On the 19th the 1st Battalion marched for St. Jean-de-Luz to get their new clothing, for they were almost in rags; and the means of transport were not forthcoming, nor the roads easy for its conveyance. Therefore the Regiment went down to St. Jean-de-Luz, one Battalion at a time, to obtain it. Having received it on the 23rd the Battalion started on the 24th to rejoin the army, and passing though Ustaritz, La Bastide and Garris, arrived at St. Palais on the 28th. Here they were very much disappointed to find that the regiment which occupied it had orders to move to the front, leaving the 1st Battalion at St. Palais till a fresh regiment relieved them. For they had heard firing on the 27th, and now the tidings of the hard fight at Orthez had reached them. Here they remained some days, in a state of great anxiety and excitement, until, as they were trying to persuade some detachments which came up that they were a relieving battalion, an order reached them to move forward. And marching as rapidly as possible, they reached Sauveterre on the 7th March, Orthez on the 8th, and rejoined the other two Battalions at Barcelonne on the 11th. But while the 1st Battalion was absent for re-equipment in clothing, the two other Battalions had moved from La Bastide to Esturi on February 21st, and to St. Palais on the 22nd, and on the 23rd they encamped near La Chere and Charite. And it was found that the enemy had blown up a bridge over the Bidouze. It was necessary therefore on the 24th to cross two branches of that river by fords. The first, the Gave de Mauleon, they passed at Nabes; and then moving forward to Gave d’Oleron, they found some French cavalry drawn up on the opposite bank to dispute the passage. A small cottage was on the bank; and George Simmons,[134] taking a few Riflemen into it, kept up a smart fire from the windows to cover the passage of the two Battalions through the ford. As it was very deep, they were halted, and made to take off their pouches and strap them on the top of their knapsacks, and then plunge in, Captains Miller and Duncan of the 2nd Battalion leading the way. The water was above the men’s waists, and they were obliged to link themselves together to avoid being swept away; while some of the men clung to the stirrup-leathers and tails of the horses of the mounted officers. On arrival at the opposite bank they found that the enemy had endeavoured to obstruct their mounting it, by drawing harrows with the point upwards to the slope. The cavalry however did not molest them. One man indeed galloped towards the bank, but he was instantly shot down by one of the 2nd Battalion men in the cottage. Under their fire, and that of a couple of guns, brought up to the left bank, they gave way and retired. This ford was near Villeneuve; and having passed through that village the Riflemen halted till the rest of the Division had crossed and formed up. While here George Simmons, being wet to the shoulders and very