Chapter 47
The Battle of Nive St.
Pierre D'Irrube
13th December 1813
See
Battle Plan
Wellington
paused again for a month. Sir John Hope’s Corps
was at St Jean de Luz with outposts towards Bidart and
Arbonne, Beresford’s Corps which had done the bulk
of the fighting on the Nivelle was quartered at Arbonne,
Arcangues and Arrauntz, Hill’s corps on the right
wing was at Espalette and Suraide with a strong flank
guard watching Foy at Cambo. Wellington also sent the
majority of the Spanish troops home, they were badly provisioned
and had to live off the land thereby antagonising the
French population which Wellington wished to avoid at
all costs. Soult's strategy was now to defend Bayonne
strongly only leaving a detaining force along the Nive
to the east, and wait until the British had part of their
army across the river and then attack in force. This he
did, but the plan failed. On December 9th Wellington ordered
Hill’s |
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Divisions including Le Cor, who had
taken over from Hamilton (John Gomersall and the 2nd Regiment
were now part of Da Costa’s 1st Brigade under Le
Cor) to cross the river Nive at Cambo
and afterwards re-establish the bridge. Then to march
down the Bayonne road to his left coming in upon any French
troops found watching the line of the river.
Beresford’s Corps was to cross the river further
west at Ustaritz, and march on Bayonne along with Hill.
To distract the enemy further Sir John Hope on the left
flank was to advance to the area between Biarritz and
Bassasary. Thus 5 Divisions were to cross the Nive, two
to remain on the south bank in the centre and 4 Divisions
to “demonstrate” on the side of the Ocean.
At daybreak on December 9th a great beacon fire on the
hill before Cambo gave the signal for all Hill’s
troops to begin crossing. The 2nd Division under Stewart
made for the two fords below and one above the broken
bridge and Le Cor’s Division followed. At Ustaritz
the 6th Division built a pontoon bridge across the 2 channels
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of the Nive and were followed by the 3rd Division. The
French retreated towards Villafranque. It was after midday
before the 6th Division arrived in front of Villafranque
and got in touch on his right with two of Hill’s
British Brigades and Le Cor’s Portuguese. By 2 pm
the French had taken up a defensive line on a ridge west
of Villafranque and so Hill was able to take the village
after a short struggle.
At dawn on the morning of the 10th December Hill found
nothing in front of him on the hillsides of Horlopo
and Mauguerre and was able to push right up to the outworks
built in front of the old south eastern front of the fortress
of Bayonne. |
However,
Sir John Hope at 7 am on the morning of the 9th December
was advancing from Bidart and Guethary with the 1st and
5th Divisions and Campbell and Bradford’s Portuguese
brigades together with some dragoons. They encountered
the French outposts at the village of Anglet and drove
them in to the fortified works in front of Bayonne. Hope
did not attack Bayonne, but reconnoitred the area in front
of the fort. That night he sent back his troops to their
cantonments in Bidart, Guethary and St Jean de Luz, leaving
only the Portuguese brigades at Barauillet and the Light
Division at Arcangues. On the 10th December Clausel counter
attacked taking Hope completely by surprise and had to
fight desparately until his reserves could come up from
their billets. The main fighting took place at Barraullet
where there was a chateau and large farm above Lake Mouriseat,
and about a mile and a half to the right near where there
was a church and chateau at Arcangues. At both these places
Clausel was forced to fight on a narrow front which |
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favoured the defenders, and did not succeed in breaking
the allied lines. On the next day the 11th December there
was more fighting in the same positions, but this eventually
petered out. Meanwhile back on the east side of the Nive
on the 10th December, Hill had taken up a blockading position
reaching from the Adour to the Nive about 2 miles outside
the French works in front of Bayonne. Pringles brigade
occupied the Chateau of Larralde on a knoll in front of
Villafranca, and Byngs brigade took up a position on the
hill of Mauguerre above the Adour river. Ashworth and
Barnes battalions lay mainly across the high road to St
Jean Pied de Port in a series of farms and small houses
around the hamlets of Losterenia and Marichurry. Le Cor’s
Portuguese Division was left a little to the rear by the
hill called Horlopo. Wellington and Hill |
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were
aware that Soult might try and surprise Hill with overwhelming
force, since he only had 2 Divisions on the east bank,
so Wellington ordered a pontoon bridge to be built at
Villefranque so that he could quickly reinforce Hill from
the west bank. Because of the nature of the ground Hill
had to keep his reserve well back at Horlopo so that he
could re-inforce either wing, Mauguerre or Lasralde.
On the night of the 12th – 13th December Soult moved
his troops across to the east side of the Nive at Bayonne
and at 7 am began advancing in 3 columns, one straight
up the road towards Ashworth and Barnes at Marichurry,
one towards the Mauguerre hill and one towards Larralde.
Unfortunately for Wellington the pontoon bridge across
the Nive at Villefranque had been swept away by floods
and so it would take 4 hours before re-inforcements could
reach Hill via the bridge at Usterity.
The first shots were fired around 8 am,
at Ashworth’s Portuguese either side of the main
road. Fierce fighting |
ensued and spread to the Maugerre and Larralde fronts,
and carried on until noon when Hill’s centre and
right wing were in a serious condition and he had used
up all his units apart from Le Cor’s two Portuguese
brigades. A counter attack was the only method of saving
the day and Hill put in his last reserve riding forward
himself at the head of Da Costa’s brigade on the
left of the chaussée while Buchan’s took
the right. At the same time Stewart charged south of the
road with the rallied 71st with Da Costa’s brigade
giving good support.
All along the line the French gave way and Abbé’s
whole Division of the main road fell back.
At this moment Wellington arrived with reinforcements
from across the Nive, but the day had already been won
by Hill. Lieutenant Colonel John Gomersall was seriously
wounded in this battle and was taken to the Brigade Hospital
at Ustaritz. He appears not to have fought again but remained
in the 2nd Portuguese Regiment and was in Lagos, the home
of the 2nd regiment when he retired from the Portuguese
Service in October 1814 |
Maps
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