Orthez

Wellesley initially focused his efforts on the French right at the village of Saint-Boès, but Soult’s defenders held the narrow ridge so effectively that the Allied assaults were bloodily repulsed. Recognizing that a breakthrough there was unlikely, Wellesley pivoted his strategy around midday, ordering a general assault that converted his diversionary movements into a concentrated strike against the rest of the French line. The tide turned when Wellesley exploited a gap between the French right and center, thrusting the Light Division into the opening while Hill’s corps forded the river to threaten the French left, forcing Soult into a hasty retreat. Though the French initially withdrew in good order, the pressure from Allied pursuit eventually turned the retreat into a disorganized rout, resulting in nearly 4,000 French casualties and mass desertions. Strategically, the victory shattered Soult’s ability to defend the region, directly leading to the capture of the major port of Bordeaux. This collapse of French control in the south accelerated the crumbling of Napoleon's empire, as it allowed Wellesley to establish a firm base for the final push into the heart of France.