June 18. Gallantry of the Brunswickers. 445 moment and the eager desire to share in the fancied victory, advanced with the same fiery impetuosity, and the whole force was now fairly across the ridge. The Allied Infantry, distributed in chequered Squares along the interior slope, were fully prepared to meet the attack. Some little apprehension had been entertained for the safety of the Right of the Front Line, where the Brunswickers, who, as before remarked, were mostly young, raw troops, had taken up the ground previously occupied by BYNG's Brigade of Guards, which had been entirely absorbed by the defence of Hougomont, with the exception of two Companies which, with the Colours, had been withdrawn, as a Reserve, to a more sheltered position on the right of the Nivelles road. As the French Cavalry advanced, the 23rd British Regiment of Infantry was led up to the Front Line, and into an interval between the Brunswick Squares. This Regiment had nearly reached the brow of the ridge when it was suddenly ordered to halt and prepare to receive Cavalry; and the Chasseurs of the Guard appearing the next moment in its front, a fire from this face was opened so hastily that scarcely a shot could have told upon the Enemy. It instantly recovered this somewhat nervous precipitation, and presented a bold and determined stand; as did also the Brunswickers, who acted on this occasion in a manner that would have reflected credit on the most experienced veterans. The cannonade had necessarily ceased along the Right Wing of the Anglo-Allied Front Line, and along the French Batteries to which it was opposed. Hence the vehement cheering on the part of the French Cavalry became the more distinctly audible and the more highly exciting. A sullen silence was maintained throughout the Allied Squares, which were all at the "prepare,"-front ranks kneeling, 446 The French Cavalry rush on the Squares. June 18. and the second at the charge,-thus forming a chevaux de frise, over which the rear ranks were ready to fire, as occasion might demand. As the Cavalry now rushed down upon the Squares, the front faces of the latter opened their fire when the former had approached within about thirty paces of them. The effect of this fire was to create disorder and confusion in the leading Squadron or Half Squadron (as the case might be), which would then open out from the centre, and obliquing to the right and left respectively, pass on by the Flanks of the Square attacked, to the fire from which it would consequently become completely exposed. The succeeding repeated the manœuvre of the leading divisions; and their disorder became greater and greater as the continually augmenting obstacles in their front, the upset riders and horses, increased in multitude. Here, as at Quatre Bras, the French Cavalry did not rush to the shock against a single British Square. The horsemen of the leading divisions who escaped the opposing fire, failed to maintain the direction of their speed with unabated vigour, and to dash against the Square, heedless of personal danger, and intent only upon securing the sole chance that offered for the success of their immediate followers. That portion of the Cavalry which passed through the intervals between the foremost Squares, directed their advance upon those that were in rear; and the Squares being generally en échiquier, the opening out and dividing of the attacking Squadrons in the manner described, soon commingled the horsemen of different Regiments, and added considerably to the disorder already caused by the dropping fire which assailed them in all directions. The Anglo-Allied Cavalry, having the advantage of perfect order, now advanced to the charge; and after June 18. The 23rd Dragoons among French Gunners. 447 encountering some little resistance on different points, speedily succeeded in relieving the Squares from the presence of the Enemy, whom they pursued over the crest of the ridge and down the exterior slope. No sooner was NEY's Cavalry driven from the position, than the Allied Artillerymen flew from their shelter to their guns, and the French Batteries recommenced their fire. The former dealt destruction amidst the retiring masses as soon as, and wherever, they were uncovered by the Allied Cavalry; but some of the British Regiments, giving too much rein to their ardour, carried their pursuit rather too far; particularly the 23rd British Light Dragoons; who, having attacked the Flank of a Column of Cuirassiers whilst the latter was advancing against the 1st Regiment of Dutch Carabiniers, by which it was then attacked in front-TRIP himself leading-drove both the Cuirassiers and a body of Lancers across the hollow on the right of La Haye Sainte, back upon their own Batteries on the Heights beyond, and thus created confusion amongst the French Gunners; who, however, made them pay for their temerity as they withdrew again towards their own position. Towards the Allied Right, the Lancers, pursued by the 1st Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion, instantly reformed, and, resuming their charge, became themselves the pursuers; but on advancing over the ridge, they were not only exposed again to the fire from the Squares, but were at the same time most unexpectedly assailed by a brisk discharge of round shot from Captain BOLTON's British Foot Battery, which had just been rapidly advanced to its left front, and very judiciously posted on some favourable ground close to, and on the right of, the Nivelles road, and in direct rear of the main ridge. Its fire was directed with great precision at the French Cavalry in the intervals between the 448 The French Cavalry renew their attack. June 18. Squares in its front, and by its valuable assistance the Enemy was soon compelled to retire again across the ridge. It will be readily conceived that such assistance was most essential, when it is recollected that, at this time, the 7th Hussars, the 1st Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion, the Brunswick Hussars, and the Squadron of Brunswick Lancers, were the only Cavalry Regiments posted in rear of that portion of the Front Line extending from the Nivelles road on the right, to the position of HALKETT's British Infantry Brigade on the left, in rear of which latter stood the 23rd Light Dragoons. The manner in which those Regiments charged and repelled the French Cavalry opposed to them, merits the highest commendation. The French Cavalry evinced the greatest alacrity, nay, impatience, in again getting into order-actuated, no doubt, by a sense of shame and indignation at finding its efforts frustrated, and its valour fruitless; although in possession of the Enemy's guns, and at liberty to act at its own discretion against his Squares. The advance was speedily renewed; but evidently conducted with more caution, though not with less enthusiasm. Again did this brilliant array of horsemen boldly face the iron shower of grape, and gallantly crown the crest of the Anglo-Allied Right Wing. But now, instead of attacking indiscriminately as before, one portion was allotted to that service; whilst the remainder was kept in more compact order to stem the onset of the Allied Cavalry, by which, on the former occasion, they had been so signally repulsed. The charges were repeated against the Squares, in the same style, and upon the same system, as before; and with an equally fruitless result. This portion of the attacking force became gradually exhausted and out of order: but the remainder appeared well formed June 18. The struggle is desperate and sanguinary. 449 up, and moving forward to charge the Second Line comprising Allied Cavalry; which, however, did not wait for the attack, but instantly advanced to meet it. The latter consisted of SOMERSET'S Brigade on the left (greatly diminished by the effects of its former charge, on the occasion of the French attack of the Allied Left and Centre); of the 23rd British Light Dragoons, in rear of HALKETT'S British Infantry Brigade; of TRIP's Dutch-Belgian Carabinier Brigade, in rear of the 23rd; of the Brunswick Hussars and Lancers, more to the right; of the 1st Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion, close to the Nivelles road; and of the 7th British Hussars, on the interior slope of that portion of the ridge which was immediately in left rear of Hougomont-a force scarcely amounting to half the number of Squadrons with which the French Cavalry had commenced this attack. The charge was executed under great excitement, and with the utmost steadiness and gallantry. The struggle was desperate and sanguinary: but the French Cavalry, assailed in front by the same description of force, and on their Flanks by the fire from the Squares, at length went about; and were followed, as before, over the ridge and down the exterior slope. In rear of the Right of the Anglo-Allied Line, where, as previously observed, the Cavalry was then so very weak in numbers, the 1st Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion had deployed into Line, in order to occupy more ground and show a greater front. As the French Lancers were attacking the Squares, and advancing through the intervals between them, notwithstanding the renewed fire from BOLTON'S Battery, the Regiment hastened forward to charge them. The Germans had not proceeded far when it was discovered that a body of the Enemy's Cavalry had penetrated 151. W.L. Siborne. 2 F |