BATTLE OF ORTHES. 27th. February, 1814.
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Little rest was accorded to the Peninsula troops. The weather having improved, and the roads become passable, in the second week of February the Marquis of Wellington continued his victorious career. The sixth and light divisions were ordered to break up from the blockade of Bayonne, and General Don Manuel Freyre was directed to close up the cantonments of his corps towards Iran, and to be prepared to move when the left of the army should cross the Adour. Immediately after the passage of the Gave d’Oléron, by Sir Rowland Hill, at Villenave, on the 24th. of February, that general and Sir Henry Clinton moved towards Orthes, near which place the French army was assembled on the 25th., having destroyed all the bridges on the Gave de Pau.
At this period the third division of the British army was at the broken bridge of Berenx, five miles lower down the river, having the sixth and seventh divisions (then arrived under Marshal Beresford) on its left, while the remainder of the force was assembled in front of Orthes. On the 26th. the third division forded the river lower down, and a pontoon bridge was afterwards laid at Berenx, by which the fourth and sixth divisions crossed on the morning of the 27th., at which time the third division was already posted with skirmishers thrown out close upon the left centre of the French position. The sixth division was placed on the right between the third 175division and the river, and the light division on its left in rear as a reserve. During the whole morning there had been occasional skirmishing by the third division, but the real attack commenced at nine o’clock by the third and sixth divisions on the French left centre, and the fourth and seventh divisions on their right, which last was intended to be the principal point of attack; but it having been found, after three hours’ hard fighting, that the enemy were there too strongly posted, the Marquis of Wellington ordered an advance of the third and sixth divisions, with the 52nd. regiment, from the centre upon the left centre of the French position, which they carried and secured the victory;[60] meanwhile Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, with the second division, had crossed the river above Orthes, and nearly cut off the only line of retreat open to the enemy, who then retired from the field, but without confusion, and constantly resisting the advance. The allies followed, keeping up an incessant fire and cannonade, but lost many men, particularly of the third division, which was the most strongly opposed; this continued until the French nearly reached the Luy de Bearn river, when their retreat became a flight, and they effected their escape by the fords and one bridge, which they destroyed, having lost four thousand men and six guns. In this battle the Marquis of Wellington was wounded.[61]
The regiments engaged at Orthes were the 14th. Light Dragoons, 5th., 6th., 7th., 11th., 20th., 23rd., 24th., 27th., 28th., 31st., 32nd., 34th., 36th., 39th., 40th., 42nd., 45th., 48th., 50th., 51st., 52nd., 58th., 60th., 61st., 66th., 68th., 71st., 74th., 82nd., 83rd., 87th., 88th., 91st., 92nd., and 94th Foot, and the Rifle Brigade.[62]
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