The Thirty-fourth had five hundred and thirty officers and soldiers engaged on this occasion, and their loss was Captain John Wyatt, Ensign T. W. Phillips, one serjeant, and thirty-six rank and file killed; Adjutant John Day mortally wounded and prisoner; Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick, Lieutenants P. S. Barron and M. Simmons, Ensign S. Pickett, four serjeants, and fifty-one rank and file wounded; Captain Moyle Sherer, Lieutenant F. Hovenden, Ensigns F. Russell and John Norman, one serjeant, one drummer, and seventy-seven rank and file prisoners: many of the prisoners were wounded. Total loss, one hundred and eighty-two.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick had his right leg amputated above the knee; and the command of the battalion devolved on Major Henry Worsley.
The enemy’s attacks being developed, and other points of the position in the mountains forced, Sir Rowland Hill retired during the night fifteen miles, to a post in the rear of Irueta. The Thirty-fourth halted on the heights of Irueta until the evening of the 27th, and marched during the night through the pass of Villate, upon the town of Lanz, and afterwards upon Lizasso: the British army went into position to cover the blockade of Pampeluna, and the troops under Sir Rowland Hill formed on the left of the line. Some severe fighting occurred on the 28th of July, and the resolute attacks of the enemy were repulsed with great gallantry.
The Thirty-fourth were not engaged on this occasion. On the 30th of July Marshal Soult moved a strong force against the troops under Sir Rowland Hill, and a sharp combat took place, in which the Thirty-fourth were engaged. During this contest Lord Wellington directed an attack to be made at another part of the enemy’s line, which proved decisive, and the French were forced to make a precipitate retreat through the mountains. Five rank and file of the Thirty-fourth were killed on this occasion; Lieutenant A. Orrell, one serjeant, and fifteen rank and file wounded.
Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill was directed to pursue the retreating enemy, on the road to Donna Maria, and about ten o’clock on the morning of the 31st of July, the French rear-guard was overtaken beyond Lizasso. The enemy gained a wood on the summit of the pass, and there facing about, and throwing out a number of skirmishers, offered formidable resistance; the first brigade of the British second division was repulsed, and Lieutenant-General the Honorable William Stewart wounded; when the second brigade, commanded by Colonel the Honorable R. W. O’Callaghan, was ordered forward, and the Thirty-fourth took the lead on this occasion. Passing the retreating troops, and advancing steadily up the hill, the Thirty-fourth soon gained the edge of the wood, when the soldiers raised a loud and confident shout, and rushed among the trees to decide the contest with cold steel; but when the French saw a line of British bayonets come sparkling through the foliage, they fled in confusion along a defile, followed by the Thirty-fourth, who killed and wounded many of the fugitives, and took some prisoners. The pursuit was not continued above half a mile, in consequence of a thick fog rendering any further advance dangerous. The loss of the battalion was limited to two men killed, thirteen wounded, and two made prisoners.
Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Worsley received a honorary distinction for commanding the battalion in the several actions in the mountains, and the word “Pyrenees” on the regimental colours, commemorates the distinguished conduct of the officers and soldiers on this occasion.
The British troops resumed their positions in the Pyrenees, awaiting the capture of St. Sebastian, and Pampeluna, and the Thirty-fourth were encamped in Roncesvalles, &c., until the end of October, when a heavy snow storm obliged the battalion to leave the mountains.
On the 10th of November, the troops descended from the Pyrenees by moon-light, to transfer to France the calamities of war, and the allied army drove the forces of Napoleon from a fortified position on the river Nivelle, capturing many guns and prisoners. The Thirty-fourth did not sustain any loss on this occasion: they passed the night in the huts left by the enemy, and afterwards advanced towards the Nive; but operations were retarded by heavy rains, and the battalion went into cantonments.
The Thirty-fourth were afterwards honored with the word “Nivelle” on their regimental colours, as a mark of royal approbation of their conduct; and Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley received a second honorary distinction.
The passage of the Nive river was effected on the 9th of December; the Thirty-fourth were at their post two hours before daylight—the stream was nearly five feet deep, and rapid; a mill stream of equal depth also opposed the advance; and the mill, with the village beyond the river, were occupied by the enemy; but the soldiers moved forward in defiance of all opposition, forded the streams under a sharp fire of musketry, and after some fighting, in which the Thirty-fourth had one man killed and seven wounded, the troops established themselves beyond the river; the French retreating into an intrenched camp in front of Bayonne.