[125] Letter from Sir Hew D. Ross.
[126] ‘London Gazette.’ Either, however, this list is incomplete, or the Record of the 2nd Battalion erroneous: for that Record gives the names of Sergeant-Major Adams, Corporal Port and 14 privates who volunteered on the forlorn hope. Of these Corporal Port and 5 Riflemen were killed and 6 wounded: 12 disabled out of 16. Nevertheless, even this list is not perfect. For Mr. Kenneth Stewart Mackenzie of Seaforth is in possession of a medal with clasp granted to Sergeant John Himbury of the 2nd Battalion for gallant conduct on the forlorn hope at St. Sebastian. This medal was presented to him by the General commanding his brigade. It bears on the obverse ‘ST. SEBASTIAN, 31 DE AGOSTO DE 1813;’ on the reverse, a bugle, the cords attached to a crown, ‘95’ in the centre, ‘RIFLE CORPS’ on a ribbon above.[127] And the clasp is inscribed ‘forlorn hope’ J. H. sergeant.
[127] This was the old badge of the Regiment before the Maltese cross was adopted.
[128] The particulars of this affair of the bridge of Vera have been related to me by Colonel Thomas Smith.
[129] Lord Wellington, in his despatch (‘Despatches,’ xi. 69) states that the passage of the bridge ‘was made under the fire of a great part of Major-General Skerrett’s brigade.’ This mistake has been pointed out by Napier (Book xxii. chap. 3); the truth is, only the two 2nd Battalion companies resisted it.
[130] Afterwards Lord Seaton; and Colonel-in-Chief.
[CHAPTER V.]
The Regiment remained now encamped for more than a month on the slope of l’Arrhune. Extremely inclement weather set in; rain, wind, and sometimes snow. Occasionally tents were blown away, or falling on their sleeping occupants buried them under the wet canvass. The men on picquet also suffered severely. But notwithstanding the altitude and exposure of their camp and the severity of the weather, the health of the Regiment was uncommonly good; not one man, in the 1st Battalion at least, being sick. But this immunity from illness did not extend to all the officers; for Colonel Ross was obliged to leave the camp and the command of the 3rd Battalion, and to take up his residence in the village of Renteria.