The Duke having seen the guards placed in their position, rode a little to the right, and observing the 52d in a favourable situation, sent to sir Henry Clinton to move forward the rest of Adam’s brigade to charge the Imperial guard, that, with drums beating and deafening shouts of _Vive l’Empereur!_ now crowned the summit of the position. The fire of Napier’s and Vandersmissen’s batteries, and of the British guards, opened on them, but still they gallantly pressed forward, as did also the columns of Donzelot, upon Alten’s division; and the rest of d’Erlon’s columns _en échelons_, on their right of La Haye-Sainte, moved forward towards Lambert’s, Kempt’s and Best’s brigades. The fate of the battle seemed to quiver on the beam, when the 52d in its complete four-deep line, previously screened from the enemy’s view by the crest of our ridge, moved down in the most compact order upon the left flank of the Imperial column. The column halted, formed front to its left, and opened, from its long flank, a most galling fire upon the 52d. The latter also halted, and poured a most deadly fire into their ranks: the finest infantry the world produced, thus confronted each other. At this moment (about eight o’clock,) the 2d battalion of the 95th rifles came up on the left, and fired into the head of the column[67]. The 71st and the 3d battalion of the 95th were also rapidly advancing. This terrific fire told with most awful effect on the flank of the mass, already torn by the close discharges of case and grape-shot from our guns. From whose rapid fire, together with the musketry, a dense cloud of thick smoke hung on the ridge, and completely enveloped the contending parties. A still more rapid roll of musketry marked the highest efforts of the conflict, when on a sudden it began to slacken. Sir John Colborne gave the word to charge, which our men answered by three hearty cheers and louder than the shouts of _Vive l’Empereur_[68]. The French column now seemed to reel to and fro under the heavy fire, and in truth it was unable to advance and unwilling to retire. It was in a position too trying even for its experienced veterans, notwithstanding they were animated by the best spirit. But the most daring in its ranks, and there were many, made a determined resistance, and seemed to linger on the spot; one of these, no doubt, was Ney, who, upon the rout of the first column, joined the second and led that also[69].