28 SWABEY DIARY. 
range of heights extending from where we were halted to Vitoria. 
Their centre, for the defence of which were placed nearly 100 pieces of 
artillery, was resting on a rather retired village on commanding ground 
on the high road to Vitoria. Their right was placed on a strong hill 
which overlooked two of the bridges across the Zadorra, a river which 
ran in front of their line, neither of these two bridges were strongly 
occupied, but both were completely raked by heavy field artillery. 
There were two other bridges, one further towards, and the other 
somewhat in rear of their right flank, upon which guns in position 
could not bear, but the one furthest to the right was strongly occupied 
by infantry and cavalry. There was likewise a great way towards the 
French left and in their front a bridge over which General Hill with 
the 2nd division and some Spanish troops was sent to make a false 
attack on that part of their position.! 
Lord Wellington expected Sir Thomas Graham with the Ist and 5th 
divisions to make his appearance and act against the enemy’s right and 
to completely cut off his retreat.® Finding he did not appear, Lord 
Wellington ordered General Hill to make his false attack a real one, and 
Sir Thomas Picton with the 8rd division to force the passage of the 
bridge on the enemy’s right, and thus turn that flank. At the same 
time the light division was to cross at the second bridge on the right 
and attack the front.* As soon as the 8rd division had crossed, Major 
Gardiner’s troop of Horse Artillery (which had left the cavalry because 
that arm on account of the unevenness of the ground could not act) was 
to pass at one of the centre bridges commanded by the enemy’s artillery 
and support the light division. The 7th division followed the 8rd, 
the 6th was not up. ‘The 4th division under Sir Lowry Cole was 
to force the bridge on the great Vitoria road which was completely 
commanded by a numerous artillery. On Sir Thomas Picton’s forcing 
his bridge the right gave way and all advanced ; the enemy’s centre 
and left still however made an obstinate resistance, and having every 
advantage of ground their artillery did great execution. Nothing 
however could stop our troops who advanced up the hills, which con- 
tinued to favour the enemy, till very near Vitoria, and though they fell 
back it certainly could not be called a route. 
Arriving at Vitoria, they would have taken the Bayonne road, but 
Sir Thomas Graham had now made his appearance there, and they 
were compelled therefore to retire on Pamplona, being thus cut off from 
France. They left in the road 48 pieces of artillery, and at Vitoria 
and on the field of battle 151. I can get no account of killed, wounded 
and prisoners. * 
1 Seven bridges were in the field of operations, none were broken or retrenched. 
2On the 20th, Sir Thomas Graham had been sent across a small river to Murguia, and the day 
of the battle moved forward from thence on Vitoria by the road from that town to Bilboa, and 
-threatened the enemy’s right flank. See Wellington Despatches, Vol. X., p. 433. 
3 Wellington projected three distinct battles. Graham with a force of 20,000 men supported by 
some Spaniards moving on the Bilboa road was to shut up the French centre and left between the 
Zadorra and Puebla mountain. Hill with the 2nd division and some Pertuguese and Spanish 
troops, some 20,000 men, was to force the passage of the Zadorra and menace the French left. 
Wellington with 30,000 men led the attack on the centre. See Napier, Vol. V., p. 554. 
4 The 151 guns include the 48 just mentioned; there were also taken 415 ammunition wagons. 
The French lost about 6000, the allies about 5000 men killed, wounded and prisoners,—(#.4.W.). 
