In pursuance of this plan, renewed efforts were made by the attacking force against Hougomont; and two Columns from Donzelot's Division descended upon La Haye Sainte.
Meanwhile, Major Baring having applied for a reinforcement, two Companies were detached to his Post from the 1st Light Battalion of the King's German Legion. To these and a part of his own Battalion, he intrusted the defence of the Garden; and, abandoning altogether the Orchard, he placed the remainder of his force in the Buildings, distributing their defence among the three Officers who had so courageously maintained them during the previous attack.
The French Columns advanced against this Post with the most undaunted resolution and the most conspicuous gallantry. The well aimed bullets of the German rifles, though they told quickly and fearfully amidst their masses, arrested not their progress for a moment. They rushed close up to the walls; and, seizing the rifles as they protruded through the loop holes, endeavoured to wrest them from the hands of the defenders. They also made a most furious assault against the gates and doors, in defence of which many lives were sacrificed. The greatest struggle was at the western opening to the Large Barn, the door of which was wanting. The French, determined to make good an entrance, encountered the brave Germans equally resolute to prevent them. The foremost Frenchmen, dashing boldly on to force their way, were struck down by the deliberate fire from the rifles the instant they reached the threshold; and seventeen of their dead bodies already formed a rampart for those who continued to press forward to carry on the struggle.
It was nearly four o'clock when certain movements made by the Lancers on the French extreme Left, led the Duke to suspect an attack from that quarter; and which, considering the almost isolated position of his detached force at Braine l'Alleud and Vieux Foriez, might, if successful, be attended with very serious consequences to himself. He drew Lord Uxbridge's attention to that point; and the latter immediately despatched Grant, with the 13th Light Dragoons and the 15th Hussars of his Brigade to attack the Lancers, detaching at the same time the 2nd Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion from Dörnberg's Brigade, towards Braine l'Alleud, for the purpose both of facilitating the attack, by manœuvring on the left of the Lancers, and of watching the Enemy's dispositions in that direction.
The fire of Artillery along both Lines had been maintained with the utmost vigour. At this moment, however, a most furious cannonade was directed against that part of the Anglo-Allied Line which was situated between the two high roads. While some of the French Light Batteries took post in advance, others of the Imperial Guard, comprising twelve pounders, opened a fire from the Heights in rear of, and above, La Belle Alliance; and as the Batteries upon the main French Line were ranged along the arc of the chord formed by the Allied Line, the French Artillery was enabled by its very great numerical superiority in guns to concentrate an overwhelming fire upon any part of the Duke's position.
The Allied Infantry posted in Columns along the interior slope of the ridge, were entirely screened from the observation of the French, who could not distinguish any portion of their Enemies beyond the devoted British and German Artillerymen at their guns; which, despite the severity of the fire from their opponents, were worked with the most admirable coolness and intrepidity, and with a precision beyond all praise.
The thunder of the Artillery continued pealing forth in an uninterrupted roll, and the scene became awfully grand. The guns having once obtained the required range, were fired without intermission. Instantaneous flashes met the eye, all along the Heights, succeeded by volumes of smoke bounding forth along the ground in front, and enveloping the Batteries in clouds. The earth trembled beneath the dread concussion. The oldest soldiers had never witnessed a cannonade conducted with such fury, with such desperation.
Ney