With a trampling turmoil of horse-hoofs the cavalrymen of the British Union Brigade burst on the scene, galloping forward from their former post in rear of Picton’s infantry. The Scots Greys were on the left; the Inniskillings in the centre; the Royal Dragoons on the right.
Marcognet’s men heard their approach, and the next moment saw the horsemen coming at them. The unexpected sight startled and staggered them; and some of those in the front line gave way. The alarm spread at once, as most of the rest realised what was approaching. The whole column swayed to and fro violently. Then it lost cohesion and began to roll back in mingled ranks down-hill.
A moment later the Greys were among them. “The smoke in which the head of the French column was enshrouded had not cleared away when the Greys dashed into the mass.
“Highlanders and Greys charged together, while shrill and wild from the Highland ranks sounded the mountain pipe, mingled with shouts of ‘Scotland for ever!’” So an officer describes. The men of the 92nd seized hold of the stirrup-leathers of the horsemen, and charged with them. “All rushed forward, leaving none but the disabled in their rear.”
WATERLOO
The Charge of the Union Brigade
A SHOUT OF “ATTENTION! CAVALRY!”
“The dragoons,” describes Captain Siborne, “having the advantage of the descent, appeared to mow down the mass, which, bending under the pressure, quickly spread itself outwards in all directions. Yet in that mass were many gallant spirits who could not be brought to yield without a struggle; and these fought bravely to the death.”
Says some one on the French side: “We heard a shout of ‘Attention! Cavalry!’ Almost at the same instant a crowd of red dragoons mounted on grey horses swept down upon us like the wind. Those who had straggled were cut to pieces without mercy. They did not fall upon our columns to ride through and break us up—we were too deep and massive for that; but they came down between the divisions, slashing right and left with their sabres and spurring their horses into the flanks of the columns to cut them in two. Though they did not succeed in this, they killed great numbers and threw us into confusion.”