cavalry movements were directed and led by Lord Uxbridge in person. It may be allowed, perhaps, to add, that this example, with others which might be adduced, that all hearsay accounts of the memorable Battle of Waterloo, ought to be cautiously received; many errors being unintentionally committed, from the want of ocular information; while, as above remarked, the resources of the present, and preceding volume, consist in the actual recitals of gentlemen who saw the conflict, and who describe what fell under their observation,

We now proceed to offer further particulars in detail of our cavalry operations. For the movement of the 1st, or what is generally termed the Household Brigade, the reader is referred to the letter of an Officer of the 2d Life Guards, in Vol. I,

Major-General Sir William Ponsonby's Brigade of Cavalry, consisting of 1st, 2d, and 6th Dragoons.

(By an Officer in the Brigade.)

The conspicuous feature which the second heavy brigade of cavalry formed in the operations of the memorable day of Waterloo, with the esteem and regret that we feel for its gallant leader, Sir William Ponsonby, cannot fail in giving an interest to every particular that can be gathered as to the considerable share they took in the glory of that day. The brigade consisted of the 1st, or Royals, which, from its long services in Spain, was the weakest of the three in point of numbers; the 2nd, or Scotch Greys; and the 6th, or Inniskillings. This brigade was formed in position the night before, in a wet barley field on the left of the line, in the rear of the Highland brigade and a corps of Belgic troops.

On the morning of the 18th, the brigade was formed into a close

* As we have mentioned one error, it will be the best opportunity to remark, respecting the infantry movements, that the 32d Regiment never had their colours seized by a French mounted officer, but attempted; the French were entirely beat and driven off the ground; and in Simpson's account of the Battle, respecting the 32d, it should be that they were on the right of the 79th and 28th.

column of half squadrons, a little in advance of the field they occupied the preceding night, in order to be in momentary readiness, as also to relieve the men and horses from the deep swamp which the incessant raining the night before had occasioned: the brigade remained in that position dismounted.

About half past eleven o'clock, three heavy masses of infantry, supported by artillery, and a numerous body of cuirassiers, were formed, and appeared to threaten the left of the British line. The Belgic light infantry were almost immediately driven in upon their support; and as these heavy columns of infantry advanced, the greater part of the Belgic infantry, after a short opposition, gave way, and, although in good order, retreated, leaving the Highland brigade, which was about four hundred yards in front of the 2nd heavy brigade of cavalry, to evince a glorious and very different example. These fine fellows, although they had suffered so severely on the 16th, with the most undaunted courage received the enemy's columns in line, taking up their line in rear of a cross road, somewhat protected by a small bank of earth, which formed a sort of hedge to the road, and with a most steady and well-directed fire presented a decided check to the enemy.

At this critical and awful moment,* Lord Uxbridge galloped up; the three regiments of cavalry were in the most masterly style wheeled into line, and presented a most beautiful front of about thirteen hundred men: as his Lordship rode down the line, he was received by a general shout and cheer from the brigade. After having taken a short survey of the force, and threatening attitude of the enemy, and finding the Highland brigade, although still presenting an unbroken front, upon the point of being on both sides outflanked by an immense superiority of numbers, his Lordship determined upon a charge, which, for the wonderful intrepidity of its execution, and its complete success, has rarely been equalled, and certainly never surpassed. The Royals appeared to take the lead, while the Greys preserved a beautiful line at speed, more to the left, over the cross road, near which spot their brave chief, Colonel

* A subject to one of the etchings, by Capt. Jones, to illustrate this Work.

Hamilton, fell, together with his horse, pierced with wounds.* After considerable resistance, the Eagle of the 45th Regiment was seized by a serjeant of the Greys, of the name of Ewart,† a man of most gigantic stature, whose right arm well did its duty on that day. The Royals on the right appeared not to be outdone by the Greys, and amidst the loud and hearty cheers of the Highlanders, two squadrons under Lieut.-Col. Clifton and Major Dorville rushed into the second column of the enemy, consisting of about 4000 men, which had kept in reserve, when, after the most desperate individual exertion, the Eagle of the 105th Regiment was seized by a serjeant of the name of Styles. The best part of this column threw down their arms, and were immediately swept off to the rear by the Inniskillings. The greater part of the Royals fell in this attack. This division of the enemy consisted of upwards of 9000 men, under Count d'Erlon. Independent of 3000 prisoners, the few that escaped from the rude grasp of this heavy brigade, formed themselves under cover of their Cuirassiers, and hardly amounted to a thousand men; which loss taking place so early in the day, most materially cramped the operations of the enemy on the left of the British line.

