fly at our skirmishers too; the
officers commanding whom were every time sending back to say that we
were shooting them; until we were, at last, obliged to be satisfied
with whatever advantages their appearance could give, as even that was
of some consequence, where troops were so scarce.

Buonaparte's attack on the Prussians had already commenced, and the
fire of artillery and musketry, in that direction, was tremendous; but
the intervening higher ground prevented us from seeing any part of it.

The plain to our right, which we had just quitted, had, likewise,
become the scene of a sanguinary and unequal contest. Our division,
after we left it, deployed into line, and, in advancing, met and
routed the French infantry; but, in following up their advantage,
they encountered a furious charge of cavalry, and were obliged to
throw themselves into squares to receive it. With the exception of one
regiment, however, which had two companies cut to pieces, they were
not only successful in resisting the attack, but made awful havock in
the enemy's ranks, who, nevertheless, continued their forward career,
and went sweeping past them, like a whirlwind, up to the village of
Quatre Bras, to the confusion and consternation of the numerous
useless appendages of our army, who were there assembled, waiting the
result of the battle.

The forward movement of the enemy's cavalry gave their infantry time
to rally; and, strongly reinforced with fresh troops, they again
advanced to the attack. This was a crisis in which, according to
Buonaparte's theory, the victory was theirs, by all the rules of war,
for they held superior numbers, both before and behind us; but the
gallant old Picton, who had been trained in a different school, did
not choose to confine himself to rules in those matters; despising
the force in his rear, he advanced, charged, and routed those in his
front, which created such a panic among the others, that they galloped
back through the intervals in his division, with no other object in
view but their own safety. After this desperate conflict, the firing,
on both sides, lulled almost to a calm for nearly an hour, while each
was busy in renewing their order of battle. The Duke of Brunswick had
been killed early in the action, endeavouring to rally his young
troops, who were unable to withstand the impetuosity of the French;
and, as we had no other cavalry force in the field, the few British
infantry regiments present, havin