150 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



On this occasion it was not found 

 necessary to bring any other troops 

 in aid of the Spanish in the de- 

 fence of their post. Another at- 

 tack was made by the French upon 

 a Portuguese brigade on the bank 

 of the Bidassoa, which some Bri- 

 tish troops were moved to sup- 

 port. In fine, after a variety of 

 operations, this second attempt to 

 prevent the establishment of the 

 allies upon the frontiers was de- 

 feated (says lord Wellington) by 

 a part only of the allied army, at 

 the very moment when the town 

 of St. Sebastian was taken by 

 storm. The success in this quar- 

 ter was rendered complete by the 

 surrender, on Sept. 18th, of the 

 castle of St. Sebastian. Ever since 

 the capture of the town, a vertical 

 fire had been kept up against this 

 fortress with great loss to the gar- 

 rison, and the batteries being com- 

 pleted by the indefatigable exer- 

 tions of the troops on the 8th, a 

 fire was opened with such effect, 

 that in three hours a flag of truce 

 was hoisted, and a capitulation 

 was entered upon, the terms of 

 which were soon concluded. The 

 garrison, now amounting to about 

 1,800, remained prisoners of war, 

 and all the onlnance, stores, &c. 

 were the prize of victory. In the 

 capture of the castle, as in the 

 preceding operations, the assist- 

 ance of the naval force stationed 

 off the place under sir George 

 Collier was of eminent service, and 

 was liberally acknowledged by the 

 land officers. Sir George, in his 

 dispatch to lord Keith, styles St. 

 Sebastian the northern Gibraltar 

 of Spain, and represents the pos- 

 session of it at this season of the 

 year as doubly valuable, and its 



importance to the future operations 

 of the allies as" incalculable. The 

 unfortunate town was a great suf- 

 ferer from the siege ; and at the 

 storm, outrages were perpetrated 

 on the inhabitants which huma- 

 nity must lament, although perhaps 

 inseparable from such an action, 

 when the passions of the soldiers 

 are exasperated, and it is scarcely 

 possible to preserve strict military 

 discipline. 

 Lord W. Bentinck in the beginning 

 of September advanced his army to 

 Villa Franca, occupying the Col, 

 or pass, of Ordal,and manoeuvring 

 with part of his forces upon the 

 Lobregat. Marshal Suchet, who 

 commanded in Barcelona, expect- 

 ing an attack upon his positions, 

 resolved to anticipate it; and on 

 the 12th made an assault upon the 

 allied advanced guard at the pass 

 of Ordal, under the command of 

 col. Adams, consisting of a batta- 

 lion of the 27th regiment, four 

 rifle companies of the German le- 

 gion, the Calabrian free corps, a 

 brigade of Portuguese artillery, 

 and three Spanish regiments. An 

 action of several hours ensued, 

 which terminated in the possession 

 of the pass by the French, in con- 

 sequence of superior numbers, 

 and the capture of four guns. 

 Col. Adams was severely wounded, 

 and about 100 of the British were 

 returned killed and wounded. The 

 loss of the other troops was not 

 ascertained, but was probably much 

 exaggerated in Suchet's statement 

 at 3,500. Many men who were 

 dispersed or made prisoners in the 

 action, afterwards rejoined the ar- 

 my. Lord Bentinck, after this check, 

 retreated without loss to Vendrils, 

 and thence to the neighbourhood 



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