attempt however I succeeded. Being in the midst of French troops, I attempted to separate the eagle from the staff, to put it into the breast of my coatee, but it was too firmly fixed. Corporal Styles said, ‘Sir, don’t break it;’ to which I replied, ‘Very well; carry it off to the rear as fast as you can:’ he did so. Though wounded, I preferred remaining on the field in command of my squadron, which I did till near seven o’clock in the evening, when I was obliged to withdraw; having had two horses killed under me, and having received two wounds, which confined me to my quarters at Brussels for nearly two months.” During this conflict, the valley and slopes of both positions presented a sight indeed! they were covered with broken troops of both armies: ours, both infantry and cavalry, bringing up prisoners singly and in groups. Some few of our fellows, until driven back by their officers, were helping themselves to any little valuable article they could lay hand on. Many French officers were brought up prisoners; they delivered up their swords to our officers. The enemy upon the opposite heights were similarly employed in taking prisoners, and destroying such of our cavalry as had ventured too far, particularly the Scots Greys, who, by their ill-timed impetuosity, lost many men and horses. In fact most of Ponsonby’s brigade, with a portion of the household brigade, animated by their first success, pursued their advantage too far; they crossed the valley in disorder, and galloped up to the French position in two’s and three’s and groups, brandishing their swords in defiance, riding along the ridge, sabring the gunners, and rendering about thirty guns useless: the bugles, or trumpets, sounding to rally, were unheeded. General Ponsonby rode forward to stop their wild career, but he was intercepted in a ploughed field by the lancers, and killed. The command of the brigade devolved on colonel Muter, of the Inniskillings. The enemy’s cuirassiers, lancers and chasseurs, perceiving the isolated and unsupported position of our broken dragoons, rushed forward and made serious havock, pursuing them down the slope into the valley. Those of our men whose horses where blown and exhausted by their recent exertions, became an easy prey to the enemy; but at length the 12th and 16th light dragoons, part of Vandeleur’s brigade, came forward. The 12th, under colonel F. Ponsonby, charged some unsteady infantry in the valley, and then attacked the lancers, whom they overpowered, thus relieving our broken cavalry. In advancing, the 12th suffered most severely from the fire of some of Durutte’s division, who were concealed by a high bank in the valley, in front of our left.