During this year the first battalion was stationed at Secunderabad, in the East Indies.
After passing several months in quarters in Estremadura, the second battalion of the Thirty-fourth advanced, in May, 1813, with the troops under Sir Rowland Hill, upon Salamanca, thus taking part in the comprehensive movements by which the enemy’s position on the Douro was turned, and the French divisions forced to retreat. The Thirty-fourth followed the enemy in his retrograde movements, advancing upon Valladolid, and afterwards upon Burgos, and on the 12th of June the battalion took part in forcing a strong body of French troops from Hormaza; which was followed by the destruction of Burgos Castle, and the retreat of the enemy behind the Ebro river. The battalion took part in the movement through the wild and beautiful regions towards the source of the Ebro, and after traversing rocks, and mountains, and narrow defiles, it crossed the Ebro; when the enemy again fell back, and Joseph Bonaparte concentrated his force in the valley of Vittoria, to arrest the progress of the British arms.
After taking part in these brilliant operations, the Thirty-fourth had the honor to contribute to the complete overthrow of the French army on the 21st of June. On this occasion the battalion formed part of the column under Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, which advanced at day-break, and seizing the bridge of Puebla, crossed the Zadora river; the Spaniards under General Morillo attacking the heights of La Puebla, and the British advancing along the Vittoria road. The French commander sent a strong body of troops to regain the heights, and two British battalions were detached to aid the Spaniards. Before the fighting at this point had ceased, Sir Rowland Hill’s column issued fiercely from the defiles of Puebla, and captured the village of Sabijana de Alava. The heights at this point, some thickly wooded ground, and the village, became the theatre of a severe contest, in which the Thirty-fourth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick, were warmly engaged. The troops advanced under a heavy cannonade; but undismayed by the determined countenance of the foe, and regardless of a shower of bullets, the British infantry rushed forward, dislodged the enemy, and drove him back on his reserve. In vain the French endeavoured to recover the lost ground; columns of attack were formed, and repeated efforts made; but all without success. The other columns of the allied army were also victorious at their several points of attack, and the legions of Napoleon sustained a decisive overthrow; they were driven from the field with the loss of their artillery, baggage, and military chest, and were pursued until dark.
The Thirty-fourth had ten rank and file killed; Lieutenants T. G. Ball, Edward Mogridge, and Alan B. Cairnes, four serjeants, and fifty-nine rank and file wounded.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick received a clasp, in addition to his medal for the battle of Albuhera; and the royal authority was afterwards given for the word “Vittoria” to be inscribed on the regimental colours, to commemorate the gallantry of the second battalion on this occasion.
The Thirty-fourth followed the retreating enemy to the foot of the Pyrenean mountains, and were some time employed in the blockade of Pampeluna. While on the march for this place, the battalion was exposed, on the 24th of June, to a violent thunder-storm, when Lieutenant Masterman, an officer of approved gallantry and of great promise, was killed by lightning: his horse was also killed under him.
Notwithstanding the enemy had withdrawn his right and left into France, he maintained his centre in force in the rich valley of Bastan, which afforded numerous strong positions; and the troops, under Sir Rowland Hill, having been relieved from the blockade of Pampeluna, advanced to dislodge the enemy. On penetrating the mountains, in the early part of July, the left wing of the Thirty-fourth was engaged in dislodging the enemy from one of the villages in the pass. The battalion also took part in forcing the French from the valley of Bastan, and being in advance, on the 7th of July, it drove the enemy’s piquets from the heights of Maya: it was afterwards attacked by a strong line of French troops; but the Thirty-ninth coming up, the two battalions repulsed the enemy by a few well-directed volleys.
One private soldier of the Thirty-fourth was killed, and ten rank and file were wounded; Lieutenant Ball, who had recovered of the wounds received at Vittoria, was again severely wounded.
After taking part in forcing the enemy from the valley of Bastan, the Thirty-fourth were employed in guarding the Col-de-Maya, one of the entrances to the valley; they were encamped in the Arestesque Pass, about two miles from the summit of the mountain, and furnished a piquet on the lofty rock of Arestesque.
Marshal Soult, having been appointed to the command of the troops on the Pyrenees frontier of France, assembled a numerous force to break through the mountains, and relieve Pampeluna and St. Sebastian. Captain Moyle Sherer, of the Thirty-fourth Foot, commanded the piquet on the Arestesque rock, on the morning of the 25th of July, and a glimpse of cavalry and infantry advancing having been obtained at dawn, the light companies were ordered to support the piquet. These companies had just formed, with their left at the rock, when three French divisions ascended the rock and attacked the piquet, which defended its ground with great gallantry, against overwhelming numbers, until Captain Sherer was taken prisoner, and many men had fallen, when the survivors fell back on the light companies; and these troops sustained the assault of the enemy with difficulty. The din of war echoed through the valley, and the brigade, consisting of the Twenty-eighth, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-ninth, hurried to the scene of conflict. The Thirty-fourth ascended the rock first, by companies, at a running pace, and arrived breathless from the length and ruggedness of the ascent. The grenadier company was in front, under Captain John Wyatt, who urged his men to make a desperate effort, and fell pierced with many bullets the instant he gained the summit; nearly every man of the leading section experienced the same fate. The other companies of the battalion rushed forward in the face of a storm of musketry, and a determined, but unavailing, effort was made. The commanding officer, the adjutant, and many other brave officers and soldiers, were struck by the tempest of balls. After fighting with great desperation some time, the Thirty-fourth, the light companies, and the piquet were forced back by superior numbers, and the enemy established his columns on the ridge of the position. The British, however, retained possession of a rock, which was the key of the pass, and the progress of the enemy was arrested.