took post on the summit of the Pass of Mayor," those lofty heights, which," as the French General lamented, "enabled him proudly to survey our fertile vallies.” *

While the right was so well employed, General Graham made a movement to the left to intercept General Foy, then on his march to join Jourdan; but, when the latter heard of the defeat of the French army, he hastily retired. Attempting to make a stand at Tolosa, he was quickly driven from thence, and pursued beyond the Spanish boundaries. This part of the north of Spain being now cleared of the enemy, with the exception of Pampluna and St Sebastian, it was resolved to blockade the former, and lay siege to the latter. The latter part of this service was entrusted to General Graham.

St Sebastian being next in strength to Gibraltar, and the key of one of the entrances into France, no exertion had been spared to put it in the best possible state of defence.+

• Soult's proclamation.

+ St Sebastian was formerly one of the finest cities in Spain, and is situated on a peninsula, rùnning nearly east and west, having its northern side washed by the river Urumea, and the southern by the sea, and being about a league distant from Passages. When besieged, the defences of the place were very formidable. On the line that crosses the isthmus at right angles had been constructed a double line of works, consisting of the usual counterscarp, covered way, and glacis, while those erected along the peninsula, in a longitudinal direction, formed only a single line, and were built without any cover, from a calculation that the water in front would render them inaccessible. The error of this calculation is the more unaccountable, as the Urumea, for some hours both before and after low water, is fordable, and the tide ebbs so much that there is a large space left dry along the left bank of the river, so that troops can march to the very foot of the wall. With regard to the northern line of defence, it is quite exposed, from the top to the bottom, to a range of hills on the right bank of the river, at the distance of 600 or 700 yards from the works. In 1701, Marshal the Duke of Berwick, natural son of James VII., breached the town wall from these heights, while he pushed his approaches along the neck of land, and formed a lodgment in the covered way. The town surrendered by capitulation, and the governor, with the garrison, retired into the castle.

On the 14th of July the batteries opened on the convent of St Bartolomeo, and on the 17th this strong hold, though fortified with a protecting work, and a steep hill on its left flank, was so nearly destroyed, that General Graham ordered both to be stormed. This attack was made by the division under General Oswald, and executed with such determination and vigour, that a strong body of men who defended the posts could not withstand the impetuosity of our troops, who got possession of both. On the 25th two breaches being supposed practicable, they were assaulted by a party of 2000 men. They advanced with their usual resolution, but, after an obstinate contest against a numerous enemy, the troops were obliged to be recalled, having sustained a very severe loss; and, as other events called away the attention of the Commander-in-Chief, the siege was for the present suspended.

Marshal Soult, who had been recently appointed to the command of the French, having collected an army on the north side of the Pyrenees, was now ready to advance and attempt to force the positions occupied by the Allies. These positions were, by nature, almost impregnable; each formed a strong hold of itself either on an elevated hill, or as commanding a pass or ravine. But it was necessary to occupy a great extent of country, containing a range of bold and precipitous mountains, intersected in every direction, but more particularly from north to south, by deep passes, ravines, and valleys, which, in a confined space, afforded the best means of defence. But a distance of sixty miles now intervened between St Sebastian on the left, and the outward posts on the right of the allied army at Roncesvalles. To command every pass, therefore, was impossible; some must either be left open to the entrance of an enemy, or so weakly guarded, that Soult might force through, and turning the flank of one position, get in rear of another, and thus endanger the whole.

These mountains had been, in former times, the scenes of many desperate rencounters, and the grave of many a va

liant knight. The valley of Roncesvalles, now the station of Brigadier-General Byng's brigade, had been celebrated in many a heroic ballad and romance, as the field of battle in which Charlemagne met his celebrated defeat. The mountain passes in the possession of the Allies were defended by the following troops :-The valley of Roncesvalles on the right was occupied by Major-General Byng's brigade, and General Morillo's division of Spanish infantry, and in support of which at Piscarret was posted Lieutenant-General Cole's division, with General Picton's in reserve at Olaque:-Sir Rowland Hill, with Lieutenant-General William Stewart's, and Silviera's Portuguese divisions, and the Spanish corps under the Condé de Amaran, occupied the valley of Bastan, and the Pass of Maya :-Brigadier General Archibald Campbell's Portuguese brigade was detached to Los Alduidos:-The heights of St Barbara, the town of Pera, and the Puerto de Echelar, were protected by Lord Dalhousie and Baron Alten's light division, Brigadier-General Pack's being in reserve at St Estevan :-General Longa's Spanish division preserved the communication between Lord Dalhousie and General Graham, and the Condé de Abisbal blockaded Pampluna.

