vered from the fire of our guns, which by recoiling had retired so as to lose their original and first position. But in a deep stiff soil the fatigue of the Artillerymen was great, and their best exertions were unable to remove the guns again to the crest without horses, and to employ the horses was certain loss of the animals. The repeated charges of the Enemy's noble cavalry were similar to the first-each was fruitless; not an infantryman moved; and on each charge, abandoning their guns, our artillerymen sheltered themselves between the flanks of their squares. Twice, however, the Enemy tried to charge in front; these attempts were entirely frustrated by the fire of our guns, wisely reserved till the hostile squadrons were within twenty yards of the muzzles. In this the cool and quiet steadiness of the troops of Horse Artillery was very creditable. The obstinacy of these attacks made our situa tion critical; though never forced, our ranks were becoming thin. The second line was therefore chiefly ordered across the valley, and formed in masses behind the first; the broken intervals of which, where necessary, it filled up. Some time before this the Duke ordered up all the reserve Horse Artillery, which at that time were but two troops, (Bull's and Mercer's); they advanced with an alacrity and rapidity most admirable.

"The brigades behaved admirably, and were of most essential service. Rogers's was with Picton's division, near La Haye Sainte; Sandham's near the centre of the line; Lloyd's on the left of the right centre, a little to the left of the wood of Hougomont, where they maintained a tremendous fire throughout the whole of the day. Lloyd was mortally wounded towards the close of the action, while giving directions to Lieut. Wells and Phelps, commanding the two only guns of his brigade remaining at that period serviceable, and which were drawn immediately in front of Gen. Byng's square of Guards, and fired with very great effect on the Cuirassiers and Lancers, when they repeatedly charged and retired from them.* "The Artillery, fired on the 18th, 200 rounds a gun.

Capt. Bolton's brigade of nine pounders, afterwards Capt. Napier's, were importantly posted in the operations of the 18th. In the early part of the day, this brigade when in position, on an extreme height which was thrown back, two batteries of eight

• Particularly noticed by a Guards' officer in his letter, dated Bavay, June 21, 1815. Vide Vol. I.

pounders and heavy howitzers were brought to bear on two guns which were detached from the brigade, under Capt. Napier, for the purpose of flanking the wood of Hougomont, to prevent the Enemy from attacking the right side of the same; the heavy loss sustained by these guns, induced the General to order the other guns of the brigade to assist them, together with Lt.-Col. Webber Smith's Troop of Horse Artillery and Major Sympher's, which opened such a fire of Shrapnell shells and round shot on them, that in less than a quarter of an hour they had not a gun to bear on us, and a great number of the Enemy with the cannon were destroyed.

"This brigade, about the close of the day, was stationed on the right of our Guards, commanded by Capt. Napier, after Capt. Bolton's fall, when the Imperial Guards led on by Marshal Ney about half past seven o'clock, made their appearance from a corn-field, in close columns of grand divisions, nearly opposite, and within a distance of fifty yards from the muzzles of the guns.* Orders were given to load with cannister shot, and literally five rounds from each gun were fired with this destructive species of shot, before they shewed the least symptom of giving way. At the 29th round, their left gave way, and they were then attacked by the Guards, who were at this period lying down in line, when they made a most gallant charge with the 95th, and 2d Division, and 13th Light Dragoons, which decided the fate of that glorious day, by forcing them to fall back. Previous to this attack, the Duke came up to the brigade, and asked What they were firing at? One of the officers (Lieut. Sharpin) told his Grace, At a French column approaching.' He then asked Lieut. S. Who ordered the guns there? His Grace was answered ⚫ Captain N.' This reply was scarcely

finished when the Duke, who discovered the French column in the corn, said—'Look out.' His Grace immediately ordered the Guards to rise; and he stationed himself on the left of the guns close to their right, and was very intent watching the Prussians through his glass, until the enemy gave way. Unfortunately, Capt. Napier, after the day was won, received eight wounds; his thigh

Vide x for the position, in the Map of the Field of Waterloo on the scale of five inches to a mile, which accompanies the 4to. Edition, (possessors of the 8vo. Edition may purchase this valuabe Plan, with the accompanying Letter-press References and Memoir,) drawn by Mr. Crann, Engineer to the King of the Netherlands, who, in speaking of this brigade, states "it did great execution."

fractured in two places, and right hand disabled. His wounds. were received while in the act of stopping a brigade of German artillery from endangering the lives of our brave countrymen, who were mixed with the enemy."

Somewhere or other 1

"It were tiresome to describe further. have already mentioned the concluding struggle of the gigantic contest. The horror of the scene strikes me now--at the momentits magnificence alone filled my mind. Several times were critical; but confidence in the Duke, I have no doubt, animated every breast. His Grace exposed his person, not unnecessarily, but nobly :without his personal exertions, his continual presence wherever and whenever more than usual exertions were required, the day had been lost. Twice have I saved this day by perseverance,' said his Grace, before the last great struggle, and said so most justly.

