460 The Prince of Orange's second mistake.

June 18.

the Enemy, wearied out by this most resolute and gallant defence, once more withdrew.

At the commencement of this attack, while one portion of the Enemy's force was principally directed against the western entrance of the Great Barn; the other, leaving the Buildings on its right, advanced higher up the slope, as if intending either to penetrate the Farm by the Garden, or to cut off its communication with the main position.

The Prince of ORANGE, conceiving this to be a favourable opportunity for attacking the French Column, ordered the 5th and 8th Line Battalions of OMPTEDA's Brigade of the King's German Legion to deploy and advance. The Line was quickly formed; and the Battalions, bounding across the narrow sunken road, rushed forward, at a charging pace, driving the Enemy before them. But a body of Cuirassiers, that had unsuccessfully charged the Left Squares of KIELMANSEGGE's Hanoverian Brigade, whilst those Battalions were advancing, came upon the Right Flank of the latter, unexpectedly for both parties. The 5th Line Battalion, which was on the right, having been supported in sufficient time by SOMERSET's Heavy Cavalry Brigade, suffered little loss; but the 8th Line Battalion-being on the left, and more in advance, in the act of charging when the Cuirassiers appeared-was completely surprised, and its Right Wing cut down and dispersed. The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Colonel SCHRÖDER, was mortally wounded several other Officers fell: Ensign DE MOREAU, who carried and defended the King's Colour, having been severely wounded, as also the Serjeant who afterwards held it, the Enemy succeeded in carrying off the prize. Major PETERSDORF, the next in command, collected the scattered remnant of the Battalion, and posted it in rear of the hollow way.

June 18. Wellington reinforces his Line of Batteries. 461

The moment the Anglo-Allied Right Wing became cleared of the presence of the French Cavalry, it was again exposed to a furious cannonade. Several of the guns along the main ridge were by this time disabled. Major BULL, who had been obliged at an earlier period to withdraw his Howitzer Battery to the Second Line for the purpose of repairing casualties and completing ammunition, advanced again to his former post in the Front Line, along with Major RAMSAY's Horse Battery, during the Second general Charge of the French Cavalry. These Batteries suffered severely from PIRÉ's guns, stationed on the extreme Left of the French Line. BULL directed Lieutenant LOUIS to turn his two right guns towards them, and it was not long before this Officer succeeded in silencing them; a service which, as they enfiladed the Allied Right Flank, was of considerable advantage, during the remainder of the Battle, to all the Batteries and troops in this part of the Field.

The Duke, considering that a reinforcement of Artillery was particularly required in front of COOKE's Division and the Brunswick Infantry against which the Enemy was evidently preparing fresh attacks, ordered up Lieutenant Colonel DICKSON's British Horse Battery, commanded by Major MERCER, and Major SYMPHER's Horse Battery of the King's German Legion, into the Front Line: the former, to the left of Lieutenant Colonel SMITH'S Horse Battery, in front of the Brunswickers; and the latter further to the left.

Major MERCER'S Battery had barely time to get into action, when a heavy Column of Cavalry, composed of Horse Grenadiers and Cuirassiers, was seen ascending the ridge, and advancing at a rapid rate directly towards the spot upon which it had taken post. The guns, which were

462 Mercer's Battery disperses a Cavalry Column.

nine pounders, were each loaded with a round and a case shot; and were run close up to a bank of two or three feet in height, which descended from the narrow cross road along the ridge, and which thus formed a sort of genouillère to the Battery. In front, the summit of the ridge consisted of a flat surface, of forty or fifty yards in width, whence the ground descended rapidly towards the plain that divided the two Armies. The Column continued to advance until it came quite close upon these guns, the muzzles of which were nearly on a level with the cross road; when it suddenly recoiled from the very destructive fire with which it was received. The horsemen of the leading Squadrons faced about, and endeavoured to force their way to the rear; confusion ensued, and the whole mass broke into a disorderly crowd. Several minutes elapsed ere they succeeded in quitting the summit of the ridge, during which the fire from the Battery was incessant; and, from the shortness of the distance, the size of the objects, and the elevation of the ground on which they stood, the consequent carnage was truly frightful. Many, instead of seeking safety in retreat, dashed through the intervals between the guns, and surrendered: but the greater part, rendered desperate at finding themselves held, as it were, in front of the Battery, actually fought their way through their own ranks; and, in the struggle, blows were exchanged on all sides. At length, the wreck of this formidable Column gained shelter under the slope of the ridge, leaving the summit encumbered with its killed and wounded.

