Soult’s advance on Roncesvalles was made in imposing force; but his movements were foreseen, and the necessary dispositions had been made for defeating them. General Byng, who commanded, sent Morillo’s Spanish division to observe the road of Arbaicete, by which the pass of Maya might have been turned on the right; and descending the heights, placed his own brigade in a position by which that important road might be covered more effectually. Soult, however, directed his true attack upon the left. Cole was overpowered and driven back--but the fusilier brigade sustained him--and the attack throughout being met with steady gallantry, was eventually defeated. On Byng’s division the French marshal directed his next effort; and with a force so superior, that, though obstinately resisted, it proved successful, so far as it obliged the weak brigades of the English general to fall back upon the mountains, and abandon the Arbaicete road, while Morillo’s Spaniards were driven on the fourth division. Necessarily the whole fell back at night-fall, and took a position in front of Zubiri. Picton’s division united with the fourth next morning, and both fell leisurely back as the Duke of Dalmatia advanced. Picton continued retiring on the 27th, and that evening took a position in front of Pamplona to cover the blockade, General Hill having already fallen back on Irurita. Nearly at this time Lord Wellington had come up; putting in motion the several corps which lay in his route to the scene of action--and at one end of a mountain village he pencilled a despatch, as a French detachment had entered by the other.[236] Having despatched the order, he galloped to the place where Picton’s divisions were drawn up--the third, on the right, in front of Huarte, and extending to the heights of Olaz--and the fourth, with Byng’s and Campbell’s brigades, formed on the left; their right on the road from Roncesvalles to Zubiri, and the left commanding that from Ostiz to Pamplona. The reserve was formed of the corps of Morillo and O’Donel--while, on the only ground on which cavalry could act, the British dragoons were formed under Sir Stapleton Cotton. Soult had occupied the high grounds in the front of those held by the allies--and in the evening he made an effort to possess a hill occupied by a Portuguese and Spanish brigade on the right of the fourth division. These troops steadily resisted the attack--and, supported by a British and Spanish regiment, repulsed the French, until darkness ended the firing on both sides.