Geo. Simmons.
Direct, 1st Battalion, 95th Regiment, British Army, Netherlands.
Journal—15th-18th June 1815
1815 June 15th
At 11 o'clock P.M., when in bed, my servant came to rouse me, saying the assembly was sounding. I directly dressed myself and went to our alarm post. Our Division (the 5th) formed in column of regiments near the park and waited for orders. We had many vague reports in circulation about the French.
16th
At daylight we marched through the Port de Namur. Numbers of people came to see us leave the town. We marched through Waterloo and halted. I lay down for an hour. The Duke of Wellington passed with his staff. The Division fell in and moved forward to Quatre Bras, where we had a view of Johnny.
The enemy commenced a cannonade, and our regiment filed through high corn to the left. Four companies were sent to drive Johnny from some fields intersected with thick hedges and also ditches, which we effected.
On this day our cavalry had not arrived, which gave the enemy a decided advantage, and made us keep nearer each other than otherwise would have been necessary. The Cuirassiers charged the 42nd and cut through them, but on recovering themselves they formed a square, and the Cuirassiers paid dear in turn for their temerity.
Until dark we had very sharp fighting.[28]