arts, baggage-wagons, and tumbrils, were heaped
together as a barricade against the attack of the French dragoons, who
more than once had penetrated to the very crest of our position. Close
to this, and on a little rising ground, from which a view of the entire
field extended from Hougoumont to the far left, the Duke of Wellington
stood, surrounded by his staff. His eye was bent upon the valley before
him, where the advancing columns of Ney's attack still pressed onwards;
while the fire of sixty great guns poured death and carnage into his
lines. The second Belgian division, routed and broken, had fallen back
upon the twenty-seventh regiment, who had merely time to throw
themselves into square, when Milhaud's cuirassiers, armed with a
terrible long straight sword, came sweeping down upon them. A line of
impassable bayonets, a living _chevaux-de-frise_ of the best blood of
Britain, stood firm and motionless before the shock: the French
_mitraille_ played mercilessly on the ranks; but the chasms were filled
up like magic, and in vain the bold horsemen of Gaul galloped round the
bristling files. At length the word "fire!" was heard within the square,
and as the bullets at pistol range rattled upon them, the cuirass
afforded them no defence against the deadly volley. Men and horses
rolled indiscriminately upon the earth: then would come a charge of our
dashing squadrons, who, riding recklessly upon the foe, were, in their
turn, to be repulsed by numbers, when fresh attacks would pour down upon
our unshaken infantry.

"That column yonder is wavering: why does he not bring up his
supporting squadrons?" inquired the Duke, pointing to a Belgian regiment
of light dragoons, who were formed in the same brigade with the seventh
hussars.

"He refuses to oppose his light cavalry to cuirassiers, my lord," said
an aid-de-camp, who had just returned from the division in question.

"Tell him to march his men off the ground," said the Duke, with a quiet
and impassive tone.

In less than ten minutes the regiment was seen to defile from the mass,
and take the road to Brussels, to increase the panic of that city, by
circulating and strengthening the report, that the English were
beaten,--and Napoleon in full march upon the capital.

"What's Ney's force? can you guess, Sir?" said Lord Wellington turning
to me.

"About twelve thousand men, my lord."

"Are the Guard among them?"

"No, Sir; the Guard are in reserve above La Belle Allia