THE BRITISH LEGION IN SPAIN. Ill 



already been in three actions. I should have written before, but 

 really our duty is so hard that we have no time, and, to give you 

 an idea of it, I will only state that for about a week I have been on 

 picquet every other night, and that in the open air. Every morn- 

 ing we turn out at two o'clock, and remain under arms until broad 

 day-light ; and about a fortnight ago we were under arms every 

 morning at one o'clock, expecting to be attacked. 



"I have dated my letter from St. Sebastian, but we are a league 

 from that place, on the left of the lines near Passages. I am on 

 picquet this very moment, but I have the good fortune to be in a house, 

 and a better one, too, than I have been in for some time ; it has 

 even a bed in it. But I shall not enjoy that luxury much, as I cannot 

 take off my clothes ; in fact, we never take them off except to bathe. 

 I must now go and turn out the picquet, as General Chichester is 

 coming up to visit it. I have just been round the sentries with the Ge- 

 neral ; and he has ordered me to place additional ones, and in the 

 morning, when we turn out, to extend the picquet in skirmishing 

 order until day-light, and in case of an attack I am to retire skir- 

 mishing. I suppose you received my letter from Vittoria. [This 

 was never received.] We shortly afterwards marched from that 

 city, which to us was almost a city of death, through a most beautiful 

 country to Santander. We were about nine days on the march. Our 

 brigade, composed of the first, fourth, and eighth regiments, under 

 General Chichester, was the last to leave Vittoria; and in consequence 

 of this we had to remain about a fortnight in a village about a league 

 and a half from Santander. During this time the rest of the legion 

 was embarking for St. Sebastian. 'J he eighth marched into Santan- 

 der on the 1st of May; and I paid a visit to the people at whose house 

 I was billeted when I first arrived in Spain. I dined there that day; 

 and they were kind enough to invite me to stay with them whilst I 

 remained at Santander. The first regiment embarked before us. 

 On the 4th of May we (the eighth regiment) together with the fourth 

 fusileers, under Colonel Harley, sailed in the Salamander steamer for 

 St. Sebastian. About five o'clock the next morning, the 5th of May, 

 we arrived within hearing of the firing, and we could see the beauti- 

 ful effect of the shell-practice upon the Carlist lines. In about one 

 hour we entered the bay ; and here the sight was truly grand. We 

 could see the whole of the engagement : the Phcem'x steamer firing 

 upon a very strong battery in redoubt of the Carlists ; the breach 

 which had already been effected ; the seventh and tenth regiments, 

 who were then endeavouring to carry it at the charge, driven back 

 several times ; and the Spaniards skirmishing along the sands. We 

 were immediately landed, and in a minute or two in the midst of the 

 fire. We charged at the point of the bayonet the redoubt which the 

 seventh and tenth had in vain tried to carry, and we entered on the 

 first assault. The Morning Herald, which we have seen out here, 

 and in that spirit which so peculiarly distinguishes that journal, states 

 that the Phcenix made a breach large enough to admit 300 men to 

 enter at one time. Now the truth is and I can speak from my own 

 observation, for I entered it with my regiment that not more than 

 five or six men could enter at a time; but then there certainly was 



