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The Duke of Wellington was close behind them. He had placed himself on a ridge, and declared that he would not move from it. This was sufficient to render his troops invincible. They would now, as Soult had justly declared, rather have suffered themselves to be cut to pieces, than expose their beloved commander to peril.
The redoubted imperial guard still advanced. They approached within a hundred yards, when the Duke suddenly exclaimed, "Up guards, and at them." The unexpected apparition of this fine body of men startled the French battalions, and they suddenly paused; but immediately recovering themselves, they advanced more rapidly. At a given signal, their artillery filed off to the right and the left. They approached within twenty yards of their opponents, and were in the act of dashing upon them with the bayonet; when a volley was poured upon them by the British which staggered them, and literally knocked them back with its shock. A second volley threw them into greater confusion, and ere they had time to deploy or to manoeuvre, the British cheered and rushed furiously upon them. They waited not to receive the attack, but suddenly turning fled in disorder.
The British were eagerly pursuing, when a regient of sharp-shooters, which had accompanied and protected the advancing column, attacked them, and did considerable execution; but the British immediately rallied, and again cheering as before, charged on their new antagonists. They likewise refused to receive the shock, and followed the route of their companions. Again the French rallied, and opened a galling and destructive fire on their pursuers, but as soon as they were within charging distance uniformly gave way.
The main body of the Prussians had now arrived, though they were bravely opposed by the
