The 28th, after gallantly standing its ground under a furious cannonade, was suddenly, and on three different sides, assailed by French cavalry. Two faces of the square were charged by the lancers, while the cuirassiers galloped down upon another. It was, as Maxwell states, a trying moment. "There was a death-like silence; and one voice alone, clear and calm, was heard. It was their colonel's (Sir Philip Benson), who called upon them to be 'steady!' On came the enemy! The earth shook beneath the horsemen's feet, while on every side of the devoted band the corn bending beneath the rush of cavalry disclosed their numerous assailants. The lance-blades approached the bayonets of the kneeling front rank--the cuirassiers were within forty paces--yet not a trigger was drawn; but, when the word 'Fire!' thundered from the colonel's lips, each face poured out its deadly volley--and in a moment the leading files of the French lay before the square, as if hurled by a thunderbolt to the earth. The assailants, broken and dispersed, galloped for shelter to the tall rye, while a stream of musketry from the British square carried death into the retreating squadrons." [Illustration: BRUNSWICK WATERLOO MEDAL.] [Illustration: SAXE-GOTHA-ALTENBURG WATERLOO MEDAL.] =42nd and French Lancers.=--The 42nd were not so fortunate, although their difficulty gave them the opportunity of again demonstrating the stern stuff of which they were moulded. The 42nd and 44th, the two foremost regiments posted in line on a reverse slope on the top of the Charleroi road, were suddenly and unexpectedly attacked in the rear by the French lancers under Wathier. The 42nd had almost formed square in the tall rye grass, all but the two flank companies having run in to form the rear face, when the leading squadron of lancers drove in the incompleted square, carrying along with it, by the impetus of their charge, several men of these two companies, and by spearing a number created considerable confusion, during which those who had been detached in the _mêlée_ fought back to back until the fire of their comrades drove off the cavalry, and enabled them to rejoin the ranks, where the body of the Black Watch, coolly standing firm, gradually closed up its faces, and bayoneted the daring lancers who had penetrated their square. These brave fellows, however, died hard; they killed the commanding officer, Sir Robert Macara, and wounded the three officers upon whom the command had devolved in the space of a few moments. The 42nd lost at Quatre Bras 298 officers and men killed and wounded.