t he now found us forcing his
own army into its own country: he had at one time thought that he
would subdue Europe, but had while labouring under that error been
subdued himself.

And all this was very much to our gratification, for we had long been
looking forward to this result, being entirely sick of Spain. As for
those places which had become so famous through us, we could not help
thinking and referring back to the many comrades we had left there in
their cold graves. Since our regiment had left for Ireland on this
expedition nine hundred strong, fifty-one hundred men had joined us
from our depot, but at the time of our march to Orthes we did not in
spite of this number more than seven hundred. I do not mean to say
that we lost all these in battle, though I can safely say we did the
greater part, either killed or badly wounded: but of course many must
be reckoned who fell by disease, or as some did from their own
drunkenness or gluttony, assisted by the inclemency of the climate;
nor must those skulkers, of whom there must have been so many through
the whole campaign, be forgotten.

Lord Wellington had watched with hatred the many excesses committed by
the enemy on the Portuguese and Spanish inhabitants during the late
campaign, and had determined, now he had carried the war into France,
to set them for the future a better example; and accordingly he issued
a proclamation that no plundering was to be carried on, on pain of
death, which was much to the credit of our noble commander.

We arrived in France at a wrong time of the year to see its beauties,
but from what I could then judge it abounded in elegancies and
varieties of taste, such as vineyards, oranges, pomegranates, figs,
and olive-trees to any extent, not altogether unlike the productions
of Spain.

On nearing Orthes, we found the French had taken up a very strong
position on a range of fine heights stretching from Orthes to St.
Boes, and we were ordered in conjunction with the Seventh division to
cross a river and attack the latter place, which had one of the
heights occupied by the enemy at the back of it, giving them a
commanding view of the place. Some delay was occasioned at the river,
for there being no bridge, a pontoon was obliged to be thrown across;
but this being accomplished, our divisions were soon over it, and
being joined by a brigade of cavalry and artillery, we formed line and
marched on St. Boes. The village was stoutly defended by