but sir Rowland Hill having been apprised of the necessity that sir Lowry Cole should retire, deemed it expedient to withdraw his troops likewise to Irurita; and the enemy did not advance on the following day beyond the Puerto de Maya. Notwithstanding the enemy's superiority of numbers, they acquired but little advantage over these brave troops during the seven hours they were engaged. All the regiments charged with the bay onet. The conduct of the 82nd regiment, which moved up with major-general Barnes's brigade, is particularly reported.

Lieutenant-general the hon. W. Stewart was slightly wounded.

I was not apprised of these events till late in the night of the 25th and 26th; and I adopted immediate measures to concentrate the army to the right, still providing for the siege of San Sebastian, and for the blockade of Pamplona.

This would have been effected early on the 27th, only that lieutenant-general sir Lowry Cole and lieutenant-general sir Thomas Picton concurred in thinking their post at Zubiri not tenable for the time during which it would have been necessary to wait in it. They therefore retired early on the 27th, and took up a position to cover the blockade of Pamplona, having the right, consisting of the 3rd division, in front of Huarte, and extending to the hills beyond Olaz, and the left, consisting of the 4th division, major-general Byng's, and brigadier-general Campbell's Portuguese brigade, on the heights in front of Villalba, having their left at a chapel behind Sorausen, on the high road from

Ostiz to Pamplona, and their right resting upon a height which defended the high road from Zubiri and Roncesvalles. General Murillo's division of Spanish infantry, and that part of the conde del Abisbal's corps not engaged in the blockade, were in reserve. the latter, the regiment of Travia, and that of El Principe, were detached to occupy part of the hill on the right of the fourth division, by which the road from Zubiri was defended.

The British cavalry under lieutenant-general sir Stapleton Cotton were placed near Huarte on the right, being the only ground on which it was possible to use the cavalry.

The river Lanz runs in the valley which was on the left of the allied, and on the right of the French army, along the road to Ostiz. Beyond this river there is another range of mountains connected with Ligasso and Marcalain, by which places it was now necessary to communicate with the rest of the army.

I joined the third and fourth division just as they were taking up their ground on the 27th: and shortly afterwards the enemy formed their army on a mountain, the front of which extends from the high road to Ostiz to the high road to Zubiri, and they placed one division on their left of that road on a height, and in some villages in front of the third division. They had here also a large body of cavalry.

In a short time after they had taken up their ground, the enemy attacked the hill on the right of the fourth division, which was then occupied by one battalion of the

4th Portuguese regiment, and by the Spanish regiment of Pravia. The troops defended their ground, and drove the enemy from it with the bayonet. Seeing the importance of this hill to our position, I reinforced it with the 40th regiment; and this regiment with the Spanish regiments of El Principe and Pravia held it from this time, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of the enemy, during the 27th and 28th, to obtain possession of it.

Nearly at the same time that the enemy attacked this height on the 27th, they took possession of the village of Sorausen on the road to Ostiz, by which they acquired the communication by that road, and they kept up a fire of musketry along the line till it was dark.

We were joined on the morning of the 28th by the sixth division of infantry, and I directed that the heights should be occupied on the left of the valley of the Lanz; and that the sixth division should form across the valley in rear of the left of the fourth division, resting their right on Oricain, and their left upon the heights above-mentioned.

The sixth division had scarcely taken up their position when they were attacked by a very large force of the enemy, which had been assembled in the village of Sorausen.

Their front was, however, so well defended by the fire of their own light troops from the heights on their left, and by the fire from the heights occupied by the fourth division and brigadier-general Campbell's Portuguese brigade, that the enemy were soon driven back with immense loss, from a

fire on their front, both flanks, and

rear.

In order to extricate their troops from the difficulty in which they found themselves in their situation in the valley of the Lanz, the enemy now attacked the height on which the left of the fourth division stood, which was occupied by the seventh Caçadores, of which they obtained a momentary possession. They were attacked, however, again by the seventh Caçadores, supported by major-general Ross, at the head of his brigade of the fourth division, and were driven down with great loss.

The battle now became general along the whole front of the heights, occupied by the fourth division, and in every part in our favour, excepting where one battalion of the tenth Portuguese regiment of major-general Campbell's brigade was posted. This battalion having been overpowered, and having been obliged to give way immediately on the right of major-general Ross's brigade, the enemy established themselves on our line, and major-general Ross was obliged to withdraw from his post.

I, however, ordered the 27th and 48th regiments to charge, first that body of the enemy which had first establishedthemselves onthe height, and next those on the left. Both attacks succeeded, and the enemy were driven down with immense loss; and the 6th division having moved forward at the same time to a situation in the valley nearer to the left of the 4th, the attack upon this front ceased entirely, and was continued but faintly on other points of our line.

In the course of this contest, the

gallant fourth division, which has so frequently been distinguished in this army, surpassed their former good conduct. Every regiment charged with the bayonet; and the 40th, the 7th, 20th, and 23rd, four different times. Their officers set them the example, and major-general Ross had two horses shot under him. The Portuguese troops likewise behaved admirably; and I had every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the Spanish regiments del Principe and Pravia.