Marshal Soult having collected a great and numerous force, formed his plan of operations for a general attack on the allied army. On the 25th of July he advanced at the head of upwards of 36,000 men against Roncesvalles, while General Count d'Erlon, with 13,000 men, advanced on the Pass of Maya. General Byng was so hard pressed by this overwhelming force, the numbers of which enabled them to attack several parts of the position at once, that, although reinforced by part of the division of Sir Lowry Cole, he was obliged, in order to preserve his communication, to descend from the heights that commanded the Pass; and thus situated, he was attacked by Soult, and driven back to the top of the mountain; while the troops on the ridge of Arola, part of General Cole's division, were compelled to retire, with considerable loss, and to take up a position in the rear.

This they maintained till the evening, when General Cole, seeing a superior force in his front, and another on his flank, endeavouring to get round to his rear, retired as soon as it became dark to Lizoain, where he was joined by BrigadierGeneral Archibald Campbell, from Alduidos. On the 26th General Picton moved forward to support the troops at Lizoain, on which place Soult advanced after mid-day, when General Picton retired, keeping up a skirmishing fire till he reached a strong position, in which he formed in order of battle.

During these proceedings, Count d'Erlon advanced against all the narrow ridges occupied by some battalions near the post of Maya, and being superior in numbers to those who occupied them, or could be brought up to their support, he forced them to give way; but they were promptly supported by Brigadier-General Barnes's brigade. A series of spirited actions ensued, the weight of which fell upon Major-Generals Pringle's and Walker's brigades, of Lieutenant-General Sir William Stewart's division. The gallantry of the 20th and 82d was particularly noticed. Nothing material occurred on the 26th; but General Hill, hearing of the retrograde movements of the troops from Roncesvalles, retired behind the Irurita, and there took up a strong position. On the 27th Sir T. Picton resumed his retreat, the troops meanwhile being much dejected at this temporary reverse so soon after their late successful achievements; but the appearance of Lord Wellington seemed to act like electricity. They hailed his presence as the omen of returning victory; and when he gave orders to halt, and prepare to meet the enemy, all was animation and energy. He had been with the army before St Sebastian when he heard of the events on his right; and, hastening to the scene of action, directed the troops in reserve to move forward in support of the divisions opposed to the enemy. General Picton's division he formed on a ridge, on the left bank of the Argua, and General Cole's on high grounds between that river and the Lanz. General Hlll was post

ed behind the Lizasso, ready to support the positions in front; but on the arrival of General Pakenham on the 28th, he took post on the left of General Cole, facing the village of Sourarem, under a high mountain, on the left of which Soult had formed his army; but, before the ground had been fully occupied by the British divisions, they were vigorously attacked by the enemy from the village. After a short but severe contest, Soult was driven back with immense loss.

Disappointed in this attempt, Soult brought forward s strong column, and advanced up the hill against the centre of the Allies, on the left of General Cole's line. Of this post the French obtained a temporary possession, but the Fusileers running up, drove them back with the bayonet. They returned to the charge, but were again quickly repulsed. Another attack was made on the right of the centre, where a Spanish brigade, supported by the 40th regiment, was posted. The former gave way, but the 40th drove the enemy down the hill again with great loss.

It was now a general battle along thewhole line, which was completely covered by the sharpshooters of the enemy. Under this cover he pushed forward strong bodies, which were uniformly repulsed; the defeat on every successive attack being attended with more loss than on the preceding. The contest was principally carried on by the bayonet: the 7th, 20th, 33d, and 48th, charged four times. On one occasion a part of the 48th charged in front, while the other charged in flank.

On the following day Lord Dalhousie's division from the left reinforced the centre. This induced Soult to withdraw a body of troops from his strong position in front of the right of the British, trusting that, from the nature of the ground, the remainder would be able to maintain themselves against any force that might be brought to oppose them, and to attempt to turn the left of the position. His hopes of success from this movement do not appear to have been very confident, as he had previously ordered his artil