[27] Every house in the neighbourhood was used for the wounded; the farm of Mont-St.-Jean was the chief hospital, or the head-quarters for the medical staff.
[28] See [Outline map of the Waterloo campaign].
CHAPTER III.
The Duke at Hougoumont, makes a slight change, returns to the ridge.—Battle commences at Hougoumont: Jérôme’s columns put in motion, drew the fire of our battery upon them, to which theirs replied.—Close fighting at Hougoumont.—Our left menaced by the enemy’s cavalry.—Howitzers open upon the enemy in the wood of Hougoumont.—The enemy press on and approach the masked wall, from whence the crashing fusillade astounds them.—Our troops under lord Saltoun charge and rout the enemy; a portion of whom pass Hougoumont on their right, and enter the gate: a desperate struggle ensues.—Gallantry of colonel Macdonell, sergeant Graham, and the Coldstream.—The enemy’s light troops drive off our right battery.—Colonel Woodford, with a body of the Coldstream, reinforces Hougoumont.—Sergeant Graham rescues his brother from the flames.—Prussian cavalry observed.—Hougoumont a stumbling-block to the enemy, who now prepare to attack our left.—Napoleon observes a part of Bulow’s Prussian corps, and detaches cavalry to keep them in check.—A Prussian hussar taken prisoner; his disclosures to the enemy.—Soult writes a dispatch to Grouchy.—Oversight of Napoleon, who orders Ney to attack our left.—D’Erlon’s columns advance; terrific fire of artillery.—La Haye-Sainte and Papelotte attacked.—Picton’s division, aided by Ponsonby’s cavalry, defeat the enemy.—Shaw the life-guardsman killed.—Struggle for a colour.—A female hussar killed.—Picton killed.—Scots Greys and Highlanders charge together.—Two eagles captured, with a host of prisoners.—Our heavy cavalry get out of hand.—Ponsonby killed.—12th dragoons charge.—Our front troops drawn back.—Charge of Kellermann’s cuirassiers, repulsed by Somerset’s household brigade, who following up the enemy mix with Ponsonby’s dragoons on the French position.—Captain Siborne’s narrative of the attack upon our left and centre.—Heroism of lord Uxbridge.
Just before the commencement of the battle, and after taking a minute survey of his troops on the position, the Duke rode down to Hougoumont, and following the footpath that traversed the wood, halted at the eastern boundary, from whence he surveyed the enemy’s masses in that vicinity. He afterwards returned to the buildings, and, casting a hasty glance around, made a few observations to colonel Macdonell, ordered a slight change to be made in the troops holding the wood and out-grounds, and then rode away.
At about half-past eleven o’clock, his Grace was near the bit of hedge-row on the road side, midway between the Lion and Hougoumont, in conversation with one of his staff, when a strong force of light troops of prince Jérôme’s division commenced an attack in the wood of Hougoumont upon our light troops, who, being under cover of the hedge and trees, kept them at bay for some time: the French however pressed on briskly into the wood, and drove our troops back towards the buildings. The rattle of the musketry was kept up in the wood for some time; and thus opened the memorable day of Waterloo.
Upon Jérôme’s supporting columns being put in motion, (about ten minutes to twelve, according to lord Edward Somerset and general Shaw Kennedy’s watches[29],) captain Cleeve’s German battery first opened upon them, and produced a most terrific effect, making a complete road through the mass[30]: the leading column was broken, and fell back behind the ridge; upon which our artillery more to the right opened upon the French rear columns which had slightly changed their position. Reille’s guns now opened, and a heavy cannonade was carried on. Napoleon ordered Kellermann to push forward his horse batteries: thus the fire augmented like thickening peals of thunder, and the whole kept up a continual roar;
“And from their deep throats