THE BATTLES OF THE PYRENEES.
PART THIRD.
1813.
Soult halted his different corps in the intrenched camp of Bayonne,
and Wellington cantoned his troops two miles in front of his opponent,
in lines extending from the sea to the Nivelle, his right stretching
to Cambo and his left resting on the coast. This change in his
cantonments was productive of serious advantages. His wearied soldiery
obtained rest and many comforts which in their mountain bivouacs were
unattainable; and though the enemy possessed unlimited command of a
well-supplied district for their foraging parties, and the surface
over which Lord Wellington might obtain supplies was necessarily
circumscribed, his direct communication with the sea, and a month’s
rest in tolerable quarters, recruited his exhausted army and produced
the best results.
But Wellington merely waited to mature his preparations; and, to extend
his line of supply, he determined to seize the strong ground between
the Nive and the Adour, and confine Soult to the immediate vicinity
of his own camp. Accordingly, on the 9th of December, the left wing
of the allies, advancing by the road of St. Jean de Luz, gained the
heights domineering the intrenchments of the French. The right forded
the Nive above Cambo, while, by a bridge of boats, Clinton crossed at
Nostariz, and obliged the enemy, to avoid being cut off, to fall back
on Bayonne. At night, the French having retired to their posts within
the fortified position they had occupied, Hope, with the left of the
allies, recrossed the river to his former cantonments, having a direct
communication open with Sir Rowland Hill, who had taken a position
with his division, his right on the Adour, his centre in the village
of St. Pierre, and his left appuied on the heights of Ville Franque.
Morillo’s division was in observation at Urcuray, and a cavalry corps
at Hasparren.
The relative positions of the rival armies were greatly different.
Soult possessed immense advantages; his _corps d’armée_ were completely
bivouacked, with easy communications, every facility for rapid
concentration, and the citadel of Bayonne to protect him if he found
it necessary to fall back. The allies extended over an irregular line
intersected by the Nive, with bad roads, that rendered any rapid
reinforcement of a threatened point altogether impracticable. Hence,
Wellington was everywhere open to attack, and Soult could fall on him
with overwhelming numbers and force an unequal combat, while but a part
of the allies should be opposed to the combined efforts of the enemy.
The French marshal was aware of this, and it was not long before he
endeavoured to profit by his advantage.
The left of the allies, under Sir John Hope, had the fifth division
(Hay’s) posted on the heights of Barouillet, with Campbell’s Portuguese
brigade on a narrow ridge immediately in their front. At Arrangues,
the light division was formed on a strong height, at a distance of two
miles from the fifth.
The positions were separated by the low grounds between the hills, and
the corps were consequently unconnected. Although both were strongly
posted, still, in case of an attack, each must trust entirely to his
own resources, and repulse the enemy without counting on support from
the other.
Early on the 10th of December, Soult appeared on the road of St.
Jean de Luz, and in great force marched directly against the allied
left. The light and fifth divisions were simultaneously assailed, the
former driven back into its intrenchments, and Campbell’s brigade
forced back upon Hay’s at Barouillet. The intermediate ground between
the allied positions was now in the possession of the enemy, and
thus Soult was enabled to attack the right of the fifth with vigour.
Although assailed in front and flank, the allied division gallantly
withstood the assault; and when the position was completely penetrated,
and the orchard on the right forced and occupied by the French with
overwhelming numbers, still the British and Portuguese held the
heights, and, while whole sections fell, not an inch of ground was
yielded.
Another and a more determined effort was now made by the French
marshal, and made in vain, for by a bold and well-timed movement of
the 9th British and a Portuguese battalion, wheeling round suddenly
and charging the French rear, the enemy were driven back with the loss
of a number of prisoners. Fresh troops were fast arriving, the guards
came into action, and Lord Wellington reached the battleground from
the right. But the French had been repulsed in their last attempt so
decisively that they did not venture to repeat it; evening closed, the
firing gradually died away, and the allied divisions held the same
positions from which Soult, with an immense numerical superiority in
men and guns, had vainly striven to force them.
The slaughter was great on both sides; and, wearied by long sustained
exertion, and weakened by its heavy loss, the fifth division was
relieved by the first, who occupied the post their comrades had
maintained so gloriously. The fourth and seventh were placed in
reserve, and enabled, in case of attack, to assist on either point,
should Soult, on the following morning, as was expected, again attempt
to make himself master of Barouillet.
