At this critical moment Wellington galloped to the spot, and addressing himself to the Brunswickers, succeeded, by the electrifying influence of his voice and presence, in rallying the discomfited columns. Lieutenant-colonel sir Alexander Gordon was mortally wounded on this occasion. By the example and encouragement of the commanding officers, the other brigades were also rallied and formed. The Duke went off hastily to the right again. The battle had been now raging for nearly eight hours, and not a square had been broken, nor had the enemy gained more than one advantage, viz. the capture of La Haye-Sainte, which was through one of those mischances in war which often mar the best planned arrangements. But those continued furious attacks had not been met and repulsed without a most severe loss to the troops who had stood the brunt of the battle, and had been so long exposed to a murderous cannonade. [Illustration: (end of chapter; image of a helmet)] FOOTNOTES: [53] _See_ chapter X, Grouchy’s Report, and the English, Prussian, and French official accounts. [54] It in not easy to give a satisfactory reason why the enemy’s infantry skirmishers were allowed to press so closely up to our position and inflict such severe losses upon our gunners and infantry, when our cavalry could have driven them off or destroyed them. [55] All those who were near his Grace, and had full opportunity of observing him during the most critical and trying moments, agree in asserting, that it was impossible to learn from his countenance, voice or gesture, whether the affair in hand were trifling or important, quite safe, or extremely dangerous. [56] It appeared throughout the day, that Napoleon was determined to exhaust our troops, the expense of which was only, to him, a _secondary_ consideration. [57] I met this French officer on the field in 1844: he was a captain in the 2d carabineers, or brass-clad cuirassiers; the reason he gave for not coming over to us till the eleventh hour, was, that he expected a number of his regiment to desert with him. [58] _See_ colonel Hunter Blair’s letter, Appendix, No. VII. CHAPTER VII.