The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

by William Henry Cope

On the 14th, as Soult assembled a considerable force and threatened General Hill’s corps, the Regiment was moved back through Tarsac and formed on the high road near a wood, where they remained the whole day expecting to be engaged; but the enemy retiring after making a demonstration only, they marched back to Tarsac and re-occupied their quarters there.

The enemy had left a rear-guard of cavalry, and as they remained during the next two days, it was determined on the 16th to attack them. The 15th Hussars were with the Riflemen at Tarsac; and accordingly on that morning this regiment moved out to attack the French cavalry. This consisted of the 13th French Hussars, and they sent one squadron in advance, the rest of the regiment being formed in support. The English cavalry adopted the same formation, and a squadron under Captain Hancox, supported by the 2nd Battalion, advanced to meet their opponents. The French were rapidly charged and upset; many of them sabred; and about twenty-five made prisoners, among whom was the French Captain. He was badly wounded, and died of his wounds in his father’s house, to which he was taken. For he was a native of the place, which it was said he had not visited for many years. The rest of the French cavalry rapidly retired and escaped.

On the 18th the Regiment advanced by the road by which the French had retreated, and crossing the Adour by a bridge at Arros (or La Rose) proceeded to St. Germain; whence, after a short halt, to Plaisance, where they remained for the night, three companies of the 1st Battalion being pushed across the river.

On the next day the Regiment marched to Obregon, where they halted for some hours; and in the evening halted at Aget.

The French were now falling back on Tarbes, and on this day the Riflemen heard much firing on their right, which was caused by the attack of Picton’s light troops on the retreating enemy near Vic en Bigorre.

On the 20th the Regiment marched early, and moving along the ridge on which they had last night encamped, arrived at Rabastens. Here learning that the enemy had taken up a position near Tarbes, they moved to the right, by the road leading from Auch to Tarbes. On approaching this town the French were found posted in a formidable position on a hill, or rather a succession of heights intersected with ditches and hedges, which gave it almost the form of entrenchments. It being at first supposed that no considerable force was engaged, for on marching along the road only a small party were observed, a company of the 2nd Battalion was sent to dislodge them. But when it was ascertained that the position was occupied by a considerable part of General Harispe’s division, the whole Regiment advanced to the attack. The 3rd Battalion were on the right, the 2nd in the centre, and the 1st Battalion on the left. The front of the enemy was covered by clouds of light troops, whom it was not easy to dislodge, for they had the protection of hedges and banks; and the Riflemen had to force their way in skirmishing through some covert of considerable growth. Then they emerged at the foot of the hill, and the enemy’s ranks rose ‘tier above tier’ as one eye-witness describes it, on the side of the mountain. But the Riflemen rushed forward; and though their opponents fought desperately, and their fire was delivered from one rank above another like the guns on the decks of a three-decker, yet the Riflemen drove them from the hill, over it and into the plain below. ‘The French,’ Napier relates, ‘charged with great hardiness, and being encountered by men not accustomed to yield, they fought muzzle to muzzle; and it was difficult to judge at first who would win.’ It was not long to decide; for within an hour this hill was taken; its face cleared of all but the dead or dying, and the French in disordered flight over the plain beyond. Napier supposes that the French mistook the Riflemen, on account of their green dress, for Portuguese, and therefore fought with more perseverance than was usual against English troops. Yet one would suppose that the veterans of the Peninsula had too often fought with the green-jackets to be ignorant of their nationality or their endurance in fight. Be that as it may, all agree that this was an unusually hard-fought field. Surtees says ‘the firing was the hottest I had ever seen, except perhaps Barossa.’ And Costello observes ‘I never remember to have been so warmly engaged as on this occasion, except at Badajos.’

The odds too were very great. I am not able to say how many French crowded that hill-side; but sixteen companies of Riflemen only drove them from it. For though the other regiments of the Division were in reserve, and would doubtless have supported the Riflemen, had they been repulsed; yet not a shot was fired on that hill except from a 95th rifle. Lord Wellington in his despatch notes the loss of the enemy as being considerable; that of the Regiment was 11 officers and 80 men.

Of the 1st Battalion, Captain Loftus Gray and Lieutenant John Cox were severely, and George Simmons slightly, wounded; 2 Riflemen were killed, and 5 sergeants and 21 Riflemen wounded. Of the 2nd Battalion, Captain Duncan was killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Norcott, Captain Miller, and Lieutenant Dixon were severely, and Lieutenant Humbley slightly, wounded; 1 sergeant and 2 Riflemen were killed; and 14 wounded. And of the 3rd Battalion, Captain William Cox and Lieutenant Farmer were severely, and Lieutenant Sir John Ribton and Quartermaster Surtees slightly, wounded. 1 Rifleman was killed, and 3 sergeants and 32 Riflemen were wounded.