The following is a list of the killed and wounded in the action of the 25th of July, as nearly as could be ascertained:—Three serjeants and fifty-four rank and file killed; six serjeants, one bugler, and seventy-six rank and file wounded.
The Seventy-first continued retiring until the 30th, when Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill took up a strong position beyond Lizasso. In this post they were attacked with much spirit by the enemy, who, at the same time, by manœuvring on the left flank, rendered necessary a change of position to a range of heights near Eguaros, which all the efforts of the French failed to carry. Upon this occasion the Seventy-first were seriously engaged, and had one serjeant and twenty-three rank and file killed; two serjeants, one bugler, and thirty-three rank and file were wounded.
The enemy having been foiled in all the objects of his attacks, found it necessary, in his turn, to retreat, moving on the 31st of July by the pass of Doña Maria, where he left a strong corps in an excellent position. This force was immediately attacked by the columns of Lieut.-Generals Sir Rowland Hill and the Earl of Dalhousie, and dislodged, after a gallant resistance. In the action of this day the first brigade, consisting of the fiftieth, Seventy-first, and ninety-second regiments, had the honor of bearing its share, and of distinguishing itself. The Seventy-first had one serjeant and twenty-nine rank and file killed; two serjeants and forty-five rank and file were wounded.
The battalion now returned to the heights of Maya, from whence, after a halt of a few days, it moved to Roncesvalles.
Previously to this change of quarters, an order was issued by Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, relative to the conduct of the troops in the actions of the Pyrenees, of which the following is a copy:—
“Arrizi, August 3rd, 1813.
“General Order.
“Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill requests that the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the corps of the army under his command will accept his best thanks for the gallant conduct they have displayed during the late active and interesting operations.
“The chance of service has placed the troops under his command in situations where they were exposed to an immense superiority of forces, a circumstance unavoidable in operations so extensive as those in which this army has been engaged; and it has at all times been necessary to cede ground to the enemy. The Lieut.-General, however, has the satisfaction of knowing that the troops have on every occasion maintained their high character; that they have only withdrawn from their positions by superior orders, and then it has been invariably attended with circumstances highly creditable to them. The Lieut.-General has not failed to report to the Commander of the Forces the details of the several affairs in which the corps have been engaged, and he knows that their services are duly appreciated by his Excellency.”
The royal authority was subsequently granted to the Seventy-first to bear the word “Pyrenees” on the regimental colour and appointments, in commemoration of the services of the first battalion in the actions of the 25th, 30th, and 31st of July, which have been designated the “Battles of the Pyrenees.”