About the same time that these Battalions embarked, Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Ross proceeded to Belgium to take command of the two companies of the 3rd Battalion, which had been in Holland, the Head-quarters being still in America, or on their way back. These as well as the 2nd Battalion were placed in Sir Frederick Adam’s brigade of Sir Henry Clinton’s division, with their old companions in arms the 52nd and with the 71st Light Infantry.
The 1st Battalion being, as I said, at Brussels and in billets, were startled from their sleep on the evening of June 15, by their bugles sounding the ‘assembly.’ The companies immediately assembled on their alarm posts. Here two days’ rations of biscuit and meat were served out to the men; and they marched to near the Park, where the Battalion was formed in quarter-distance column. This was effected, though the men were billeted all over the town, by eleven o’clock; whereas the other regiments of the division were not formed up till two o’clock in the morning. The Battalion being thus assembled, piled arms; the men took off their packs, and using them as pillows, were soon fast asleep, The officers following their example and reposing on a doorstep, or wherever else they could, were frequently disturbed by the ladies and others returning from the Duchess of Richmond’s ball, which, it is well known, took place on that night. However, the other regiments of the division having assembled, about dawn they left Brussels by the Porte-de-Namur, and marched to Waterloo. Here they halted among some trees on the left side of the road. The men cooked, and after a rest resumed their march by the Charleroi road towards Quatre Bras. The heat was intense; and one man, struck by a coup-de-soleil, went raving mad, struck the man next him with his rifle, and fell down dead. After passing Genappe the companies extended as they came up, passing through fields of high standing corn. A few round-shot now greeted them, but they proceeded till brought up by a thick quickset hedge. The enemy fired at this, and wounded one man. The Riflemen poked their rifles through, but hesitated to force themselves through it on account of the sharpness of the thorns. So strange it is that these men, who feared no fire of the enemy, hesitated before a prickly hedge. Then it was that George Simmons, seeing the check, went back a few paces, and rushing at Sergeant Underwood, hit him on the knapsack and butted him through. Both rolled on the ground on the other side, which was much lower; but they soon sprang to their feet, and, the gap once made, the men poured through.
It was now about two o’clock when FitzMaurice, who was in Leach’s absence at Brussels commanding the leading company, and who was posted on some high ground, observed a horseman, apparently in deep thought, coming up the road. As he drew near he recognised the Duke of Wellington, who raising his eyes, and seeing the 95th uniform, called out quickly, ‘Where is Barnard?’ The word was passed for him; and when the Colonel galloped up, the Duke said, ‘Barnard, these fellows are coming on; you must stop them by throwing yourself into that wood.’ Barnard immediately ordered FitzMaurice to take the company into the wood, and ‘amuse’ them, until he brought up the rest of the Battalion. As FitzMaurice was moving off, the Duke called to him to go round a knoll which would shelter him from the enemy’s fire.[153]
General Bachelu had occupied the wood of Piermont, and was pushing forward to obtain possession of another small wood which would have interrupted the communication between Quatre Bras and Ligny. But the Riflemen anticipated them. ‘Here, for the first time in this campaign, the troops of the two nations became engaged. The skirmishers who successfully checked the further advance of the French, and secured the wood, were the 1st Battalion of the British 95th Rifles,[154] whom the old campaigners of the French army, at least those who had served in the Peninsula, had so frequently found the foremost in the fight, and of whose peculiarly effective discipline and admirable training they had had ample experience.’[155]
Besides the occupation of this wood the Battalion kept possession of the Namur road, which they lined.[156] Charles Beckwith’s company, commanded by Lieutenant Layton, lined an embankment with a ditch in front of it, and kept up a smart fire on the enemy, which was as smartly returned. Layton himself was hit in the wrist and side. Yet the enemy forcing the Riflemen, by increased numbers, out of the wood, made furious endeavours to turn the left flank of the English line, on which the Battalion was posted. They had already gained the road, when the Riflemen at last received the glad summons to advance, and leaping over the bank and ditch, dashed in among them, and drove them from the road and from some houses on it which they had occupied.
Marshal Ney was now checked at every point; the wood of Piermont on his right, that of Bossu on his left, and the plain in the centre, were all occupied by the Allies or cleared of the French.
The losses of the Battalion at Quatre Bras were Lieutenant Lister,[157] 2 sergeants and 6 rank and file killed; Captain Smyth[158]; Lieutenants Layton, wounded in the wrist; Gardiner, severely wounded in the leg; FitzMaurice,[159] wounded in the leg; 3 sergeants and 48 rank and file wounded.
At nightfall the ground won by the Riflemen was given over to Sir Charles Alten’s division, and the Battalion retired to the rear of the farm of Gemioncourt; where, having formed open column of companies and piled arms, the men lay down in their ranks, the officers on the inner flanks of their companies; ready, all of them, to take their arms and assume order of battle on any alarm.
Before the Battalion left the ground on which it had fought, Sir Andrew Barnard called attention to a Rifleman lying in their front, with both his legs shattered, adding, ‘Gentlemen, if one of you would remain here with two or three men, and bring that poor fellow off, it would be a glorious act indeed.’ George Simmons at once volunteered. After the Battalion had moved off, he set up two sticks in the direction of the wounded man and laid another at top. When it was getting dark he sent a man forward in this alignment, and marching upon him, and past him, soon reached the wounded man. He told him not to make a sound, hoisted him on the back of one of the men who remained with him, and, the poor fellow suppressing a groan or a sound, he took him away. Luckily while he was thus engaged the sentries of the French picquet were being visited, so that their attention was occupied. On nearing our lines he and his suffering burthen were challenged by the Germans of Alten’s division, and it was not till an officer and twenty men had advanced and examined him, that he was suffered to pass, and to deposit the wounded man in a house at Quatre Bras. After which he rejoined his Battalion.