Nothing could surpass the reckless gallantry displayed by the British
officers throughout this long and sanguinary struggle. Sir John Hope,
with his staff, was always seen where the contest was most furious;
and the only wonder was that in a combat so close and murderous, one
remarkable alike in personal appearance and “daring deed,” should
have outlived that desperate day. His escapes indeed were many. He
was wounded in the leg, contused in the shoulder, four musket-bullets
passed through his hat, and he lost two horses. General Robinson,
in command of the second brigade, was badly wounded, and Wellington
himself was constantly exposed to fire. Unable to determine where the
grand effort of his adversary would be directed, he passed repeatedly
from one point of the position to the other, and that life, so valuable
to all beside, seemed “of light estimation” to himself alone.
The next sun rose to witness a renewal of the contest. In their attack
upon the light divisions at Arrangues, the French, driven from the
defended posts the chateau and churchyard afforded, retired to the
plateau of Bassusarry, and there established themselves for the night.
During the forenoon some slight affairs between the pickets occurred;
but at noon, the fusilade having ceased, the allies collected wood,
lighted fires, and cooked their dinners. At two, a considerable
stir was visible in the enemy’s line, and their pioneers were seen
cutting down the fence for the passage of artillery. Soult’s first
demonstration of attack was made against Arrangues; but that was only
to mask his real object. Presently his tirailleurs swarmed out in front
of Barouillet, attacked the British outposts, drove the pickets back,
and moving in strong columns by the Bayonne road, furiously assailed
the heights of the position. The wood-cutters, surprised by the sudden
onset of the French, hurried back to resume their arms and join their
regiments; while the enemy, mistaking the cause of this rush to their
alarm posts, supposed a panic had seized the troops, and pressed
forward with increased impetuosity. But the same results attended their
attempt upon the first as on the fifth division; and the French were
driven back with heavy loss. In the contests of two days not an inch of
ground was yielded, and the left wing of the allies remained firm in
its position, when night brought the combat to a close.
During the 12th, Soult still continued in front of the heights of
Barouillet, and preserved throughout the day a threatening attitude.
No serious attack, however, was made; some sharp skirmishing occurred
between the pickets, and darkness ended these occasional affairs.
The grand object of the French marshal in his sustained attacks upon
the allied left, was to force the position and penetrate to St. Jean
de Luz. Although so severely handled in his attempts upon the 10th
and 11th, the bustle visible along his line, and the activity of the
officers of his staff during the morning of the 12th, showed that
he still meditated a fresh effort. The imposing appearance of the
allied troops on the heights of Barouillet induced him to change his
intention; and he made arrangements to throw his whole disposable force
suddenly upon the right wing of the British, and attack Sir Rowland
Hill with overwhelming numbers.
This probable attack had been foreseen by Lord Wellington, and,
with his accustomed caution, means had been adopted to render it
unsuccessful. In the event of assistance being required, the sixth
division was placed at Hill’s disposal; and early on the morning of
the 13th, the third and fourth divisions moved towards the right of
the allied lines, and were held in readiness to pass the river should
circumstances demand it. As Lord Wellington had anticipated, Soult
marched his main body through Bayonne during the night of the 12th, and
at daylight, pushing forward thirty thousand men in columns of great
strength, attacked furiously the right wing of the allies.
Hill had only fourteen thousand British and Portuguese to repel the
French marshal’s assault, but the ground he occupied was capable of
being vigorously defended. On the right, General Byng’s brigade was
formed in front of the Vieux Monguerre, occupying a ridge, with the
Adour upon the right, and the left flanked by several mill dams.
The brigades of Generals Barnes and Ashworth were posted on a range
of heights opposite the village of St. Pierre, while two Portuguese
brigades were formed in reserve immediately behind Ville Franque. The
general form of the line nearly described a crescent, and against
its concave side the efforts of the French marshal were principally
directed. The position extended from the Adour to the Nive, occupying a
space, from right to left, of four miles.
The outposts stationed on the road from Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de
Port were driven back by the enemy’s tirailleurs, followed by the main
body of the French, who mounted the sloping ground in front of the
British position, and supported by another division, which moved by a
hollow way between the left centre and Pringle’s brigade, they came
forward in massive columns. Sir Rowland Hill at once perceived that
Soult’s design was to force his centre, and carry the heights of St.
Pierre. To strengthen that part of the position, the brigade of General
Byng was promptly moved to the right of the centre, leaving the third
(Buffs) regiment and some light companies at Vieux Monguerre, while a
Portuguese brigade was marched from behind Ville Franque to support the
left. The sixth division was apprised of the threatened attack, and
an aide-de-camp was despatched to order its immediate march upon the
centre.
