On the 26th Lord Wellington intending to intercept General Clausel, who having learnt the rout of the main French army at Vittoria, was endeavouring to make good a retreat into France by the east of Spain, the Regiment (with some other divisions of the army) moved to Noain and past the aqueduct of Pamplona, and encamped near Muro, at the junction of the roads from Tudela and Zaragoza.
Next day they started early, and near Barasoain halted to cook and refresh. Then passing through Tafalla, where they crossed the Zadacos river by a stone bridge, and where the inhabitants received them with acclamations of joy, they encamped in an olive-grove near Olite.
On the 28th passing through the town of Olite and striking out of the Zaragoza road they took that to San Martin. And after crossing a barren plain, halted to cook in a pine-wood near Murillo del Fruto. They had then marched about four leagues; but their labours were not nearly over. For starting again they skirted the river and got to Gallepienza, where they crossed it by a stone bridge; and proceeding by a mountain track, where darkness overtook them, they encamped in a ploughed field, near Caseda, about midnight in tremendous rain. The whole march had been about twenty-four miles; and they had been pushed on in the hope of intercepting Clausel; but it was here reported that the Alcalde of Tudela had given Clausel notice of the movements of the column, and that he had effected his retreat by another road.
Therefore the Regiment halted on the 29th; and on the 30th beginning its return to Pamplona, crossed the Aragon at Caseda and marched to Sanguessa, near which they encamped, and halted during July 1.
On the 2nd they resumed their march towards Pamplona; passing Narden and Andoain, and encamped near Monreal.
On the 3rd the Regiment returned by Noain to Villaba, and moving past it, encamped at the village of Berissa near Pamplona. On the next day it furnished working parties to throw up works to shelter our picquets from the fire of the place, or from a sortie of the garrison.
On the 5th the Regiment commenced its march into the Pyrenees; and proceeding up a narrow valley to Ostiz, encamped near a rivulet.
And on the 6th, penetrating into the mountains, they marched by Olague to Lanz, which is situated at the foot of the Pyrenean range.
At daybreak on the 7th the Regiment began to climb the mountains and halted on a mountain side near Gustella and Lagassa, where they were about to encamp for the night. But in three hours they got a fresh route and were ordered to move into San Esteban.
Here they halted in very pleasant quarters until the 14th. During this time Major-General Skerrett was appointed to the command of the second brigade of the Light Division, in which was the 2nd Battalion, in succession to General Vandeleur, who was transferred to the command of a cavalry brigade.