Visitors from England were at this time flocking over in great numbers, and travelling about amongst the cantonments; but ours was so secluded, being distant from every great road, that none of them found us out, until Sir G. A. Wood (our Colonel commanding), coming over to review the horse-artillery, brought with him the Knight of Kerry and another Irish gentleman (name forgotten), who passed a day with us in the old chateau, and were mightily pleased with our snuggery. The inspection took place on the little common at Denderhout. Six troops[8] were drawn out, and made a splendid show--for finer, as to equipment, men, horses, &c. &c., could not possibly be seen. Mine was generally allowed to be the finest (old G), though there was some hesitation in deciding between it and Webber Smyth’s. The line was scarcely formed when his Royal Highness of Berri arrived, and as usual got into a pet at finding himself forestalled. Sir Augustus Frazer, however, with his excellent manners and as excellent French, soothed him by expressions of regret, &c. &c., and stating that some of our people had come a long distance, and unless soon despatched, would hardly be able to get home before night. Roads bad, &c., otherwise, &c. &c. &c. The Duke cooled down, and condescended to accompany Sir G. Wood through the ranks. We then marched past, and off home.[9] The French officers were all admiration and astonishment: they had never seen anything so complete, nor any troop so mounted. At Waterloo, on the 18th June, there were present eight troops of British and two of Hanoverian horse-artillery. The British, as far as I can recollect, were:--1. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Hew D. Ross’s; 2. Major Bull’s; 3. Major M‘Donald’s; 4. Major Ramsay’s; 5. Lieutenant-Colonel Webber Smyth’s; 6. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Gardiner’s; 7. Major Beane’s; 8. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. Dickson, _alias_ Captain Mercer’s; also Captain Whinyate’s rocket-troop. These were armed as follows:--Major Bull’s, six heavy 5½-inch howitzers; Lieutenant-Colonel Gardiner’s and W. Smith’s, five light 6-pounders, and one light 5½-inch howitzer--these two being attached to the hussar brigades; Captain Whinyate’s rockets and light 6-pounders; each of the others had five 9-pounders and one heavy 5½-inch howitzer; and these “heavy drags” (as we called them) were destined, by Sir Augustus Frazer, who commanded the horse-artillery, together with Bull’s howitzers, to form a grand battery in reserve, to be applied as he might find occasion--a formidable reserve it would have been. However, it never came into play in that manner; for in the general orders of the army organising it, we were all posted to different brigades of cavalry, consequently Frazer’s _grande batterie_ vanished in smoke. In this allotment I fell to the first division, Lord Edward Somerset, composed of the three Household regiments--the Scots Greys, 1st Dragoon Guards, and 6th or Inniskillings.