The French came on with all the confidence of superior strength, and
a full determination to break through the British position, and thus
achieve upon the right that object which they had essayed upon the
left, and twice in vain. Exposed to a tremendous fire of grape from the
British guns, and a withering fusilade from the light infantry, they
pressed steadily on, and, by strength of numbers, succeeded in gaining
ground in front of the heights. But further they never could attain,
as the supporting brigades joined on either flank, and every continued
essay to force the centre was repulsed. A long and bloody combat, when
renewed, produced no happier result, for the allies obstinately held
their position. The Buffs and light companies, who had been forced by
an overwhelming superiority to retire for a time from Vieux Monguerre,
re-formed, charged into the village, and won it back at the point of
the bayonet, when, after exhausting his whole strength in hopeless
efforts to break the British line, Soult abandoned the attack, and
reluctantly gave the order to fall back.
Not satisfied with repelling the enemy’s attack, Hill in turn became
the assailant, and boldly pursued the broken columns as they retired
from the front of the position. On a high ground in advance of his
intrenched lines, Soult drew up in force, and determined to fall back
no further. The hill was instantly assaulted by Byng’s brigade, led on
by the general in person. Unchecked by a storm of grape and a heavy
fire of musketry, the British, reinforced by a Portuguese brigade,
carried the height, and the French were beaten from a strong position
with a serious loss in men, and the capture of two pieces of cannon.
The third and sixth divisions came up as quickly as distance and
difficult roads would permit, but the contest was ended; and Hill,
unassisted by any supporting troops, had, with his own corps, achieved
a complete and glorious victory.
This glorious battle was fought and won by Sir Rowland Hill with his
own corps, alone and unassisted. Lord Wellington could not reach
the field till the victory was achieved, and as he rode up to his
successful general, he shook him heartily by the hand, with the frank
remark, “Hill, the day’s your own.” He was exceedingly delighted with
Sir Rowland’s calm and beautiful conduct of this action, and with the
intrepid and resolute behaviour of the troops.
Every effort, continued with unabated vigour for five hours, and with
decided advantages on his side, had signally failed, and the French
commander was forced again to retire within his fortified lines between
the Nive and the Adour, while the allies pushed their advanced posts to
the verge of the valley immediately in front of St. Pierre.
In these continued actions the loss on both sides was immense. In the
casualties of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of December, the
total, including four generals, amounted to five thousand and sixty-one
_hors de combat_.
The French loss was infinitely greater; it is but a moderate estimate
to place it at six thousand men. Indeed, no contests, sanguinary as
most of them had been during the Peninsular campaigns, were attended
with greater loss of life, and those well accustomed to view a
battlefield expressed astonishment at the slaughter the limited spaces
on which the repeated struggles had occurred exhibited at the close of
every succeeding engagement.
Soult, defeated in the presence of thousands of his countrymen, and
with every advantage locality could confer, had no apology to offer
for the failure of his attacks, and if any additional mortification
were necessary, the defection of the regiments of Nassau-Usingen and
Frankfort would have completed it.
A Frankfort officer now made his way to the outposts of our fourth
division in the centre of the allies, and announced the intended
defection, requiring a general officer’s word of honour that they
should be well received and sent to Germany. No general being on the
spot, Colonel Bradford gave his word; means were immediately taken to
apprise the battalions, and they came over in a body, thirteen hundred
men, the French not discovering their intention till just when it was
too late to frustrate it.
The winter had now set in with severity, and ended all military
movements for a season.
“During this period of mutual repose,” says Batty, “the French officers
and ours soon became intimate; we used to meet at a narrow part of
the river, and talk over the campaign. They would never believe, or
pretended not to believe, the reverse of Napoleon in Germany; and when
we received the news of the Orange Boven affair in Holland, they said
that it was impossible to convince them. One of our officers took ‘The
Star’ newspaper, rolled a stone up in it, and attempted to throw it
across the river; unfortunately the stone went through it, and it fell
into the water; the French officer very quietly said, in tolerably good
English, ‘Your good news is very soon damped.’
“During the campaign we had often experienced the most gentlemanly
conduct from the French officers. A day or two before the battle, when
we were upon our alarm-post, at break of day, a fine hare was seen
playing in a cornfield between the outposts; a brace of greyhounds were
very soon unslipped, when, after an exciting course, poor puss was
killed within the French lines. The officer to which the dogs belonged,
bowing to the French officer, called off the dogs, but the Frenchman
politely sent the hare, with a message and his compliments, saying that
we required it more than they did.”
The roads were impassable from constant rain, and the low grounds
heavily flooded. The French took up cantonments on the right bank of
the Adour; while the allies occupied the country between the left of
that river and the sea. Every means were employed to render the troops
comfortable in their winter quarters, and, to guard against surprises,
telegraphs were erected in communication with every post, which, by a
simple combination of flags, transmitted intelligence along the line
of the cantonments, and apprised the detached officers of the earliest
movement of the enemy. Abundant supplies, and the advantage of an open
communication with Britain, enabled the army to recruit its strength;
and, with occasional interruptions of its quiet, the year 1813 passed
away, and another, “big with the fate of empires,” was ushered in.