As soon as the French turned their backs, the 92nd poured upon them a volley which proved most destructive, and continued their advance, pursuing the Enemy along the edge of the Wood, into which they finally retired upon perceiving a disposition on the part of the French Cavalry to charge, and finding themselves exposed to a heavy cannonade which was rapidly thinning their ranks to a fearful extent. Subsequently, in consequence of their very severe loss, they were withdrawn through the Wood to Quatre Bras.
Again the French Skirmishers were creeping up the slope from the Gemioncourt inclosures, and Pack, who had united the remains of the 42nd and 44th Regiments into one Battalion, made the best show of resistance in his power to their teazing tiraillade; but being aware how very small a quantity of ammunition remained in his men's pouches, his anxiety on this point became extreme, the more so as he had good reasons for apprehending fresh attacks of Cavalry. His advanced position in the immediate proximity of the formation of the Enemy's Columns of Attack, naturally kept him on the look out for effective British support; and on observing the head of Halkett's Brigade, as the latter was advancing from Quatre Bras, he instantly despatched an Aide de Camp to that General, with a message, that his own Brigade had expended nearly the whole of its ammunition, and that if he did not offer him a Support, he would be under the necessity of almost immediately abandoning his position. Halkett at once acceded to the proposal by sending forward the 69th British Regiment, and desiring its Commanding Officer, Colonel Morice, to obey any Orders he might receive from General Pack.
In pursuance of Orders received from the Duke, Halkett moved the remainder of his Brigade into the space between the Wood of Bossu and the Charleroi road, fronting the French Left Wing. Here he found the Brunswick Infantry retiring with precipitation: he immediately put himself in communication with their Commanding Officer, Colonel Olfermann, and by aid of the support which his Brigade presented to their view, he succeeded in bringing them up under cover, in the ditch which, traversing the space between the Wood and the high road, ran nearly parallel with the Enemy's line.
Leaving his Brigade in the position he had taken up, in support of the Brunswickers and of Pack's Brigade, and pending the arrival of further instructions from the Duke, Halkett galloped to the Front, nearly beyond the Farm of Gemioncourt, for the purpose of ascertaining, if possible, the disposition and intentions of the Enemy. He was not kept long in suspense, Ney's arrangements for another general attack having been concluded; and, observing the Cavalry destined to advance against the Allies on both sides of the Charleroi road in motion, he turned round his horse and hastened to dispose his Brigade in such a manner as to render it fully prepared to brave the coming storm. On his way, he sent an intimation to Pack of his discovery, and Orders to the 69th Regiment to prepare forthwith to receive Cavalry.
A sudden and heavy cannonade had already opened from the French Heights—a sure prelude to the attack which was about to take place—and the 69th Regiment was in the act of forming Square, when the Prince of Orange rode up to it and asked what it was doing. Colonel Morice explained that he was forming Square in pursuance of the instructions he had received; upon which His Royal Highness, remarking that he did not think there was any chance of the Cavalry coming on, ordered him to reform Column, and to deploy into line. During this last movement a strong body of French Cuirassiers, taking advantage of the surrounding high corn, and of the circumstance of the Regiment lying in a hollow, approached unperceived quite close to the spot, and rushing suddenly and impetuously upon a Flank, succeeded in completely rolling up the Regiment, riding along and over the unfortunate men, of whom great numbers were cut down, and in the midst of the confusion thus created, captured and carried off one of the Colours; in defence of which Major Lindsay, Lieutenant Pigot, and Volunteer Clarke, highly distinguished themselves, and were desperately wounded. Some Officers and men took shelter in the Square formed by the 42nd and 44th Regiments; the mounted Officers gained the other side of the road, pursued by about twenty of the Enemy, and escaped by riding through one of the Hanoverian Battalions lining the Namur road.
The 30th Regiment, which had also been deployed into line by the Orders of the Prince of Orange, most fortunately discovered, in sufficient time, the approach of Cavalry (notwithstanding the extraordinary height of the rye, which greatly impeded all observation), formed Square with remarkable rapidity, and, reserving their fire until the very last moment, they completely dispersed and drove off a body of Piré's Lancers, and a portion of Kellermann's Cuirassiers, which troops had made a charge upon them, enveloping two faces of their Square. Picton, who, from the opposite side of the high road, was an eye witness of this scene, was so much pleased with the perfect steadiness of the Regiment, that, seizing a favourable opportunity of galloping up to it, he called for the Commanding Officer, and told Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton that he should report to the Duke the gallant conduct of his Corps. Indeed the steadiness and gallantry of the 30th in this Battle were so conspicuous as also to draw upon them the well merited commendations of the Prince of Orange, and Generals Alten, Halkett, and Kielmansegge.
The 73rd Regiment (under Colonel Harris), and the Brunswickers, were equally on the alert; but the French Cavalry, on finding them prepared, diverged towards the high road.
The 33rd Regiment (under Lieutenant Colonel Elphinstone), had formed Square upon its leading Company (the Grenadiers) at the moment the latter had reached some rising ground; in which position it became a conspicuous mark for the fire, at point blank distance, of a French Battery which opened upon it with great spirit. It was deemed advisable to deploy it into line, in which formation the Regiment advanced towards the two Brunswick Battalions then fiercely engaged with the Enemy's Light Troops near the skirt of the Wood; but upon approaching the latter, a report was spread along the line that French Cavalry was in its rear, whereupon the Regiment rushed precipitately into the Wood, within which it was speedily reformed.
Whilst that portion of Kellermann's Dragoons which had dispersed the 69th Regiment, were sweeping gallantly onwards in their bold career along the high road towards Quatre Bras, the greater body of this Corps advanced into the open space on the right of that road. Here Picton's gallant little bands found themselves again involved in one general onset of Cavalry, made with a violence and fury which seemed to betoken a desperate resolve to harass the devoted Squares to the last extremity, and to carry every thing by main force. At the same time a dense cloud of Skirmishers, bursting forth from the inclosures of Piermont, threatened to turn the extreme Left of the Anglo-Allied Army; whilst the French Infantry in the Wood of Bossu, close upon the northern boundary of the latter, equally endangered its extreme Right.