The cannon thundered thus the French hilltop - South West

“Sometimes when we plow, we still find lead bullets. I even found a piece with the portrait of Louis XVI in the road that passes in front of me. “Featuring boldly its 77 years, Claude Dussarat lives Laclotte the area, the output Orthez. And it is a history buff. “I read a little of everything,” he says.

200 years, the place where he is busy this afternoon then to repair a drill, the French troops commanded by Marshal Soult lined up their guns, rifles and bayonets against the English soldiers and Portuguese . Harsh fellows who had expelled from Spain the previous year, and amounted to assault the ridge line on which the road to Dax.

schoolchildren that the Battle of Orthez is said to be disappointed. Napoleon was not present in Béarn February 27, 1814. The emperor, who had to resign two months later, was so busy fighting the Austrians in Bar-sur-Aube after eastern France was invaded by the armies of several countries, including Russia and Prussia .

battle on the hills that connect St. Boès Orthez pitted 36,000 French under Marshal Soult about 38,000 English and Portuguese under the command of the Marquis of Wellington. The same one who a year later had to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo with the help decisive Prussian Field Marshal Blücher.

End 1813 the allied army of Wellington, which also included the Spanish troops were driven out of Spain the French who occupied the Iberian Peninsula for many years. She then entered the Basque Country, and had advanced to Orthez.

While the Spaniards had been sent to besiege Navarrenx, several attacks were necessary to the British and Portuguese to give the soldiers of Napoleon placed on hilltops, all along the road to Dax.

Beset

left, right and center, but also turned to the east of Orthez where the English had found a ford, the French had finally started to retreat towards Sault-de-Navailles.

town of Orthez was also involved in this confrontation since Portuguese brigade had faced the troops of General Harispe entrenched on the north bank of the Gave, the other side of Old Bridge.

After the battle, both armies had clashed in Aire-sur-Adour, then in the region of Tarbes again, and finally in Toulouse.

Battle of Orthez, which is actually also delivered to St. Boès, the retiree does not know anything. “I read his story fully, English side and French side. “And as he knows the place inside out, this former gardener had no difficulty in identifying. “Look, look over there, at the big oak tree. There is a source where French soldiers came to drink. She is drinking. I still use it to water my vegetables. Its water is 12 degrees and at a constant rate. “

4800 killed or wounded

Following Claude Dussarat no difficulty to designate the foothills close to Escouriet where gunners Welsh General Thomas Picton had set up their batteries to shell the French. These are also the fragments of shrapnel fired by a British cannon had hurt the French General Foy to shoulder in battle.

monument built a few dozen meters from the farm today orthézien makes tribute to the victims of this terrible confrontation that was about 4,800 killed or wounded on both sides.

“The attack given by the English and Portuguese have been very difficult,” says the septuagenarian. “As it goes pretty in some places. When I hunt, I can see. “

“Oh, Napoleon! “

less than two miles away in the neighboring village of Saint-Boès, where fierce fighting also took place, all may not have the same knowledge of history.

“I heard they have gone through this small way,” said a met near the church lady. Without specifying who “they” mean, but before talking about the installed on the façade of the school plaque. Each year, at least one busload of English stops in the area, she added.

“The battle? Ah yes, Napoleon! “Exclaimed the other hand a retired oil industry located in the area of ??Mousquès. “I’ve heard. Especially since a reconstruction was organized a few years ago. “Him whom he sometimes crosses are not armed with swords or bayonets, but” frying “. Metal detectors designed to find some vestiges of the past. “I’ve never found anything or tried,” he laughs. “But come on! You want something to drink? “

Historical Béarn Each week, “South West” refers to a facet of the history of Béarn. As the scene memory