In this battle Wellington, for the first time, had a decided superiority in numbers, having close on 80,000 men opposed to but 62,000 of the French; but it must be conceded that the 20,000 Portuguese were by no means of the same value as 20,000 British infantry. The victory was undisputed. Practically the whole of the French artillery--no less than 143 guns, with 1,000 prisoners--fell into our hands, and upwards of a million in treasure was the booty. The personal effects of King Joseph and an immense quantity of material was also taken. Our casualties amounted to more than 4,000 killed and wounded; those of the French to upwards of 6,000.
Amongst the cavalry regiments which suffered losses at Vittoria, but which have not yet been authorized to assume the battle honour, are the 12th Lancers and 15th and 18th Hussars.[17]
This battle honour was granted as a distinction commemorative of the three days' hard fighting in the Pyrenees between July 28 and August 1, 1813. It is borne by the following regiments:
14th Hussars. Queen's. Buffs. Royal Fusiliers. Royal Warwicks. Lancashire Fusiliers. Devons. South Wales Borderers. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Gloucesters. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. East Surrey. Worcesters. Border. Cornwall Light Infantry. South Lancashire. Dorsets. Oxford Light Infantry. Royal Highlanders. Sherwood Foresters. Northamptons. Royal Berkshire. Royal West Kent. King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). Middlesex. Shropshire Light Infantry. King's Royal Rifles. Durham Light Infantry. Highland Light Infantry. Gordon Highlanders. Cameron Highlanders. Argyll Highlanders. Rifle Brigade.
[Illustration: Battlefields in SPAIN & PORTUGAL]
There were many reasons which compelled Wellington to refrain from prosecuting a vigorous pursuit after the decisive victory of Vittoria. The French were in possession of the two fortresses of Pampeluna and San Sebastian in the north, and they were far superior in numbers to the Allies in the south of the Peninsula. He pushed the enemy back slowly to the frontier, and at the same time he detached two of his own divisions, under Sir Thomas Graham, to reduce San Sebastian, whilst he entrusted the task of besieging Pampeluna to the Spaniards, resolving that, as soon as these two fortresses were in his possession, he would continue the work of expelling the French from the Peninsula. Emboldened by Lord Wellington's tactics, Soult turned and attacked the English at Roncesvalles and in the Maya Pass. At the latter engagement we were compelled to fall back, leaving some prisoners in the hands of the French; but reinforcements coming up, Wellington resumed the offensive, and by August 1 had once more driven the French to the north of the Pyrenees. The fighting during these few days was excessively severe, our casualties amounting to upwards of 4,000 of all ranks killed and wounded.