reserve; and some of the Prussians now
approaching the left, the cavalry there were brought to the center to
aid in the defense of the threatened point. Just as these arrangements
were completed the enemy advanced in tremendous force from the
inclosure of La Haye Sainte, and with their fire so completely
mastered that of the remnants of the infantry, that their light guns
were brought up to within a hundred yards of the British line and
opened with grape upon the squares. Two Hanoverian battalions were
almost annihilated, the brigade of the German legion almost ceased to
exist.

A Brunswick cavalry regiment that had hitherto fought gallantly lost
heart and would have fled had not the British cavalry behind them
prevented them from doing so.

In the meantime the Imperial Guard in two heavy columns, led by Ney
himself, were advancing, the guards being followed by every available
man of the infantry and cavalry. One of these columns skirted the
inclosure of the Hougoumont, the other moved against the center. They
pressed forward until they reached the top of the slope, and a hundred
cannon were brought up and unlimbered, while the artillery on the
opposite slope rained round shot and shell upon the British squares
and artillery. The English guns tried in vain to answer them: they
were wholly overmatched. Gun after gun was dismounted, horses and men
destroyed; but as soon as the leading column of the guards reached the
point when their own guns had to cease fire, the English artillery
opened again, and terrible was the havoc they made in the dense
columns. Still the guard pressed on until they reached the top of the
crest; and then the British guards leaped to their feet and poured in
a tremendous volley at close quarters, fell on the flank of the
column, broke it, and hurled it down the hill.

The guards were recalled and prepared to oppose the second column, but
their aid was not needed; the Fifty-second threw themselves upon its
flank, the Seventy-first and Ninety-fifth swept its head with their
volleys, and as the column broke and retired the Duke of Wellington
gave the orders the men had been longing for since the fight began.
The squares broke into lines, and the British, cheering wildly,
descended the crest. The French retreat became a rout, cavalry and
infantry fell upon them, the artillery plied them with their fire, the
Prussians poured down upon their flank. By eight o'clock the splendid
army of Napoleon was