buckets full of it at the
doors of the different houses, and entreated our men to help
themselves as they passed along. It rained hard in the afternoon, and
it was late before we got to our ground. We heard a good deal of
firing in the neighbourhood in the course of the day, but our division
was not engaged.

We retained the same bivouac all day on the 20th; it was behind a
range of mountains within a short distance of the left of the enemy's
position, as we afterwards discovered; and though we heard an
occasional gun, from the other side of the mountain in the course of
the day, fired at Lord Wellington's reconnoitring party, the peace of
our valley remained undisturbed.

CHAP. XIV.

Battle of Vittoria. Defeat of the Enemy. Confusion among their
Followers. Plunder. Colonel Cameron. Pursuit, and the Capture of
their Last Gun. Arrive near Pampeluna. At Villalba. An Irish
method of making a useless Bed useful.

BATTLE OF VITTORIA,

June 21st, 1813.

Our division got under arms this morning before daylight, passed the
base of the mountain by its left, through the camp of the fourth
division, who were still asleep in their tents, to the banks of the
river Zadora, at the village of Tres Puentes. The opposite side of the
river was occupied by the enemy's advanced posts, and we saw their
army on the hills beyond, while the spires of Vittoria were visible
in the distance. We felt as if there was likely to be a battle; but as
that was an event we were never sure of, until we found ourselves
actually in it, we lay for some time just out of musket shot,
uncertain what was likely to turn up, and waiting for orders. At
length a sharp fire of musketry was heard to our right; and, on
looking in that direction, we saw the head of Sir Rowland Hill's
corps, together with some Spanish troops, attempting to force the
mountain which marked the enemy's left. The three battalions of our
regiment were, at the same moment, ordered forward to feel the enemy,
who lined the opposite banks of the river, with whom we were quickly
engaged in a warm skirmish. The affair with Sir Rowland Hill became
gradually warmer, but ours had apparently no other object than to
amuse those who were opposite to us, for the moment; so that, for
about two hours longer, it seemed as if there would be nothing but an
affair of outposts. About twelve o'clock, however, we were moved
rapidly to our left, followed by the rest of the divisi