Our adversary’s desperate situation being instantly perceived by the Duke, his Grace ordered the charge: lord Saltoun, who had joined from Hougoumont, called out, “Now’s the time, my boys!” Our guards and Halkett’s left advanced with a loud cheer to the charge, the latter against a column which, on nearing our position, inclined to its right from the rear of the leading column, and moved _en échelons_, steady as on parade, through the hollow on its right of the tongue of ground, where it was protected from the direct fire of our right batteries. They gallantly advanced with a noble and admirable bearing; officers in front, arms sloped, drums beating the _pas de charge_, and between them and on their flanks their brass guns loaded with grape. When within ninety yards of Halkett’s left, they halted, carried arms as if to salute, and round wheeled their guns, down went their port-fires, and crash came the grape, accompanied by a volley, into the 30th and 73d regiments, who instantly returned the fire and came to the charge. Before the sharp report had died away, Vandersmissen’s brigade of guns, double-charged with grape, went Bang! bang! bang! right through the Imperial column: this appeared to rend it asunder, and it began to give way and disperse[63]. Our guards were pursuing the discomfited enemy into the valley, when the left or second attacking column of the Imperial guard was observed closely pressing on, undismayed by the defeat of their first column. To avoid being taken in flank, orders were given to the British guards to go about and resume their original position, but the word was misunderstood, and they fell into confusion; however notwithstanding the two battalions were mixed pell-mell together, getting the command on recrossing the ridge, “Halt, front, form!” they instantly fronted and formed four deep, and told off in companies of forties. Halkett’s left, which had charged, on getting clear of the smoke, saw the enemy broken and going off in disorder; loud and deep were the execrations bestowed upon them for not waiting to meet the retaliating vengeance, now ready to be inflicted for our slaughtered comrades. After the charge, the whole brigade got mixed together, and was for a few minutes in great confusion, occasioned by a terrific fire of musketry and grape-shot, the murderous effects of which so disordered Halkett’s right that they gave way, and thus clashed with their left who were retiring; this caused confusion which, fortunately however, speedily ceased, for a cry was heard, “Form square to resist cavalry[64]!” and a cheer burst forth from the 73d. Major Kelly, an officer of that regiment, but on the staff, having perceived the confusion and consequent danger, resolved to remain with his men, they having no officer of rank left to command them. During this most desperate assault, D’Aubremé’s Netherlanders, who formed three large squares in the immediate rear, also fell