While the force under Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill had been thus employed, the allied army under the Earl of Wellington had gained a victory on the 22d of July over the French at _Salamanca_, for which he was advanced to the dignity of marquis. From Don Benito the battalion moved upon the 13th of September, and passing through Truxillo, Talavera, and Toledo, arrived at Aranjuez upon the 1st of October, from which place, after a halt of three weeks, it moved to Ponte Duenna, further up the Tagus. The sudden approach of the united armies of Marshals Soult and Suchet rendered a speedy retreat necessary, and the division accordingly retired from Ponte Duenna in the night of the 28th of October, moving to form a junction with the army of the Marquis of Wellington, who had now relinquished the siege of Burgos. Near Madrid the division halted for a short period, when, being joined by the garrison of that city, the troops retired leisurely by the Guadarama Pass on Alba de Tormes. This town the SEVENTY-FIRST occupied from the 7th to the 13th of November, and during that period sustained a loss in action with the enemy of one serjeant and six rank and file killed; one bugler and five rank and file wounded. The army having received orders to retire on Portugal, the battalion abandoned this post, arriving at Coria upon the 1st of December, where the retreat terminated. In this quarter the SEVENTY-FIRST continued until the 13th of December, at which time they were pushed forward to Puerto de Bannos, where they were joined by a draft of 150 men from the second battalion. [Sidenote: 1813.] While stationed at this post, an attempt was made, in February 1813, by the French, to surprise Bejar, then occupied by the _fiftieth_ regiment. The SEVENTY-FIRST were ordered forward to support, but previously to their arrival that brave regiment had driven back the enemy, and completely foiled his efforts. [Sidenote: 2d bat.] On the 18th of March 1813, the second battalion of the SEVENTY-FIRST embarked at Gravesend for North Britain, and arrived at Leith on the 23d of that month. [Sidenote: 1st bat.] Upon the 5th of April the SEVENTY-FIRST changed quarters with the fiftieth regiment, and continued to occupy Bejar until the 21st of May, at which period the army broke up from its winter cantonments for active operations. The battalion on its advance moved by Salamanca and Toro, and encamped at La Puebla on the 20th of June, the evening before the memorable battle of _Vittoria_.