gements took place. The fighting on the 9th was comparatively
insignificant. When we were attacked on the 10th, the Guards held the
mayor's house, and the grounds and orchards attached: this was an
important station.

Large bodies of the enemy's infantry approached, and, after desultory
fighting, succeeded in penetrating our position, when many hand-to-hand
combats ensued. Towards the afternoon, officers and men having
displayed great gallantry, we drove the enemy from the ground which
they courageously disputed with us, and from which they eventually
retreated to Bayonne. Every day there was constant fighting along the
whole of our line, which extended from the sea to the lower Pyrenees--a
distance probably not less than thirty miles.

On the 11th, we only exchanged a few shots, but on the 12th Soult
brought into action from fifteen to twenty thousand men, and attacked
our left with a view of breaking our line. One of the most remarkable
incidents of the 12th was the fact of an English battalion being
surrounded by a division of French in the neighbourhood of the mayor's
house--which, as before observed, was one of our principal strategical
positions. The French commanding officer, believing that no attempt
would be made to resist, galloped up to the officer of the British
regiment, and demanded his sword. Upon this, without the least
hesitation, the British officer shouted out, "This fellow wants us to
surrender: charge, my boys! and show them what stuff we are made of."
Instantaneously, a hearty cheer rang out, and our men rushed forward
impetuously, drove off the enemy at the point of the bayonet, and soon
disposed of the surrounding masses. In a few minutes they had taken
prisoners, or killed, the whole of the infantry regiment opposed to
them.

On the 13th was fought the bloody battle of the Nivelle. Soult had
determined to make a gigantic effort to drive us back into Spain.
During the night of the 12th, he rapidly concentrated about sixty
thousand troops in front of Sir Rowland Hill's corps d'armee,
consisting of 15,000 men, who occupied a very strong position, which
was defended by some of the best artillery in the world. At daybreak
Sir Rowland Hill was astonished to find himself threatened by masses of
infantry advancing over a country luckily intersected by rivulets,
hedges, and woods, which prevented the enemy from making a rapid
advance; whilst, at the same time, it was impossible on such ground t