d again they charged down upon the Twenty-eighth,
Forty-second, Forty-fourth, and First Royals. The Twenty-eighth and
the Royals did not indeed wait to be attacked, but led by Picton and
Kempt in person resolutely advanced to charge the French cavalry. This
feat, seldom exampled in military history, was rendered necessary in
order to cover the flank of the Forty-second and Forty-fourth, now, by
the flight of the Brunswickers, Dutch, and Belgians, open to the
attacks of the French cavalry. The fields here were covered with a
growth of tall rye, that concealed the approach of the French cavalry
till they were within a few yards of the infantry, and it was only by
the tramp of the horses as they rushed through the corn that the
British square knew when their foes would be upon them.

Picton in the center of the Twenty-eighth encouraged them by his
presence, and they stood firm, although the cavalry again and again
charged down until their horse's chests touched the close line of
bayonets. They were every time repulsed with heavy loss. The
Thirty-second, Seventy-ninth, and Ninety-fifth were also exposed to
similar attacks; but everywhere the British soldiers stood firmly
shoulder to shoulder, and nowhere did the French succeed in breaking
their ranks.

At five o'clock fresh guns and cavalry reinforced Ney, and his
infantry again advanced in great force through the wood of Bossu. The
British squares were decimated by the fire of the artillery, and
several batteries were advanced to comparatively short range, and
opened with destructive effect.

Stoutly as the eight thousand British had fought--deserted though they
were by their allies--against Ney's overpowering numbers, they could
not much longer have stood their ground, when at the critical moment
General Alten's division came up by the Nivelles road to their aid.
Halket's British brigade advanced between the wood of Bossu and the
Charleroi road; while the Hanoverian brigade took up ground to the
left, and gave their support to the hardly-pressed British.

Ney now pushed forward every man at his disposal. His masses of
cavalry charged down, and falling upon the Sixty-ninth, one of the
regiments just arrived, cut it up terribly, and carried off one of its
colors. The Thirty-second, however, belonging to the same brigade,
repulsed a similar attempt with terrible slaughter. The French
infantry, supported by a column of cuirassiers, advanced against the
Hanoverians, and d