The next day they passed through Orion; and on arrival there learned that it had been occupied as Soult’s head-quarters the night before. The wisdom of not attacking the retreating column the day before was now apparent; for the French being in force at Orion, would have moved out to their succour; and possibly might have overpowered, and certainly would have harassed, the soldiers weary with a long march and the passage of two fords.
Pursuing their march they arrived near Orthez and soon heard a loud explosion, which proved to be the destruction by the enemy of the stone bridge over the Gave de Pau. The two Battalions advanced to some high ground looking over the town of Orthez. Some troops of the enemy were observed filing through the town; and some guns being brought up opened on them, which induced them to quicken their pace, and their officers were seen riding up and down and urging them on. They also brought forward some guns which returned the cannonade without, however, doing much harm. The Riflemen bivouacked on this height.
On the 26th Lord Wellington after reconnoitring the enemy’s position ordered them about twelve o’clock to fall in. And they were soon after directed to move to the right, and cross a ford a little above the destroyed bridge. This promised to be a most deadly business as the French infantry were massed, with heavy guns, directly in front of the ford. However the Riflemen marched off, the 3rd Battalion leading. On the way a staff officer overtook them, and ordered them to conceal themselves as much as possible behind any irregularities of the ground. This they did and crept on; and just as they got to open ground leading down to the ford, and expected the artillery to open upon them, they were suddenly countermanded, countermarched, and moved far to the left. The truth is that this was a double feint. First, to make the enemy believe that our people were going to attempt the ford; and then, lest they should have suspected that any open demonstration to do so was a feint, to make them fancy, by our stealth and getting under cover, that it was hoped to conceal the movement from them. By occupying the enemy’s attention with this skilful manœuvre, three divisions of the army were enabled to cross the river by a pontoon bridge at a point near Salles, below Orthez. By this bridge the Riflemen were also to pass; and marching all day they bivouacked near the village of Salles and close to the pontoon bridge at night.
On the 27th they early crossed the Gave de Pau; and moved by the great road which leads from Peyrehorade towards the town of Orthez; and when within about two miles of it, turning to the left, they ascended the ridge which runs parallel with the river and in front of which the French were posted in a very strong position. Whether it was that the Light Division was weak, two of its regiments being absent, or that they were not needed, the two Battalions were not actively engaged. Lord Wellington was in front of them during the afternoon, and ordered that advance of the 52nd which, as is well known, broke through Soult’s centre and decided the fate of the day.
Then the enemy fled, and then the Riflemen were ordered in pursuit, but did not come up with the retreating columns. Their march continued for about two leagues, in the course of which they passed the river Lys de Béarn and bivouacked near the village of Bonne Garde. They were entirely without covering and suffered much; for it froze hard. The Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion (whether Ross or Balvaird, I am not sure) did indeed contrive to get into a hut; but there being no bed unoccupied, he lay down in a kneading-trough or flour-bin, and appeared in the morning more like a miller than a Rifleman.
On the 28th the two Battalions started early, and after crossing the Lys de France, arrived at Duerse, where they halted for the night.
On March 1, they passed the Adour, and after a long march entered Mont-de-Marsan, which the enemy evacuated just before they reached it. Here they were quartered in good houses, and had comfortable beds: a change very refreshing to them after their long marches, often in very bad weather, and after their exposed bivouacks.
On the next day the 2nd Battalion marched to Bertam, and the 3rd Battalion to St. Maurice; the march was through the pine forests and by the sandy roads of the Landes; and being made in a snow storm was very painful to the soldiers.
On the next day the 3rd Battalion moved on to St. Sever, where Lord Wellington had fixed his head-quarters. Here they continued till the 8th, furnishing the guards and duties of head-quarters. On the 4th the 2nd Battalion had marched to Bascom, where they remained till the 9th, when both Battalions re-united near Aire, whither the 3rd Battalion had marched, crossing the Adour on the 8th and moving to Grenade; and next day to Barcelonne opposite Aire on the right bank of that river.
On the 10th both Battalions marched at daylight to some poor cottages near Arblade, and on the 11th entered Tarsac, where they halted for the night. The 1st Battalion now rejoined the Light Division, and the Regiment was re-united.