HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [263 



the whole of them had left Brussels. The Duke of Brunswick 

 and the Prince of Orange had already marched, with their 

 corps. On their arrival at the scene of action, they became 

 immediately opposed to Marshal Ney. He attacked the Belgians 

 and Brunswickers in their position at Quatre Bras with all his 

 force. It was at this time that the Duke of Brunswick was 

 mortally wounded : the Prince of Orange also received a musket- 

 ball in his shoulder. It was near mid-day when the British began 

 to arrive : the Duke of Wellington rode into the field near the post 

 of Quatre Bras, which now fell to the British to maintain. The 

 English became engaged as they successively arrived. The French 

 attacked the British repeatedly with a large body of infantry 

 and cavalry, supported by a powerful artillery, but they were re- 

 pulsed in the " steadiest manner." This dreadful day was sus- 

 tained with great loss, owing, perhaps, to the want of cavalry, 

 which had not yet arrived. Night put an end to the contest. 

 Blucher had suffered dreadfully ; and, as his fourth corps had not 

 yet arrived, he fell back in the night, and concentrated his army 

 upon Wavre. This rendered a correspondent movement on the part 

 of the British necessary : the Duke of Wellington retired from 

 Quatre Bras to Genappe, and thence, on the morning of the 17th, 

 upon Waterloo. The enemy made no effort to pursue Blucher, nor 

 did he attempt to molest the march of the British to the rear, al- 

 though made in the middle of the day, excepting by following with 

 a large body of cavalry the cavalry under the Earl of Uxbridge. 

 This gave his Lordship an opportunity of charging them with the 

 1st Life Guards in an effective and gallant manner. Indeed the 

 cavalry were constantly fighting with the enemy whilst covering 

 the retreat of the infantry, and the Duke of Wellington declared 

 that he never saw finer charges, or more ably conducted. Both ar- 

 mies now appear to have been exhausted : a sort of respite ensued, 

 but this was only to prepare for the dreadful 18th, when all was to 

 be consummated. Whilst engaged in the arduous task of covering 

 the retreat on this day, the Earl of Uxbridge, being in the rear of 

 the last troop of the cavalry, he observed a French regiment form 

 across the road to charge. He instantly turned round, and alone, 

 gallopped back towards the enemy, waving his hat to his soldiers, 

 who had advanced some way in their retreat. Major Kelly joined 

 his Lordship at full gallop. The regiment soon came up, and 

 dashed amongst the enemy, who were entirely overthrown. A vio- 

 lent thunder-storm raged at this time, accompanied with torrents 