"Another saying that evening to Lord Fitzroy Somerset, deserves to be recorded-' I have never fought such a battle, and I trust I shall never fight such another.' This was after the day was our own.

"The Life Guards made some good charges, and overset the Cuirassiers; searching with the coolness of experienced soldiers the unprotected parts of their opponents, and stabbing where the openings of the cuirass would admit the points of their swords. The Rocket troop, under Major Whinyates, was two hundred yards more to the left of this post, and has suffered severely; it had also to wield the lighter ordnance. The rockets were used, and were useful; circumstances, however, did not arise to afford many opportunities of applying them. The Duke never was more to the left than the intersection of our centre by the pavé, which was in a ravine, and close by a large building (La Haye Sainte) occupied alternately by friend and foe, and a point more than commonly murderous.

The Belgic troops, though they yielded, yet returned to their posts. One corps of them, probably stragglers from all, galloped all the way to Brussels, spreading terror and dismay, breaking open and plundering our spare carriages and store waggons, which from prudence were sent to the rear.

In order to excuse himself from the charge of unnecessary repetition, the Editor begs to observe, that the lines between the rules, are from another source, which if he were to curtail would lessen the interest.

"I may seem to have forgotten the Prussians in this battle. I saw none; but I believe to our left that they really did advance; and the knowledge of their position might certainly have induced Napoleon to withdraw when his efforts against us were unavailing. We expected their co-operation early in the day, and earnestly looked for it; but it was not visible from any point where the Duke was till dusk, when we had swept the Enemy from the plain in our front.

Equipments of all kinds are collecting. I have had, you see, some leisure to-day. To-morrow must bring its occupation with it-and soon, how soon! will all that the day before yesterday presented be forgotten, unless arrested while yet fresh in the recollection. Might not one wish that it was forgotten?--that the bitter pangs which recollection cannot. but cause in so many hearts, might be spared? or may we say, with the Poet of an action less brilliant than the one just gained ;

"Weep fondly, but exulting weep."

8 a. m. 22d June, Traismere sur Flou. "Near Malplaquet, which I reached last night at 12, having ridden from Nivelles, by the scene of the 18th, to Genappe, back to Waterloo, again to Nivelles, and hither by Binch; to-day we are moving on Cateau, (by Cambray,) the scene of a glorious victory, 1794. We have passed the fron

tiers, and shall soon be nearer to Paris than to Brussels.

"On the evening of the 20th, the Duke desired that the captured guns might be parked; several artillery officers volunteered to collect them during the night. It was feared, whilst our chief attention had been paid to re-equipping our force, and sending forward every thing necessary for the probable work in our front, that the Prussians had appropriated the trophies of our victory. The report of the proceedings of the officers on this service is very interesting. All the scattered artillerymen and horses were collected, and the party proceeded by Lillois toward the burnt house, and rode carefully over the ground of the action. Before they reached it, they perceived the air tainted from the effluvia of the dead. It was a moon-light night, frequently dull, with repeated flashes of lightning. But few guns were found, though the field was carefully examined; it was known, indeed, that most of them had been blocked up in the road leading to Genappe, having been

merely thrown aside to clear the road. But, supposing that many sufferers might be still living on the field, all the spare Horse Artillerymen that were found at Lillois, (whither all the broken parts of troops had been sent to refit,) were taken to assist in this labour of humanity. Full occupation was soon found for all. On every side poor fellows were seen dying and suffering in every variety of wretchedness; and it was necessary to enjoin strict silence in the searching party, that the scarcely audible groans of some of the sufferers might not escape notice. Before morning several waggon-loads of these brave fellows were collected. It is scarcely necessary to add, that no one then knew any distinction of friend and foe. When all was done on this point, the search for the guns was resumed and extended; but, except a few here and there, none were found in places where they were known to have been in abundance the night before and the party began to fear that the major part would altogether escape their search. At last, however, near Genappe, they found 161 guns with some hundreds of ammunition and other carriages. They were regularly parked with Prussian centries. With some difficulty the Prussian officer was found. He was asleep under some straw, and evidently did not wish to be seen; after hearing the errand of our party, and seeing the return of the guns taken by the British on the 18th, he readily assented to their delivery, and they were accordingly drawn off and parked near Waterloo.

"It was particularly remarked, that most of the sufferers thus rescued from their impending fate, complained that they had been five days in misery and want. Poor souls!-the action was on the 18th, they were brought off before day-light on the 21st. How misery prolongs time!-how rapidity of idea and occupation prolong too its recollection!-It seems already an age since we were at Brussels-the day of the 18th seems an age ago.”

22d June, 6 p. m. Cateau.

"The bells here are ringing merrily, and the white flag is displayed from the steeple. Nothing but Vive Louis 18th' is heard, shouted with as much energy as Vive l'Empereur' would have been, had he got to Brussels. I trust we shall march rapidly on. I fully anticipate another battle; but that our cause will prevail, I most confidently hope and believe; still we must neglect no precaution to insure it."

VOL. II.

E