520 The Imperial Guard pass Napoleon. June 18. point of his whole Line, and by which was to pass the leading Column of the Guard, there to strengthen, by the magic spell of his immediate presence, the link which bound their fortunes to his own fate, and to the destiny of the Empire. As they approached, he pointed significantly to the Allied position; a gesture which drew forth renewed shouts of "Vive l'Empereur!" The fond regards which he seemed to cast upon these, his old and tried campaigners, and the air of confidence he assumed, as he contemplated their advance; rivetted upon him the affectionate gaze of the devoted band, to hundreds of whom it proved the last look upon the idol for whom they were to sacrifice their lives. At this time, D'ERLON'S Corps presented an advance of Columns in échelon between the Charleroi road and its Right Flank which was engaged with the Prussians: whilst REILLE'S Corps, descending in Columns, some into the Wood, others into the inclosures on the right, and some also still more to the right, outside of Hougomont, and close upon the Centre of the Line, seemed bent upon carrying that Post by main force; and upon seconding, with one mighty effort, the main attack by the Imperial Guard. This general advance of Columns was preceded by a host of Skirmishers, whose Line spreading along the valley in front of D'ERLON'S Corps, gradually became engaged with the Light Troops of the Left Wing of the Anglo-Allied Army; and the sudden impulse given to the rattle of musketry in the Wood of Hougomont betokened that the brave defenders of this lost were already engaged in a renewed and desperate struggle for the maintenance of its possession. The French Skirmishers between the Wood of Hougomont and the extreme Left of their Army, continued to maintain. a desultory warfare with the Allied Light Troops in the front, consisting of the 3rd Regiment of British Guards, the June 18. Advance of the First Column of the Guard. 521 Light Companies of the 14th and 23rd British Regiments, and six Companies of the 51st British Regiment. PIRE'S Light Cavalry Brigade was still in the position it had occupied upon the extreme Left of the French Front Line, having a few Vedettes thrown out; which were narrowly watched by those belonging to Captain WODEHOUSE'S Squadron of the 15th British Hussars. As the leading Column of the Imperial Guard began to ascend the slightly inclined tongue of ground that projects from that part of the ridge of the Duke's position in rear of the crest of which MAITLAND'S Brigade of Guards was lying down at the time, it became very much exposed to the concentrated fire from nearly all the Batteries of the Anglo-Allied Right Wing, by which the most frightful havoc was dealt amidst its devoted ranks. The Line of Skirmishers which preceded it, now pushed rapidly and boldly forward up to the very summit of the Duke's position; for the purpose both of concealing by their veil of smoke the precise direction of the advance of the Columns, and of driving away the Artillerymen from their guns by the fire of which the Guard was suffering so severely. Notwithstanding the terrible havoc made in the ranks of the leading Column of the Imperial Guard, it continued its advance in admirable order and with the greatest enthusiasm. Several of its superior Officers placed themselves at its head. NEY'S horse having been shot under him; he drew his sword, and chivalrously led the way on foot, sustaining to the last his appropriate and well earned nom de guerre-le plus brave des braves. General FRIANT, who commanded the Grenadiers, fell severely wounded. General MICHEL, Colonel en second of the Chasseurs, was killed a few moments afterwards. The fall of the latter 522 Napier's Battery opens a terrific fire. June 18. occasioned some hesitation-the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of Grenadiers halted; but at the call of General PORET DE MORVAN, who commanded it, it renewed its advance at the pas de charge, amidst loud shouts of "Vire l'Empereur!" As the Column neared the rise of ground which constituted the highest point of the ridge occupied by the Right Wing of the Duke's Line, it gradually passed the line of fire hitherto directed upon it by the greater portion of the Batteries on the British right of that point. WELLINGTON rode up to the British Foot Battery posted on the immediate right of MAITLAND's Brigade of Guards, with its own Right thrown somewhat forward, and addressing himself to an Artillery Officer (Lieutenant SHARPIN), hastily asked who commanded it. The latter replied that Captain BOLTON having just been killed, it was now under the command of Captain