themselves by his death or capture. His personal escort was compelled to be continually on the alert, and was frequently closely engaged with the enemy.

The British cavalry now took part in the action. It fiercely charged the cuirassiers, lancers, and chasseurs, who had penetrated the line, and the battle was bravely contested, man to man.

Napoleon saw the error which he had committed, and the whole centre of his infantry was brought forward to assist, if possible, to disengage the cavalry. A close column ofFrench pressed forward, overpowered every resistance, and marched on to carry the village of Mount St. Jean, in the rear of the British position.

The Duke of Wellington felt the critical si→ tuation in which he was placed, and presenting himself wherever the danger was most imminent, led on in person several successive charges. When any of the squares appeared to waver, or were almost broken, he threw himself into the midst of them, and the consciousness of the treasure which was then conmitted to their care rendered them firm as adamant. At length he succeeded in arresting the progress of the French, and snatching from them every advantage that they had gained. They were driven from the

eminence which they had carried; the success was vigorously followed up, the farm of La Haye Sainte retaken, and the combatants again occupied the positions which they had held at the commencement of the affair, except that the French continued to occupy a small mound on the left of the road from Brussels to Charleroi, and from which they could not be dislodged till the grand advance of the British army at the close of the engagement.

With the greatest difficulty the duke couldnow restrain the impetuosity of his troops. Wherever he appeared he was hailed with enthusiastic shouts, and eager demands to be led against the enemy. The soldiers were tired of standing for so many successive hours exposed to a murderous fire, and their energies confined to merely driving back the squadrons which rushed upon them. "Not yet, not yet, my brave fellows!" was the duke's reply. "Be firm a little longer; you shall have at them by and by.

The attack on the chateau of Hougoumont had recommenced, and continued during the day, but at no period were the French for a moment in possession of it. Bringing forward, however, some strong bodies of infantry and cavalry, they made a circuit round the chateau, and ad

vanced to the British position, on the eminence by which it was commanded. Here, as in the centre, the enemy's cavalry boldly penetrated the squares, and for awhile, appeared masters of the position; but the British dragoons coming up, a strange and awful scene of confusion ensued. The artillery of the two armies was yet opposed, and poured forth an incessant torrent of round and grapeshot. Suddenly the artillery would wheel round, and massive columns of infantry would advance, and either engage in a close and destructive fusillade, or charge with the bayonet; while in the rear of the allied infantry, the cavalry of the two armies maintained a gallant and doubtful combat.

The thirtieth and seventy-third regiments sustained several charges of the cuirassiers. Pro→ tected by their iron breast-plates, they gallopped up to the very bayonets of the infantry, hoping that some heart might fail, and that the smallest opening might be made through which they might penetrate; but not in a single instance did they succeed in making the least impression. The horsemen had no sooner passed than the regiment again deployed into line, that its fire might be more extended and effectual. They had scarcely completed the evolution, when the

word was again given, "Re-form-square; prepare to receive cavalry. " The cuirassiers rė↔ peatedly walked round these gallant regiments, eagerly watching for an opportunity to dash in. ****Quitting the thirtieth and seventy-third, the cuirassiers rushed on the sixty-ninth, who oċcupied a neighbouring position, and, coming upon them before the square was completely formed, committed dreadful slaughter. But ere the day closed, the brave remains of the regiment nobly avenged the death of their comrades. The first foot-guards were for a moment almost cut off from the rest of the army, and surrounded by the enemy's cavalry, who repeatedly charged on every side of the square at once. Their loss was considerable; but though the soldiers rapidly fell, no chasm was for a moment left. The files were closed, and the square gradually diminished, nor would they have surrendered though cut off to nearly. the last man. At length the British cavalry came to their relief, and the few fine fellows who were left effected their escape.

In every part of the field the intrepidity of the allies prevailed, and the French were driven back to their former positions, with immense lossa me a

Now commenced an uninterrupted series of attacks through the whole line, but principally on the centre, sometimes with infantry, at other times with cavalry, and then with both united; while nearly three hundred pieces of artillery played on every part of the British position. The slaughter was dreadful; yet it would have been greater had not the ground been thoroughly soaked with rain On this account the shots seldom rose after they had once touched the ground, and they never bounded along as wher the ground is dry. The shells likewise frequently buried themselves, and when they exploded, produced no other effect than casting up a tremendous fountain of mud.

The combat had continued with unabated fury nearly six hours, and almost one-third of the allied force was killed or wounded. The Prussians, so long and ardently wished for, did not yet arrive. The duke began to fear that they had been employed or defeated by the French corps, which had been placed to observe them on the left.

The reserves of the Duke of Wellington were now all in action, and the French reserves were not yet brought forward. His troops were di minished in numbers, and worn out with fati