I had ordered lieutenant-general sir Rowland Hill to march by Lanz upon Lizasso, as soon as I found that lieutenant-generals sir Thomas Picton and sir Lowry Cole had moved from Zubiri; and lieutenant-general the earl of Dalhousie, from St. Estevan, to the same place, where both arrived on the 28th, and the seventh division came to Marcalain.

The enemy's force which had been in front of sir Rowland Hill followed his march, and arrived at Ostiz on the 29th. The enemy thus reinforced, and occupying a position in the mountains which appeared little liable to attack, and finding that they could make no impression on our front, determined to endeavour to turn our left by an attack on sir Rowland Hill's corps.

They reinforced with one division the troops which had been already opposed to him, still occupying the same points in the mountain, on which was formed their principal force, but they drew into their left the troops which occupied the heights opposite the third division, and they had, during the night of the 29th and 30th, VOL. LV.

occupied in strength the crest of the mountain on our left of the Lanz, opposite to the sixth and seventh divisions; thus connecting their right in their position with the divisions detached to attack lieutenant-general sir Rowland

Hill.

I, however, determined to attack their position, and ordered lieutenant-general the earl of Dalhousie to possess himself of the top of the mountain in his front, by which the enemy's right would be turned, and lieutenant-general sir Thomas Picton to cross the heights on which the enemy's left had stood, and to turn their left by the road to Roncesvalles. All the arrangements were made to attack the front of the enemy's position, as soon as the effect of these movements on their flanks should begin to appear. Major-general the hon. Edward Pakenham, whom I had sent to take the command of the sixth division, major-general Pack having been wounded, turned the village of Sorausen, as soon as the earl of Dalhousie had driven the enemy from the mountain, by which that flank was defended: and the sixth division, and majorgeneral Byng's brigade, which had relieved the fourth division on the left of our position on the road to Ostiz, instantly attacked and carried that village.

Lieutenant-general sir Lowry Cole likewise attacked the front of the enemy's main position with the 7th Caçadores, supported by the 11th Portuguese regiment, the 40th, and the battalion under colonel Bingham, consisting of the Queen's and 53rd regiment. All these operations obliged the enemy to abandon a position which is one O

of the strongest and most difficult of access that I have yet seen oc cupied by troops.

In their retreat from this position, the enemy lost a great number of prisoners.

I cannot sufficiently applaud the conduct of all the general officers, officers and troops, throughout these operations. The attack made by lieutenant-general the earl of Dalhousie was admirably conducted by his lordship, and executed by major-general Inglis and the troops composing his brigade; and that by major-general the hon. Edward Pakenham and major-general Byng, and that by lieutenantgeneral sir Lowry Cole, and the movement made by sir Thomas Picton merit my highest commendation.

The latter officer co-operated in the attack of the mountain by detaching troops to his left, in which the hon. lieutenant-colonel Trench was wounded, but I hope not seriously.

While these operations were going on, and in proportion as I observed their success, I detached troops to the support of lieutenantgeneral sir Rowland Hill.

The enemy appeared in his front late in the morning, and immedi⚫ ately commenced an extended manœuvre upon his left flank, which obliged him to withdraw from a height which he occupied behind the Lizasso to the next range. He there, however, maintained himself, and I enclose his report of the conduct of the troops. I continued the pursuit of the enemy, after their retreat from the mountain to Olaque, where I was at sunset, immediately in the rear of their attack upon lieutenant-general

sir Rowland Hill. They withdrew from his front in the night, and yesterday took up a strong position, with two divisions, to cover their rear in the pass of Dona Maria.

Lieutenant-general sir Rowland Hill, and the earl of Dalhousie, attacked and carried the pass, notwithstanding the vigorous resistance of the enemy and the strength of their position. I am concerned to add, that lieutenant-general the hon. Wm. Stewart was wounded upon this occasion.

I enclose lieutenant-general sir Rowland Hill's report.

In the mean time I moved with major-general Byng's brigade and the 4th division, under lieutenantgeneral sir Lowry Cole, by the pass of Velate upon Irurita, in order to turn the enemy's position on Dona Maria. Major-general Byng took, in Elizondo, a large convoy going to the enemy, and made many prisoners.

We have this day continued the pursuit of the enemy in the valley of the Bidassoa, and many prisoners and much baggage have been taken. Major-general Byng has possessed himself of the valley of Bastan, and of the position on the Puerto de Maya; and the army will be this night nearly in the same positions, which they occupied on the 25th of July.

I trust that H. R. H. the Prince Regent will be satisfied with the conduct of the troops of his majesty and of his allies on this occasion. The enemy having been considerably reinforced and reequipped after their late defeat, made a most formidable attempt to relieve the blockade of Pamplona with the whole of their forces, excepting the reserve under ge