NAPIER. The Duke then said, "Tell him to keep a look out to his left, for the French will soon be with him." The message had scarcely been communicated when the bearskin caps of the leading divisions of the Column of the Imperial Guard appeared just above the summit of the hill. The cannonade hitherto directed upon this point from the distant French Batteries, now ceased; but a swarm of Skirmishers opened a sharp and teasing fire among the British Gunners. In the next moment, however, they were scattered and driven back upon the main body by a sudden shower of canister, grape, and shrapnel shells, poured forth from NAPIER'S guns; which now kept up a terrific fire upon the Column, within a distance of forty or fifty yards. Nevertheless the French Guards continued to advance. They had now topped the summit. To the astonishment of the Officers who were at their head, there appeared in their immediate front no direct impediment to their further advance. They could only distinguish dimly through the June 18. Up Guards, make ready!" 523 smoke extending from NAPIER's Battery, the cocked hats of a few mounted Officers; little imagining, probably, that the most prominent of these was the great Duke himself. Pressing boldly forward, they had arrived within fifty paces of the spot on which the British Guards were lying down, when WELLINGTON gave the talismanic call-" Up, Guards; make ready!" and ordered MAITLAND to attack. It was a moment of thrilling excitement. The British Guards springing up so suddenly in a most compact four deep line, appeared to the French as if starting out of the ground. The latter, with their high bonnets, as they crowned the summit of the ridge, appeared to the British, through the smoky haze, like a Corps of giants bearing down upon them. The British Guards instantly opened their fire with a tremendous volley, thrown in with amazing coolness, deliberation, and precision. An oblique fire was also poured in among them from the 33rd and 69th British Regiments, which HALKETT had most promptly and judiciously pushed forward to the immediate Left of the Guards at this critical moment. The head of the Column became, as it were, convulsed by the shock, and nearly the entire mass staggered under the effect. In less than a single minute more than three hundred of these brave old warriors fell, to rise no more. But the high spirit and innate valour which actuated the mass were not to be subdued by a first repulse. Its Officers, placing themselves conspicuously in its Front and on its Flanks, called aloud, waved their swords; and, by encouraging words and gestures, commenced a deployment in order to acquire a more extended front. But the head of the Column being continually shattered and driven back upon the mass, by the well sustained and rapidly destructive fire by which it was assailed within so extremely limited a 524 "Now's the time, my boys!" June 18. space, this attempt altogether failed. The Front of the Column was becoming momentarily more disordered and broken up; men were turning round and disappearing by the Flanks, whilst others in the rear began firing over the heads of those before them. The confusion into which the French Guards had now been thrown became manifest. The Duke ordered MAITLAND to charge; whilst, at the same instant, the gallant Lord SALTOUN, equally alive to the real situation of the Column, called out, "Now's the time, my boys!" The Brigade sprang forward, with a loud cheer, to the charge. Numbers of the French Guards nearest to the British, threw down their arms and knapsacks, and dispersed. The Flanks began rapidly to spread out; and then the mass partaking more generally of the panic, appeared as if rent asunder by some invisible power. During the advance of the attacking Column of the Imperial Guard, one of its Battalions had moved out from the mass to its right (probably for the better security of that Flank from any attempt that might be made to molest it from the dip or hollow on that side of the projecting tongue of ground along which the main attack had proceeded), and took а direction which brought it immediately in front of HALKETT's Left Wing, consisting of the shattered remnants of the 30th and 73rd British Regiments, formed in a four deep line, scarcely exceeding, if equalling, in extent (such had been their losses), the front of the approaching Column. The order in which this Column advanced was admirable. Its formation was undisturbed by the fire of Artillery, of which Arm there was none in this part of the Field in working condition; and, as it pressed on with the compactness and regularity of a parade movement, it appeared at the same time to be |