PASSAGE OF THE NIVELLE. 10th. November, 1813.

After the fall of St. Sebastian, the hostile armies remained for some time inactive, or occupied only in strengthening their respective positions, and preparing for the further prosecution of the campaign. The troops, however, suffered severely from the inclemency of the weather. Exposed on the bleak summits of the Pyrenees, they gazed with intense longing on the beautiful plains of France, which lay stretched out beneath their feet; but the close neighbourhood of a watchful enemy rendered the greatest vigilance necessary, and the duties were severe.

Flushed with success the British troops ardently longed for further victories. This moment at length arrived. Early on the morning of the 7th. of October, the army, under favour of a dark and stormy sky, descended from the heights, crossed the Bidassoa, and with little opposition established itself on the French territory. The continued inclemency of the weather, and the badness of the roads, retarded the further advance of the army till the 10th. of November, when all preparations being completed, the columns moved down the passes of the 168Pyrenees in the most perfect silence, and lay down, each at its appointed station, to await the dawn of day to make their attack. This was commenced by the fourth division, which carried a strong redoubt in front of the village of Sarre, drove the enemy from that village, and continued its advance against the heights in its rear, exposed to the fire of entrenchments by which the position was secured. These, however, were successively abandoned as the division advanced, the enemy flying in great disorder, towards the bridges on the Nivelle; the garrison of one redoubt, which alone offered any resistance, being made prisoners. The other attacks were all equally successful; the enemy driven from the centre of his line, concentrated himself on the heights above St. Pé, whence he was dislodged by a flank movement of the third and seventh divisions on the left, in conjunction with the sixth division, which proceeded in the contrary direction. Marshal Soult at length withdrew the whole of his army, and resigned his position to the allies, who went into cantonments in advance of the Nivelle, where they enjoyed another interval of repose.

In the Marquis of Wellington’s official report occurred the following; after speaking of the handsome attack of the sixth division, he continued, “I likewise particularly observed the gallant conduct of the 51st. and 68th. regiments, under the command of Major Rice and Lieutenant-Colonel Hawkins, in Major-General Inglis’s brigade, in the attack of the heights above St. Pé, in the afternoon of the 10th.”

The 43rd. and 52nd. regiments added to their former renown on this occasion, especially in the storming of the Petite Rhune, and in the completion of the victory.

Considering the strength of the positions attacked, and the length of time (from daylight till dark) during which the troops were engaged, the loss, although severe, was not so great as might have been expected. Major-Generals Kempt and Byng were wounded. The enemy lost fifty guns, two thousand men, fifteen hundred prisoners, and large quantities of stores and ammunition.

The following regiments were engaged in this service:—the 2nd., 3rd., 5th., 6th., 11th., 23rd., 24th., 27th., 28th., 31st., 32nd., 34th., 36th., 39th., 40th., 42nd., 43rd., 45th., 48th., 51st., 52nd., 53rd., 57th., 58th., 60th., 61st., 66th., 68th., 74th., 79th., 82nd., 83rd., 87th., 88th., 91st., 94th., and Rifle Brigade.

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