HLI Chronicle 1914 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT INll'ANTRY CHRONICLE. 81Some 40,000 men, with 40 guns, and on the25th of February his strategical position wasby no means an unfavouarble one. Hisfront was covered by the Gave de Pau, a riveronly fordable at certain points. His troopsheld the bridge of Orthes, which was highlydefensible owing to its central tower. Moreover,there was a line of heights to the northwestofthe place (as shown on the sketch below),which offered a favourable tactical position,and which, as it turned out, became the sceneof a well-contested encounter. Soult had,formidable obstacle with unexpeoted ease, theleft wing of Wellington's army moved eastwardsalong its right bank. Nor was Soultpromptly apprised of what was afoot in thisquarter; so that the opportunity of fallingupon one portion of the Allied forces whilethe remainder were still on the further bank ofthe Gave de Pau was not taken advantage of.Then on the same afternoon the 3rd Divisiongained the further side of the river by a fordnsar Berenx, and a pontoon bridge waspromptly commenoed at this point, the 6thSCALE OF MILESl t ! I Ifurthermore, reason to hope that he wouldbe able to render the passage of the Gave dePau extremely difficult for the Allies at everypoint. In this he was, however, disappointed;for while demonstrations were conducted onthe 26th by advanoed troops of Hill's rightwing in the direction of Orthes, Beresfordwith the 4th and 7th Divisions advanoed tothe river about a dozen miles below the townat a point where. the Frenoh were keepingcareless guard; a passage was effected with"little difficulty, and, having overoome theand Light Divisions spending the night inreadiness to make use of the bridge as soonas it should be ready. On realising that hisantagonist had seoured passages over the river,Soult decided to give battle on the hillsstretching north-westwards from Orthes, andhe proceeded to form up his army with allhis aooustomed energy and skill.FRENCH FORCE IN STRONG POSITION.In many respects the position of the Frenchforce on the morning of the 27th of February