This terrible carnage of infantry and cavalry, where almost every thing was left to individual courage, and where every officer and man exerted every nerve to deserve well of his country, lasted about three-quarters of an hour; and after the complete destruction of this formidable mass of infantry, every endeavour was made to collect the fortunate remains of the brigade, under cover of a small wood to the left, which was speedily effected. If any thing could have damped the ardour of the officers and men after they were collected, it was to find that their gallant leader, to whom so much of the success was due, was no more! Sir William, just before the charge, had mounted a fresh horse: after heading the brigade with the most conspicuous valour, and

Lieut. Col. Clarke, who succeeded to the command of the regiment, was afterwards severely wounded, and had four horses shot under him.

+ Vide his letter stating the particulars of the conflict to obtain this, in Vol. I. of this Work, and which is introduced towards the back ground, in the etching of the charge of Ponsonby's brigade.

having cut through the first column, he passed on to where Major Dorville was so thickly engaged; he here found himself outflanked by a regiment of Polish Lancers, who had come forward to the support of the infantry; finding his fate inevitable, he rushed upon the enemy's infantry to endeavour to join the Royals, and fell, together with his horse, pierced with wounds. Thus died Sir William Ponsonby! Perhaps no cavalry officer ever fell so personally beloved as himself. His services in Spain had brought him into the notice of every individual in the army; and it is impossible to say which is the most deserving of admiration, whether his character as an individual, or as a soldier. The officers of his own regiment, the 5th Dragoon Guards, upon the news of his death, immediately put on mourning; and as soon as the perishable remains of this excellent man had been brought to England, every officer that could be permitted, attended them to the grave.*

The command of the brigade, after Sir W. Ponsonby's fall, devolved upon Col. Muter of the Inniskillings; upon his being wounded, the command was taken by Lieut.-Col. Clifton of the Royals-the command of this regiment, such as remained, was with Major Dorville.

From the testimony of De Coster, it appears that the appearance and conduct of the Greys was a subject of Buonaparte's comment.

(

Extract of a Letter from Serjeant Crichley of the 1st Dragoons, forming part of the preceding Brigade.

Nanterre, 24th of July, 1815, "The action fought on the 18th of June, at Waterloo, was dreadful and difficult to gain, I can assure you, although we made a complete victory of it with hard fighting, by the double courage of our British heroes. The British cavalry exerted and displayed themselves gallantly. Our brigade was the first that charged, and great havock we made; broke their lines and columns; took two stands of colours, two eagles, and made them fly before us a mile or more: but the loss of the brigade was severe ;

* The death of this officer is made the subject of a very spirited etching, drawn by Captain Jones.

yet it surprised me that so many escaped as did, for their guns and small arms were playing upon us on every side, pouring like hail, and men falling, and horses, as thick as possible. Dear Tom, I came off pretty safe, my horse shot through the leg, and myself slightly wounded with a bayonet, but nothing to signify of any consequence; in short, there were but few escaped wounds or scars. The French had the better of the day about 12 o'clock at noon, when the Belgians turned their backs to them, and left the British infantry to the mercy of the world; and the French advanced upon that part of the line, and would have had possession of it in a few minutes, had it not been for our brigade making a rapid charge, which took such effect, and repulsed them, and drove them to confusion, which lightened the hearts of our infantry, and encouraged them to rally together, which was of great service at that point. The enemy kept up a continual firing, and the battle was equal as good upon their side as it was with us, till between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, when the victory turned glorious on our side, they began to retreat, when the Prussians, with their brave commander, Von Blucher, was close after them, who never let them have any rest until they came to Paris. The day after the battle we buried our dead, and rested the following night, and then commenced our march, and got to Paris gates; and shortly the rebels yielded their capital, and evacuated, and suffered two armies to invest it. On the 24th instant, we had our British army reviewed, by the Emperor of Russia, Austria, and King of Prussia, Duke Wellington, Prince Blucher, and all the noted warriors in Europe, at the entrance of Paris gates. Dear Tom, you hear more news in England than we do here; only what we see is the real thing, which must be preferable to hearsay ccounts. The Prussian army plays the devil with the country wherever they go; they made destruction in all the villages on the road from Waterloo to Paris, and beyond. I am not in the least sorry for them, for it just serves them right, and not half bad enough, for the usage they gave the Portuguese and Spaniards; it makes them feel a little of the seat of war as well as the rest of their neighbours."*

* A Prussian officer of rank had his quarters upon a French family, and proceeded to exert some species of tyranny and oppression, which at last drew