About the same time, a strong Column of French Infantry, supported by Cavalry, was advancing against the Centre of the Anglo-Allied Right Wing. Whilst the opposed Batteries were concentrating upon it a vigorous fire, Lord UXBRIDGE brought forward SOMERSET's Heavy

June 18. Cowardice of Dutch-Belgian Carabiniers. 463

Cavalry Brigade from its position on the right of the Charleroi road, for the purpose of attacking this Column; and also ordered up, in support, TRIP's Dutch-Belgian Carabinier Brigade. The attack was made with great gallantry by the Household Cavalry, which succeeded in checking the advance of the Enemy; but, having been so much reduced in numbers, it was unable to penetrate the Column, which received it with a heavy fire. AS SOMERSET retired; the French Cavalry by which the Column had been supported, prepared to advance.

་་

TRIP'S Dutch-Belgian Cavalry was now at hand. UXBRIDGE, pleased with their fine appearance, and desirous of exciting in them a courageous enthusiasm, placed himself conspicuously in their front, and ordering the Charge," led them towards the Enemy. He had proceeded but a very short distance, when his Aide de Camp, Captain HORACE SEYMOUR, galloped close up to him, and made him aware that not a single man of them was following him. Turning round his horse, he instantly rode up to TRIP, and addressed himself to this Officer with great warmth. Then, appealing to the Brigade in terms the most exhorting and encouraging, and inciting them by gestures the most animated and significant, he repeated the Order to charge, and again led the way in person. But this attempt was equally abortive; and UXBRIDGE, exasperated and indignant, rode away from the Brigade, leaving it to adopt any course which its Commander might think proper: and as the French Cavalry, to which this hesitation was but too manifest, was now advancing rapidly to the attack, the Dutch-Belgians went about, and retired in such haste and disorder that the two Right Squadrons of the 3rd Hussars of the King's German Legion experienced the greatest difficulty in maintaining their ground, and avoiding being

464 Gallant charge of the 3rd Hussars, K.G. Legion.

carried along to the rear by these horsemen in the wildness of their flight.

The 3rd Hussars had just moved up into the Second Line, in rear of KRUSE's Nassau Brigade, when this occurred; and the Left Squadron, being free from any interruption of the kind, gallantly charged and completely overthrew that portion of the Cuirassiers which was in its immediate front. As soon as the other two Squadrons had recovered their order, which had been so unexpectedly disturbed by the fugitive Dutch-Belgians, the whole Regiment advanced to the crest of the position; where it received from Lord UXBRIDGE, in person, the Order to charge a Line of French Cavalry, distant about 150 yards, and consisting of about three Squadrons of Cuirassiers and three Squadrons of Heavy Dragoons. Commencing the charge with a steady trot, and then plunging into a gallop, they broke through the Enemy's Line, which was advancing at a short trot, or almost at a walk; but became so completely turned and hemmed in upon their flanks and rear, that a vast proportion of them was cut off. The remainder, dispersed, and pursued by the French Cavalry, rode back to the Infantry Squares, in rear of which the Regiment re-formed. Here the great loss which it had suffered in these two attacks become manifest. It was reduced to between sixty and seventy Files, which were formed into two Squadrons, and posted in rear of KIELMANSEGGE'S Hanoverian Brigade.

About this time, the Earl of UXBRIDGE, on examining the state of his Cavalry, perceived the Cumberland Regiment of Hanoverian Hussars at some distance in the rear, on the Brussels road. He immediately ordered them forward; and on their coming up, he posted them where they were by no means much exposed, but where they would at least appear to fill a gap occasioned by the severe losses