Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

48 HISTORICAL RECORDS OP THE1813. with the fifth and D'Urban's Portuguese, marchedin the direction of Logrono to cut off any stragglersescaping that way.By the 7th of July, the wholeline of the Spanish frontiers, from Roncesvalles tothe mouth of the Bidassoa river, was occupied bythe allies.Wellingtonnow determined to reduce the fortressesof San Sebastian on the sea, and Pampeluna.He therefore placed his troops to effect this object,the fifth and sixth divisions beingtold off to thelatter place ;the sixth, however, only remaineduntil the 15th of July, when they were againmoved on to the front and quartered at St. Estevan.On the 12th of July Soult, who had takensupreme command of the French forces inSpain,found himself at the head of an armyof about77,000 men, whose front extended from the mouthof the river Bidassoa on the right, to St. JeanPied de Port on the left.On the 25th the combats of Roncesvalles andMaya took place,in consequence of whichWellington ordered a general retirement to coverPampeluna. A position being taken upon theheights of Sauroren, Soult, who followed, did notoffer to engage seriously on the 27th, which gavetime for the allies to get up the sixth and seventh