Chapter 45
Wellington crosses the
Bidassoa
September - October 1813
It
was not until mid September after the fall of San Sebastian
that Wellington finally decided the time was right to
invade France. As a preliminary move and with the deliberate
intention of making Soult think that the attack would
come from the east, Wellington rode to Roncesvalle passes
on October 1st, showed himself there and inspected the
outposts of the 2nd Division who were beginning to suffer
from snow in the mountain valleys. On his way to Roncesvalle
on September 30th |
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he
looked in on Campbell’s Portugese Brigade which
with Buchan’s Brigade (comprised of 2nd Line and
14th Lines) formed Hamiltons Portugese Division stationed
in the Alduides Valley. He turned
out the troops and directed them to drive in the French
posts covering the neighbouring valley of Baigorrey, this
was a mere demonstration, but very successful. Campbell
captured a French picket on the peak of Airola swept down
the valley and drove off 2,000 sheep. As a result Soult
became alarmed and riding over from Ascain to St Jean
Pied du Port directed Foy to throw up more works in front
of his position and be prepared for a serious attack.
Wellington’s plan of operations issued to the generals
on October 5th was as follows:
Hill’s front line Divisions, the 2nd at Roncesville
and the 6th on the northern debouches of the Maya pass
were to stand firm. But behind them all the second line
and reserve Divisions were to move west ward. |
The
Portuguese Brigades in Alduides (ie Campbell and Buchan)
handed over their outpost to Spanish irregulars and marched
over the Ispegui pass to the upper
Bastan valley where they relieved
Picton and the 3rd Division at the village of Maya. Picton
then moved over the Chemin des Anglais on the top of the
hills to Zagaramurdi. Here the 7th Division was to move
to the Puerta de Echalar where the left Division of Giron’s
Andalusians had been posted. Giron was to attack the |
eastern
section of the Rhune, the 7th behind him and 3rd behind
the 7th in reserve. The southern sector of the Rhune front
was to be tackled by the Light Division with the 4th Division
in reserve on the heights above Vera. Colvilles 6th Division
was to demonstrate in front of D’Erlan’s Division
with the 3rd and Hamilton’s Portuguese were within
supporting distance of the 6th Division.
Wellington had learned a valuable secret, that as well
as the 3 fords across the Bidassoa at Irun there were
3 more across the estuary of which only shrimpers seemed
to be aware. So on the night of the 6th October he moved
the 5th Division down to the rear of Fuenterabia and hid
them there. They were to wait until 7.15am when it was
calculated that the Bidassoa channel would be only 3 feet
deep (due to the tide). When across the river the Division
was to seize the heights above Hendaye and then turn right
and sweep along the crests. The three brigades of the
1st Division were to come down in the night to Irun and
to attack across the fords |
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when they saw the 5th Division attack. Further upstream
General Freire was to cross with 2 Division of the Army
of Galicia. The French were taken completely by surprise,
Soult himself was at Ainhoue, at 7am on the 7th October
expecting the attack to be there, but by the time he reached
his right wing Wellington had crossed the Bidassoa and
was in control of the north bank. |
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However, the attack
on La Rhune resulted in much heavier fighting and it wasn’t
until the night of 8th October that it passed into Wellington’s
hands. Wellington ascended the Rhune on 9th October and
from it had a wonderful view of the whole of Soult’s
complicated lines of fortification. The whole operation
had been singularly successful with Allied total casualties
about 1,600.
Wellington halted his advance on the 9th for several weeks,
constantly keeping an eye on wider developments in Europe.
He was concerned about his rear, since Pamplona held out
until the end of October, tying up 10,000 of Hill’s
men in the Roncesvalle pass.
John Gomersall commanding the 2nd Regiment took no part
in these operations other than moving westward from the
passes in the Alduides to the village of Maya
in the upper Bastan valley |
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Maps
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