The Allied Columns of Infantry were lying down upon the ground to shelter themselves as much as possible from the iron shower that fell fast and heavily—round shot, tearing frightful rents directly through their masses, or ploughing up the earth beside them; shells, bursting in the midst of the serried Columns, and scattering destruction in their fall, or previously burying themselves in the soft loose soil to be again forced upwards in eruptions of iron, mud, and stones, that fell among them like volcanic fragments.
During this terrible conflict of Artillery, Ney was making his preparatory dispositions with the Cavalry which Napoleon had desired him to launch against the Anglo-Allied Right Wing.
He first formed for attack, Milhaud's Corps of Cuirassiers, consisting of twenty four Squadrons; and directed Lefèbvre Desnouette's Light Cavalry Division of the Guard, comprising seven Squadrons of Lancers and twelve Squadrons of Chasseurs, to follow and support—in all forty three Squadrons—constituting a magnificent array of gallant horsemen. As they began to advance, the First Line, of Cuirassiers, shone in burnished steel, relieved by black horse hair crested helmets; next came the Red Lancers of the Guard, in their gaudy uniform, and mounted on richly caparisoned steeds, their fluttering lance flags heightening the brilliancy of their display; whilst the Third Line, comprising the Chasseurs of the Guard, in their rich costume of green and gold, with fur trimmed pelisses à la hussard, and black bearskin shakos, completed the gorgeous, yet harmonious, colouring of this military spectacle. Though formed in successive Lines of Columns in the hollow space on the immediate left of La Haye Sainte, where they were sheltered in some degree from the cannonade that raged so furiously above them, the Rear Lines obliqued to the left on the advance, and became echelonned to the First Line, so as to present a general front extending from the Charleroi road on their right to the Hougomont inclosures on their left.
As they ascended the ridge, the French Artillery suspended their fire; and the Allied Batteries commenced pouring a destructive shower of grape shot amidst their devoted ranks. Fiercely and fatally did this iron hail rattle against the helmed and steel clad Cuirassiers, here glancing off, there penetrating the armour; wounding or laying prostrate many a gallant warrior at the very moment when the brightest visions of glory had opened on his ardent imagination. This iron sleet, however, caused no perceptible check to their progress; and, with shouts of "Vive l'Empereur!" they accelerated their pace until, having arrived within about forty yards of the guns, they received the last and well prepared discharge. Its effects were terrific: but though their order was somewhat broken, their courage was not shaken. The charge was sounded; a cheer followed; and, in the next instant, they rushed up to the very cannon's mouth.
In accordance with previous instructions given by the Duke of Wellington himself, the Artillerymen withdrew, upon the close approach of the Cavalry, and sought shelter either beside, or in rear of, the Infantry Squares; or, where occasion required, they threw themselves under the projecting bayonets of the outer kneeling ranks for protection. The Cuirassiers, on crowning the crest of the ridge; and finding themselves so unexpectedly in possession of a Line of Batteries, shouted loudly forth their triumph; and, then renewing their onward charge, were, in a moment, lost to the view of the Lancers and Chasseurs of the Guard. These troops, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment and the eager desire to share in the fancied victory, advanced with the same fiery impetuosity, and the whole force was now fairly across the ridge.
The Allied Infantry, distributed in chequered Squares along the interior slope, were fully prepared to meet the attack. Some little apprehension had been entertained for the safety of the Right of the Front Line, where the Brunswickers, who, as before remarked, were mostly young, raw troops, had taken up the ground previously occupied by Byng's Brigade of Guards, which had been entirely absorbed by the defence of Hougomont, with the exception of two Companies which, with the Colours, had been withdrawn, as a Reserve, to a more sheltered position on the right of the Nivelles road. As the French Cavalry advanced, the 23rd British Regiment of Infantry was led up to the Front Line, and into an interval between the Brunswick Squares. This Regiment had nearly reached the brow of the ridge when it was suddenly ordered to halt and prepare to receive Cavalry; and the Chasseurs of the Guard appearing the next moment in its front, a fire from this face was opened so hastily that scarcely a shot could have told upon the Enemy. It instantly recovered this somewhat nervous precipitation, and presented a bold and determined stand; as did also the Brunswickers, who acted on this occasion in a manner that would have reflected credit on the most experienced veterans.
The cannonade had necessarily ceased along the Right Wing of the Anglo-Allied Front Line, and along the French Batteries to which it was opposed. Hence the vehement cheering on the part of the French Cavalry became the more distinctly audible and the more highly exciting. A sullen silence was maintained throughout the Allied Squares, which were all at the "prepare,"—front ranks kneeling, and the second at the charge,—thus forming a chevaux de frise, over which the rear ranks were ready to fire, as occasion might demand.
As the Cavalry now rushed down upon the Squares, the front faces of the latter opened their fire when the former had approached within about thirty paces of them. The effect of this fire was to create disorder and confusion in the leading Squadron or Half Squadron (as the case might be), which would then open out from the centre, and obliquing to the right and left respectively, pass on by the Flanks of the Square attacked, to the fire from which it would consequently become completely exposed. The succeeding repeated the manœuvre of the leading divisions; and their disorder became greater and greater as the continually augmenting obstacles in their front, the upset riders and horses, increased in multitude.
Here, as at Quatre Bras, the French Cavalry did not rush to the shock against a single British Square. The horsemen of the leading divisions who escaped the opposing fire, failed to maintain the direction of their speed with unabated vigour, and to dash against the Square, heedless of personal danger, and intent only upon securing the sole chance that offered for the success of their immediate followers. That portion of the Cavalry which passed through the intervals between the foremost Squares, directed their advance upon those that were in rear; and the Squares being generally en échiquier, the opening out and dividing of the attacking Squadrons in the manner described, soon commingled the horsemen of different Regiments, and added considerably to the disorder already caused by the dropping fire which assailed them in all directions.