402 The death of Sir Thomas Picton.

June 18.

halbert, and the right hand man of the subdivision (named LACY) shot him, just as Brevet Major TOOLE, commanding the right centre subdivision, called out, though too late (for the French Officer fell dead at Lieutenant BELCHER's feet), "Save the brave fellow!" The delay in crossing the hedges was but momentary; order was speedily restored and then, levelling their bayonets, the Brigade disclosed to view the glorious sight of a British Line of Infantry at the charge.

It was during this brief struggle that a severe and irreparable blow was inflicted upon the entire British Army, and a whole nation plunged into grief and mourning for the loss of a Chief; the brilliancy of whose career had 80 excited her admiration, and the fame of whose exploits had so exalted her pride. The truly brave and noble PICTON was struck by a musket ball on the right temple. His death, which was instantaneous, was first observed by the Earl of UXBRIDGE's Aide de Camp, Captain HORACE SEYMOUR; whom he was, at the moment, desiring to rally the Highlanders. Captain SEYMOUR, whose horse was just then falling, immediately called the attention of PICTON'S Aide de Camp, Captain TYLER, to the fact of the General having been wounded; and, in the next moment, the hero's lifeless corpse was, with the assistance of a private soldier of the nearest Regiment, borne from off his charger by that Officer. Thus fell the gallant soldier, who, as the Leader of the Third or "Fighting Division" in the Peninsular War, had already acquired an imperishable renown in the history of the British Army. As his life was spent in fighting the battles of his country, his death was an end suited to his stirring career. His brave spirit passed away amidst the roar and din of the bloody conflict, and his eyes closed on his last of Fields in the very moment of the advance of his troops to victory.

Jane 18. 2nd Life Guards charge French Cuirassiers. 403

The French Column, surprised in the midst of its attempted deployment, and appalled by the bold and determined onset of KEMPT's Line, appeared as if struck by a panic, fell into irremediable confusion, and fled with precipitation from its pursuers. Just as the British Brigade bore down the slope, its front was partially crossed from the right by French Cuirassiers, followed by the 2nd British Life Guards; the former, dashing in amongst their own thickly scattered Infantry Skirmishers; who threw themselves down to allow both fugitives and pursuers to ride over them, and then, in many cases, rose up and fired after the latter. But although the greater part of the Cuirassiers turned about and boldly faced their opponents, whereby several isolated individual contests occurred; the 2nd Life Guards soon obtained the mastery, and compelled them to resume their flight: whilst the 95th Rifles speedily closed upon the disordered mass of Infantry through which this portion of the Cavalry had passed, and amongst which the greatest confusion and consternation prevailed. Many flew wildly they scarcely knew whither; others delivered themselves up; and several were seized as prisoners.

On its right, the Brigade was supported in the charge by the 1st Light Battalion of the King's German Legion; which crossed over for that purpose from the opposite side of the high road.

Immediately after passing through the hedge, the extreme Left of the 28th Regiment had unexpectedly found itself almost in contact with a well formed French Column still advancing against the Allied position. The Right Wing of the Regiment was too deeply engaged with the Column directly before it to admit of its attention being drawn off to any other quarter; but the Left Wing, having a clearer

404 The 28th fighting two Columns at once.

June 18.

front, boldly brought forward its right shoulders, thus detaching itself from the Right Wing, and fired into the Left Flank of the advancing Column at the very moment when the head of the latter was charged by the Right Regiment (the Royals) of PONSONBY'S Brigade of Heavy Cavalry. KEMPT, becoming aware of the prolongation of the French attack along the Line to his left, and of the consequently exposed state of this Flank; and possessing no Infantry Support or Reserve of any kind, felt himself under the necessity of restraining his men from further pursuit, and ordered the Brigade to halt and re-form. The Left Wing of the 28th, however, having its whole attention fixed upon the Column charged by the Royals, followed these Dragoons some distance down the slope, and assisted them in securing a great number of prisoners; after which it fell back, and rejoined the Right Wing of the Regiment. The 95th Rifles continued advancing, and driving the French Skirmishers before them beyond the Knoll by the Sand Pit.

