Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st (South Gloucestershire) -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st -- History
The regiment was subsequently employed in attempting to intercept
the French division under General Clausel, and when this force
had escaped to France, the regiment proceeded to Pampeluna, to
take part in the blockade of that fortress, from which duty it was
relieved by a Spanish corps, on the 14th of July, and advanced into
the Pyrenean Mountains to San Estevan, situated in a beautiful
valley, where it halted. Thus, after marching nearly six hundred
miles in seven weeks, passing six great rivers, gaining one
decisive battle, and investing the two fortresses of Pampeluna
and San Sebastian, the allied army stood triumphant on the lofty
Pyrenees, and the officers and soldiers panted for opportunities to
acquire additional honors.
The French army having been reinforced, and reorganized,
advanced under Marshal Soult, and attacked the British posts in
the mountains, when the allied army fell back to a position in
front of Pampeluna. The sixth division, to which the SIXTY-FIRST
continued to belong, quitted San Estevan to support the troops
first attacked; but when advancing, Lord Wellington rode up to
the division, and ordered it to halt for the night. It afterwards
retired through the mountain passes, and bivouacked, during the
night of the 27th of July, in a pine-wood. At daybreak on the
following morning it resumed its march, and joining the army in
position in the mountains, formed for battle across the valley
in the rear of the left of the fourth division, its right on the
village of Oricain, and its left on some heights.
Soon after the regiment had taken its post, columns of attack
were seen in motion to commence the battle of the _Pyrenees_,
where the SIXTY-FIRST had another opportunity of distinguishing
themselves. A body of French troops moved along the valley of Lanz
towards the mountain at its extremity, and the SIXTY-FIRST, with
two other British corps, were ordered to move at a running pace
and occupy the mountain. The SIXTY-FIRST hastened up the hill on
one side, as the French skirmishers ascended on the other; but
the British gained the summit first, and opened their fire with
terrible effect. The French were encompassed in the valley; two
brigades smote them from the left, the Portuguese smote them from
the right, and the sixth division forced them back with a terrible
carnage. The enemy retreated behind the village of Sauroren. The
SIXTY-FIRST, and two other regiments, advanced to a post near the
village, and the fire of small-arms was kept up until dark.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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