An officer of the 1st Battalion had a strange escape in this fight. When the enemy advanced on that Battalion, they made a rush at him, which in trying to avoid, he fell into a bush. They seized his sword, which was not drawn, to drag him out; but it broke away from the belt, and he escaped. A Portuguese regiment took up the ground the Riflemen had gained; and they encamped near Vera and the Bidassoa. On the 3rd another division having relieved them, the Regiment returned to their old encampment on the heights of Sta. Barbara, where they remained for about two months. On August 25, the three Battalions being together, it was resolved to commemorate the anniversary of the formation of the Regiment. A trench was dug round a parallelogram of greensward, which served for the table, while the _convives_ sat on the opposite bank, with their legs in the trench. Many patriotic toasts and many healths were drunk. And the cheering that followed them must have astonished their French neighbours. Indeed they are said to have remained under arms part of the night, expecting an immediate attack. This was, I believe, the first ‘Regimental Dinner.’ On the 31st the storming of St. Sebastian took place. Fifty men under a subaltern of each Battalion of the Regiment were allowed to volunteer for this duty. Lieutenant James Perceval of the 1st Battalion claimed this duty by right of seniority, but William Hamilton, a Second Lieutenant, obtained Sir Andrew Barnard’s permission to accompany the stormers also. Lieutenant Eaton commanded the stormers of the 2nd Battalion. I regret that I am unable to ascertain who led those of the 3rd. About noon, they moved forward from the trenches, and after five hours’ desperate fighting--for the breaches were found to have fallen in such large fragments as to be almost impregnable, and the resistance of the enemy was most gallant--they entered and took possession of the place. Perceval was severely wounded at the foot of the breach; and Hamilton was also desperately wounded in two places; one ball entered the eye, passed down through the mouth, and was cut out at the shoulder-blade. Both recovered; but Hamilton was never again able to join the Regiment, and was placed on full-pay of it (as First Lieutenant) some time afterwards. Of the 1st Battalion, besides these officers, 2 Riflemen were killed, and 2 sergeants and 4 Riflemen were wounded; of the 2nd Battalion, 3 Riflemen were killed, and 6 wounded; and of the 3rd Battalion, 2 Riflemen were killed and 2 wounded.[126]