Page:Battle of Waterloo (3).pdf/16

 by the prodigies of nearly isolated, individual valour.

Buonaparte knew the number of his already devoted adversaries well; and, with his usual presumption, expressed great astonishment to see their undismayed front on that side of the forest. His fear was, that they would escape him in the night; and he exclaimed on first seeing their order of battle with the dawn- "Ah! I have them then, these English!"

The regular battle, it is well known, commenced by the almost simultaneous advance (and we distinctly saw their course) of three entire corps d’armee on the right, left, and centre, of the British line. The attack on the right had for its first object the carrying of the post of Hougoumont, the key of the position : in possession of which, the French could have turned the British right, That column had shortest, way to move; and, under King Jerome, it was there the cannon and musketry first began.

The utmost success of probably 30,000 men was, obliging the light companies of the 1st 2d and 3d foot guards, under the command of Lord Saltoun, to take refuge within the post, instead of defending the small wood, on the outside of it. The post itself was never occupied by the enemy for a moment. The guards kept, in spite of grape, and musketry, and balls, and shells, and flames; till they issued from it victorious in the hour of vengeance.

The corps d’armee destined for the left, (the 6th) soon arrived in the first attack in that quarter about the centre of the British left wing; but were calmly received and repulsed, by the admirably served artillery, and by the 42d 79th and 92d Highlanders, supported, it is believed, by the