Extract from a Letter by an Officer in the Guards. "On the evening of the 15th, we heard that the French were passing the frontiers, and we received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to march; at two o'clock we received our orders to march, and were off at three. We passed through Braine le Comte, and proceeded to a bivouac near Nivelle. While we were setting ourselves down, an order came to move immediately to the left through Nivelle-having passed it, we heard the firing very close, and soon met many wounded Belgians coming in. At five o'clock, General Maitland galloped up, and ordered the grenadiers to drive the French out of a wood, and in about half an hour we perfectly cleared it. When we opened at the end of the wood, the enemy threw in a most tremendous fire of round and grape shot, from which we found it necessary to retire. We got out of the wood in another part, and they immediately advanced columns to attack us, which deployed very regularly, and drove us a short way back. However we advanced again, and they gave way, and retired to their guns. They then advanced upon us, and having driven us back a second time, their cavalry attempted to charge; but a square of Black Brunswickers brought them up, while we were nimbly slipt into the wood on our right, lined the ditches, and paid them handsomely. Our loss was very severe, and we found great difficulty in forming our line again. At last we effected it with the third battalion of our regiment, and then we drove every thing before us. We kept possession of the wood all night. The Prussians and French had been engaged from two o'clock in the morning, in the position of Fleurus; and the former had been driven back. The French then tried to get possession of the road to Brussels. They had a severe contest with the Dutch, and one of our divisions, and had succeeded in driving the Dutch out of a wood, (Bossu I think it is called). We arrived at the very moment the French skirmishers were appearing. We dashed in and cut them up properly, though our

loss was severe. Out of 84, I had only 43 left in my company*. At night the remains of the battalion bivouacked at the head of the road, and during the night we received a strong reinforcement. They call this the action of Quatre Bras (where two high roads cross). In the morning of the 17th, the Enemy made no further attempt against us; and as the Prussians had retired during the night, we did the same very leisurely, about 11 o'clock, taking up a position in front of a village called Waterloo, at a point where the high road or chaussée to Brussels crosses that from Nivelle to Namur. Here we remained quiet through the night, except that it rained more furiously than I ever experienced, even in Spain. We were quite wet through, and literally up to the ancles in mud. The cavalry were considerably engaged during the day of the 17th, but the Hussars could not make much impression against their heavy-armed opponents. The Life Guards behaved most nobly, and carried every thing before them. The morning of the 18th dawned full of expectation of something decisive being done.

"But first I must give you some idea of our position. It ran from the Brussels chaussée to the right, about a mile and a half in length, and then turned very sharply to the right and crossed the chaussée from Nivelle to Namur, which two chaussées cross each other, so that we were nearly in a quarter-circle (like an open fan, the two outside sticks being the chaussées.)

"At the turn and at the bottom of a slope was a farm and orchards, called Mount St. John. This was the key of our positions, and in front of our centre. On this point the most serious attack was made.

"At twelve o'clock the columns of the Enemy moved down from the heights which they had occupied

* It appears by the Gazette, that the first regiment of Guards lost, in this affair, five officers killed and eight wounded; no official return has yet been made of the men; but report states that regiment to have lost 500 killed and wounded in this battle, exclusively of the action on the 18th.

during the night, and our artillery began to cannonade them most furiously, which their artillery returned; and it is said that 300 pieces were in use that day. The British infantry were drawn up in columns under the ridge of the position. We were at the turn or knuckle with two battalions of Brunswickers. The Third Regiment of Guards were in columns in front of the turn, and the Coldstream at the farm-house. The light infantry of the division were to defend the orchard and small wood next to it. The third division were in squares to the left of our squares, and under cover of the ridge.

