancient customs, dress, and
language; they are denominated Basques, from the name of the province, I
apprehend, which is called Biscay. They speak a different language from
either the Spaniards, who border them on one side, or the French, on the
other; and some of our officers who spoke Welsh, said they could
understand a few of their words; it is denominated the Basque language.
They generally wear cloth of their own manufacture, which is commonly
blue, in some parts red or brown; in the neighbourhood of Pamplona,
almost always the latter. The men wear a sort of Scotch bonnet, with a
short jacket and trowsers, and are an amazingly athletic and active
people. The women wear a short jacket also, of the same colour with
their petticoat; and with their hair, which they encourage to grow to a
great length, plaited in one large plait, and tied with a small piece of
ribbon; it is allowed to hang down their back, and almost in all cases
reaches to, or below their middle. They wear a handkerchief tastefully
disposed upon their head. They are a fine, tall, and handsome race of
women; but they have a custom of compressing their breasts, so that they
appear as flat in the bosom as the men, which, to an English eye, is not
becoming. The women do the same kind of work as the men, that is, they
plough, and labour at all sorts of husbandry; but what seemed most
remarkable to us, was their sole management of the ferry-boats about
Passages and St Sebastian; they row as well as any men, being amazingly
strong and active; they seem content with their lot, and always appeared
cheerful and happy. I believe they are strictly virtuous; and although
very handsome in general, they did not seem so fond of admiration as the
females of many other countries are; upon the whole, I think they
resemble the Welsh more than any other people with whom I am acquainted;
their countries are exceedingly similar, being mountainous, and in
general not over fruitful, so that constant labour seems to be rendered
absolutely necessary to insure to them the means of subsistence; hence
they are industrious and frugal, and, upon the whole, an interesting and
moral people.