From this extremely gallant and most decisive attack by KEMPT's Brigade, we must proceed to describe the no less brilliant charges performed by both SOMERSET'S and PONSONBY'S Cavalry Brigades; but to afford a more ready comprehension of this period of the action, it will be necessary, in the first instance, to revert to the attack and defence of La Haye Sainte.

The French Skirmishers thrown out by the Left Brigade of DONZELOT'S Division advanced boldly and resolutely against the Orchard of La Haye Sainte. The first shot tore away the bridle of Major BARING's horse close to his hand, and the second killed Major BÖSEWIEL, the next in command. The three Companies of the 2nd Light Battalion of the King's German Legion, which, as before stated, were posted

June 18.

Donzelot's Brigade attacks La Haye. 405 in the Orchard, together with two Companies of the 1st Light Battalion of the King's German Legion under Captains WYNECKEN and GOEBEN, and a Company of Hanoverian Riflemen under Major SPÖRKEN, which were extended on the right of the Farm, presented a gallant resistance to the Enemy; but the latter continued to press forward with superior force, and the main body of the French Brigade having formed two Columns of Attack, which were rapidly advancing, one into the Orchard, and the other towards the Buildings, Major BARING fell back with his men upon the Barn.

At this moment, Colonel KLENCKE reached the Farm with the Lüneburg Field Battalion; which WELLINGTON, on observing the French advance, had detached from the Left of KIELMANSEGGE's Brigade as a reinforcement to the troops of La Haye Sainte. BARING immediately endeavoured to recover the Orchard; and had already made the Enemy give way, when he perceived a strong Line of Cuirassiers forming in right front of the inclosure. At the same time, Lieutenant MEYER came to report to him that the Enemy had surrounded the Garden in which his Company was posted, and that it had become no longer tenable. BARING ordered him to fall back into the Buildings, and to assist in their defence. The Skirmishers upon the right, on the sudden appearance of the Cavalry, ran in upon the Orchard to collect together but coming in contact with the newly arrived Hanoverians, the latter got into disorder; and the effect produced by the sight of the advancing Line of Cuirassiers in their front, as also by the shouts of the French Infantry gaining possession of the Garden in their rear, was such, that notwithstanding all BARING's exertions to halt and collect his men, the whole of these troops betook themselves to an indiscriminate flight towards the main position of

406 Cuirassiers cut up a Hanoverian Battalion. June 18.

the Allied Army, a course which they seemed to imagine constituted their only chance of safety.

They were speedily undeceived.

The Cavalry overtook them in the midst of their confused retreat, rode over, sabred, and still further dispersed them; whilst, to add to the severity of their loss, they became exposed, after the Cavalry had passed on, to a flank fire from the Enemy's Infantry lining the hedge of the Garden. A portion of them succeeded in gaining the main position; whilst the remainder, securing themselves in the Buildings, augmented the little garrison under Lieutenants CAREY and GREME, and Ensign FRANK, who bravely and successfully maintained possession in defiance of the vigorous attacks on the part of the French Light Troops. The Lüneburg Hanoverian Battalion, however, suffered most severely: many were killed and wounded; among the latter was the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel KLENCKE, and among the prisoners taken was Major DACHENHAUSEN. Some on the left saved themselves by a precipitate retreat into the high road. The few that were collected together again during the remainder of the day constituted but a very insignificant portion of the original strength of the Battalion.

The Earl of UXBRIDGE, on perceiving the advance of the French Cavalry by La Haye Sainte, on the British right of the Charleroi road (the same alluded to as having dispersed the Hanoverian Lüneburg Battalion and BARING's Skirmishers of the Legion), as also the approach of the Infantry Columns which constituted the attack upon the Allied Left Wing on the opposite side of that road, decided upon a simultaneous charge by the Heavy Cavalry Brigades of Lord EDWARD SOMERSET and Sir WILLIAM PONSONBY; PONSONBY; the former against the Enemy's Cavalry, the latter against his masses of Infantry.

The