Unfortunately for us, during the cannonade the shot and shells which passed over the artillery, fell into our squares, and I assure you I never was in a more awful situation. Col. Cook (who commanded the battalion) was struck with a grape shot as he sat on the ground next to me. The Enemy now made an attack with infantry and cavalry on the left, in hopes of carrying the chaussée to Brussels; but the artillery guns cut them to pieces every time they advanced. They then attempted to charge the guns with cavalry; but the squares of infantry kept up so smart a fire that they could never reach our guns, though the artillerymen were obliged to leave them to get out of our fire. When the Enemy found the attempt fail on this point, he ordered an attack on the farm-house, which it was necessary for him to possess in order to turn the right of our position. There it was that the serious struggle commenced. Two companies of light infantry, under Lord Saltoun, disputed the wood and orchard most gallantly, but were at last obliged to retire under cover of the house, when the enemy were charged by the light infantry of the 2d brigade (the Coldstream and 3d), and driven back with great loss. At this period the Coldstream entered the house which the Enemy set on fire by shells, but did not entirely consume it. The Enemy were foiled in two repeated attempts, and were each time severely cut up by the artillery. When they failed in their attacks upon our squares, the cavalry

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rushed out from between our squares and cut them up most desperately. When he found these efforts vain, he began his attack upon the centre. He hrst endeavoured to carry the guns with his cavalry, which came up most gallantly; but our squares sent them to the right about three times in great style. I never saw any thing so fine, the cavalry rushing out and picking up the deserted cannon. After these failures he brought up his Garde Impériale, just opposite to our brigade, which had formed in line on their advancing. We were all lying under shelter of a small bank, as they covered their advance with a most terrible fire of grape and musketry. Buonaparte led them himself to the rise of the hill, and told them "that was the way to Brussels: " we allowed them to approach very near-when we opened so destructive a fire that there were soon above 300 of them upon the ground, and they began to waver. We instantly charged, but they ran as fast as possible. The Duke of Wellington observing this crisis, brought up the 42d and 95th, taking the enemy in flank, and leading them himself quite close up. The enemy's column was entirely dispersed. After this, we were again annoyed with grape and musketry, which obliged us to retire. On fronting, we saw another heavy column of the Chasseurs de la Garde Impériale. We immediately started at double quick time to meet them; but they had had such a proper reception just before, that they never let us come near them; and when they turned, the rout became general. We ran on as fast as we could, and the cavalry started after them. We got about two miles that evening, taking ourselves 30 pieces of cannon. Nothing could be more complete and decisive. Most fortunately the Prussians came on the field at this moment, and pursued the Enemy through the night."

Capt. Erskine, having been wounded, was taken prisoner, and brought before Buonaparte, who wished to see him-Buonaparte asked him who, commanded the cavalry? He was told, Lord Uxbridge. "Is it not Paget?" replied Buonaparte: he was then informed,

the same person was meant; but that an alteration had taken place in the name, by the death of his father. He then asked who was Commander-in-Chief? and was told, the Duke of Wellington-"No, not him, he is indisposed from a fall from his horse, on the 14th.” In this manner was the conversation continued for some time; from which it was quite evident, Buonaparte knew the force of the different positions, and of the commanders of them, and showed generally a perfect knowledge of our detail. Upon some difficulty in the conversation, one of his Aides-de-Camp, who spoke English well, interpreted, and he, it appeared had been in London about ten days before. On the conversation being ended, a surgeon was ordered to give his attention, and was placed, with another officer, under three guards-on retiring, they were put to quarters, which happened to be the cock-loft of a house; from hence, on the following morning, they looked secretly, and saw the whole of the French army march to their positions: knowing the disparity of force, he trembled to think of the result; and noticing particularly the enthusiasm and devotion of the troops in this state of anxiety, they silently waited some hours, fearing every moment to hear the crisis; at length they heard a great bustle of men and horses; upon coming nearer, they discovered them to be French, all is now lost, victory is gained, and these are the messengers. On coming to view, they found them flying French; then was their joy superior to their former dejection: but in their helpless situation, they dare not show themselves, as they certainly would have been shot from wantoness and cruelty-but after some little time the black Brunswickers came riding through, they then ventured out of their lurking-places, and joined their comrades; it is to be observed, that their guards had long left them.

Extract of a Letter from an Officer in the Horse Guards.

"On the morning of the 16th, about 2 o'clock, the route came, and, we (the 2d Life Guards) marched