“The enemy retired across the river at St. Palais in the night, destroying the bridges, which, however, were repaired so that the troops under Sir Rowland Hill crossed on the 16th, and on the 17th the enemy were driven across the Gave de Mauleon.
“They attempted to destroy the bridge at Arriverete, but they had not time to complete its destruction; and a ford being discovered above the bridge, the NINETY-SECOND regiment under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, supported by the fire of Captain Beane’s troop of horse artillery, crossed the ford, and made a most gallant attack upon two battalions of French infantry posted in the village, from which the latter were driven with considerable loss.”
The Marquis of Wellington addressed the following letter to Lieut.-General Lord Niddry (afterwards Earl of Hopetoun), colonel of the NINETY-SECOND, relative to an application to be permitted to bear the word “Arriverete” on the regimental colour and appointments:—
“Cambray, 13th April, 1816.
“My dear Lord,
“I have received your letter of the 2nd, regarding the desire of the NINETY-SECOND regiment to bear the word “Arriverete” on their colour, &c., to which I have no objection, and I will apply for the distinction, if after this explanation they should still desire it.
“Arriverete is a village on the Gave de Mauleon, at which there is a wooden bridge. We had passed the river at other points, but our communication across it was difficult, and the enemy was of such a force at Sauveterre, in the neighbourhood, that we could not venture to move along it, and I wished to get possession of the bridge before the enemy could destroy it. The NINETY-SECOND forded the river, and attacked and took the village, against a very superior force of the enemy, in the most gallant style, (in the manner in which they have always performed every service in which they have been employed), but without much loss; there the affair ended; we were not prepared at that time to do more, and we held that village as a tête-de-pont till our means were in readiness for our further operations.
“There is no doubt but the troops behaved as gallantly in this affair as they could in any of greater importance, but the result was not of that consequence to the ulterior operations of the army, to have rendered it notorious to the army at large; and although I reported it as I ought, I know there are many belonging to the army, some even who were present, have no recollection of the name of the place which was the scene of the action, and some not even of the action itself.
“It appears to me to be beneath the reputation of the NINETY-SECOND to have to explain for what cause the name of a particular place has been inserted in their colours; and notwithstanding that on no occasion could they or any other troops behave better than they did upon that, I acknowledge that I am anxious they should not press the request. But if after this explanation they continue to wish it, I will take care it shall be granted.
“I have, &c.,
(Signed) “Wellington.