War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
while Soult was preparing to attack. The enemy, however, attacked,
and carried a redoubt in the camp of Sarre held by the Spaniards.
They then attacked, on the morning of the 13th, the advance posts of
the army of Andalusia, under the command of Marshal Giron, but were
easily repulsed. Ultimately the French retreated in confusion towards
the bridge of Nivelle, and on November 10th the battle of La Nivelle
was fought. It was a beautiful morning, and it must have been a grand
sight to see the army of 90,000 men descend to the battle. "Three guns
pealed from the mountain heights of Achubia ... and the battle of the
Nivelle commenced." Driven from the centre, many of the French troops
crossed the Nivelle at St. Pè, while Major-General Colville, with the
3rd division, and General Le Cor with the 7th, drove off those who
held the heights above, and established the allied army on the rear
of the enemy's right. Night ended the battle, and under cover of the
darkness Soult withdrew his army and abandoned the position he had
been fortifying for three months. On the 12th he took up his position
in front of the camp at Bayonne. In this engagement the allies took
1,400 prisoners, 51 pieces of cannon, and 6 tumbrils of ammunition. The
French also lost 2,000 men killed and wounded.
In his dispatch Wellington particularly referred to the gallant conduct
of the 51st and 68th Regiments in the attack on the heights above St.
Pè. The allies lost 26 officers, including Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd
of the 94th, 28 sergeants, 289 rank and file; 155 officers, including
Major-General Kempt, and 2,146 men wounded; 3 officers and 70 men
missing.
The following regiments were present in the engagements leading up to
the battle of Nivelle. 1st and 2nd Batts. Foot Guards; 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 20th, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 28th, 31st,
32nd, 34th, 36th, 38th, 39th, 40th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, 47th, 48th, 50th,
51st, 52nd, 53rd, 57th, 58th, 59th, 60th, 61st, 62nd, 66th, 68th, 71st
(did not take active part), 74th, 76th, 79th, 82nd, 83rd, 84th, 85th,
87th, 88th, 91st, 92nd, 94th, and 95th; the Rifle Brigade; 12th, 13th,
14th, and 18th Light Dragoons, and the 1st and 2nd Light Battalions,
also the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Line Battalions of the King's German Legion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account