During the night of the 11th of April the French troops evacuated Toulouse, and a white flag was hoisted. On the following day the Marquis of Wellington entered the city amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants. In the course of the afternoon of the 12th of April intelligence was received of the abdication of Napoleon; and had not the express been delayed on the journey by the French police, the sacrifice of many valuable lives would have been prevented. A disbelief in the truth of this intelligence occasioned much unnecessary bloodshed at _Bayonne_, the garrison of which made a desperate _sortie_ on the 14th of April, when Lieut.-General Sir John Hope (afterwards Earl of Hopetoun) was taken prisoner, Major-General Andrew Hay was killed, and Major-General Stopford was wounded. This was the last action of the Peninsular war. A treaty of peace was established between Great Britain and France; Louis XVIII. was restored to the throne of France, and Napoleon Bonaparte was permitted to reside at Elba, the sovereignty of that island having been conceded to him by the Allied Powers. In addition to the other distinctions acquired during the war in Spain, Portugal, and the south of France, the THIRTY-NINTH received the royal authority to bear the word “PENINSULA” on the regimental colour and appointments. Shortly after the termination of the war in Europe, the first battalion of the THIRTY-NINTH was ordered to proceed to North America in consequence of the hostilities between Great Britain and the United States. The battalion accordingly marched to Bourdeaux under the command of Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, and embarked for Canada on the 8th of June. While the battalion was on its voyage to North America, the Duke of Wellington, prior to the breaking up of the Peninsular army, issued the following General Order:-- “_Bourdeaux, 14th June 1814_. “GENERAL ORDER. “The Commander of the Forces, being upon the point of returning to England, again takes this opportunity of congratulating the army upon the recent events which have restored peace to their country and to the world. “The share which the British army have had in producing those events, and the high character with which the army will quit this country, must be equally satisfactory to every individual belonging to it, as they are to the Commander of the Forces, and he trusts that the troops will continue the same good conduct to the last. “The Commander of the Forces once more requests the army to accept his thanks. “Although circumstances may alter the relations in which he has stood towards them for some years so much to his satisfaction, he assures them he will never cease to feel the warmest interest in their welfare and honor, and that he will be at all times happy to be of any service to those to whose conduct, discipline, and gallantry their country is so much indebted.”