Page:Battles of Quatre Bras & Waterloo.pdf/8

 the ditch to charge in their men. As they rose a volley was proured upon them by a mass of infantry. The staff of the regimental colours was shattered to pieces, and the Ensign shot through the Heart; but the impetuosity of that regiment was not to be restrained. The enemy was protected by a house and garden, which they cleared and pursued the them to the skirts of a wood. In this short space of time, the 92d lost 300 men, and 4 commanding officers was killed or wounded. The 33d regiment, after suffering severely from artillery, was broken by a charge of cavalry, and driven into a wood with an immense loss. The French followed, and were making themselves masters of the wood, when the guards arrived on the field, and though worn out with hunger and fatigue, having marched nearly twelve hours, they formed into line— charged the enemy, and drove them again into the plain; but their line had become irregular, and on coming from the wood, a division of infantry was ready to receive them. The guards waited not to form into line, but darted forward to the new contest. The French recoiled from the shock; but Ney seeing that they were unsupported, ordered his cavalry to charge them. All attempts to form a square was in vain, and they retreated into the forest. Protected by the wood, they rallied and poured on them a destructive fire, and sent them in disorder from the field.

The 28th regiment was attacked by a large body of cuirassiers and lancers, and being quickly formed into a square, long fired from three sides, one on the lancers, and the other two on the cuirassiers. In vain they charged upon them but although great numbers fell, no opening was left for the cavalry to penetrate, and at length by then