On December 9 the Light Division was ordered to advance with a view to the troops under General Hill passing the Nive. The 1st and 3rd Battalions drove in the enemy’s outposts, the latter advancing along a ridge in their front. The 2nd Battalion was also actively engaged. A heavy fire was kept up by the French, to which the Regiment was more or less exposed all day. In the evening the Regiment fell back to the cantonments at and near Arcangues which they had before occupied. On the morning of the 10th no immediate fighting was anticipated; so little indeed that the Light Division had orders to fall back to Arbonne about four miles to the rear, and part of the second brigade had already marched; but General Kempt, not being satisfied with the look of things in his front, delayed his movement. The morning dawned with a thick drizzling rain; and the troops, having been as usual under arms at daylight, had turned in, when a sudden order was received to fall in and support the picquets, for the enemy were advancing. The position of Arcangues has been already described: the church, the château, the adjacent houses, the three tongues of hilly land; and there was a table-land, a sort of open common, at the top. The left tongue was occupied by picquets of the 52nd; the centre by those of the 43rd; the right by those of the 1st Battalion; and that near Garrat’s House by those of the 3rd Battalion. As soon as these Battalions turned out, they found the picquets vigorously attacked. The numbers of the assailants were overwhelming, and they had to retire. But though this had to be effected at the double--for there was much ground to get over to reach the plateau in front of Arcangues--and though they moved over bad ground, yet the moment they reached the flat ground at top, these apparently flying skirmishers resumed their formation, and presented a steady and impenetrable front to the advancing enemy. But some of the 1st Battalion retiring from the right-hand tongue were unable to head the enemy, who moving by the ravine, arrived at the plain before them. Some men[133] and one officer, Second Lieutenant James Church, were then made prisoners. Two companies of the 3rd Battalion were pushed forward to cover the retreat of the picquets; and having done so, they retired gradually as the enemy advanced. This Battalion then lined a coppice at the foot of the high ground on which the church is situated and connecting the church with the château, whence the 1st Battalion, having loop-holed it and strengthened it with _abattis_ and a kind of rude rampart, kept up a galling fire upon the enemy. This _tiraillade_ continued till dark.