"However, immediately afterwards the cannonade began on the right and increased every minute, till it was opposite to us, a gentle breeze wafting the smoke of the French guns towards us, which wholly prevented our seeing anything in front of us. Our brigade continued drawn up at the bottom of the hill, and I was sent to desire the commanding officers of the different regiments to draw them up as close to the hill as possible, as they began to suffer both from shells and shot, the effects of the cannonade.... "The cannonade now greatly increased, and under cover of the smoke from both their cannon and our own, the French advanced the division the Count D'Erbon,[2] who had by this time got close to our infantry, who opened their fire upon them: but the enemy much more powerful in numbers continued to push on. Our general observing what was about to take place, immediately sent me down to bring up the brigade with all speed. I did so: the general met us just before we reached the summit of the hill: had we been five minutes later, it would have been too late to have effected what we did, as the French had charged our infantry with the bayonet, who fled through the intervals of our squadrons, but immediately rallying, advanced again with us to the hedge, a little way down the hill, where they fired a volley at the French, when they were close to each other. Our three regiments of dragoons were not quite in line: the ---- Dragoons were on the right, and some yards in advance, so that the general placing himself in front of them, they charged a little before the other regiments did: the French gave us only a partial volley, being in some disorder in consequence of their previous exertions against our infantry, and from having no idea of our brigade being so near at hand. We accordingly _went right through them_: not a horse, as is usually the case, went round from the fire, and the enemy threw down their arms. [2] I make no attempt to alter the wording.--E. A. "The other two regiments came up in succession, but were a little delayed by the hedge: we again charged--the general riding along the whole line to the left of the brigade--so that we saw the whole three regiments charge: the result in each instance the same--namely--the enemy throwing down their arms, and begging their lives. "In this conflict two eagles were taken, one by the ---- Dragoons, and the other by ---- Dragoons.