308 SWABEY DIARY. 
had attracted some notice from an inscription of which he 
appeared to be somewhat shy, and which ran to the effect 
that the weapon was ‘the gift of his affectionate father in 
approbation of his good conduct.’ This was a standing 
joke. Whilst the officers were engaged in the rear trying 
to check the Portuguese flight which not only left them 
exposed but prevented their retiring, Lieutenant Newland 
perceiving the French close on them, while he drew his own 
sword, shouted to Robe, ‘Now then Robe,' out with your 
approbation.” 
_Theservices of Lieutenant Wm. Livingstone Robe, R.H.A., (Kane’s List No. 1390), son of Colonel 
Sir William Robe, K.C.B., R.A., were so numerous and he was so distinguished a young officer 
that it is not out of place here to give them in some detail. He obtained his first commission 
October 3rd, 1807, and went that year under Sir John Moore to Gottenburg. In August 1808 
under the same officer he went to Portugal, and in October advanced with his army to Salamanca 
and Astorya, and was present in the retreat from thence to Corufia. Engaged at Lugo. 
From Gibraltar he joined Lord Wellington’s army on March 11th, 1811, at Pombal while engag- 
ed with the French then in retreat, and he was in all the daily actions of that pursuit of Masséna, 
particularly at Sabugal, April 8rd, at Fuentes de Honor, May 3rd, 4th, and 5th. He served at the 
Ist siege of Badajos, June Ist to 10th, and at the repulse of Marshal Marmont’s attack at El] Boden, 
September 25th. 
At this time he was recalled to Gibraltar, but on the way he threw himself into Tarifa, and 
served during the siege by General Laval, December 19th, to January 4th, 1812. He was com- 
manded for his able defence from the Island. 
He afterwards joined Lord Wellington’s army, and was attached to “1” troop R.H.A., served 
at the action on the heights of Salamanca, June 16th, 1812, at the siege of the forts June 17th, to 
27th. At the operations prior to, and at the battle of Salamanca, Jul y 22nd, on which day he was 
in charge of the two pieces of <*E” troop from one of which a shell wounded Marshal Marmont 
just before the battle, this was known afterwards through the prisoners. He was engaged at Maj- 
alahonda, August 11th, against the troops of Joseph Bonaparte, at the capture of Madrid and 
surrender of the Retiro, August 13th and 14th. He seryed at the siege of Burgos, September 18th 
to October 18th. In the retreat from Burgos, his father being wounded near Valladolid, he 
attended him to Lisbon and thence to England. 
In 1813, he rejoined the army on the Bidassoa. The Marquis of Wellington having given him the 
command of a brigade of mountain guns carried on mules, he was with them at the battles of Niv- 
elles and Nive in November and December, when he had the honour of being mentioned and 
recommended for the gold medal for Nivelles and clasp for Nive, being the only subaltern officer so 
noticed. On the advance of the army into France he was employed af the investment of Bayonne, 
and was instrumental in obstructing the conveyance of supplies for that place by destroying the 
boats, one of which he foreed to run on shore, and then burnt by hot shot from his small guns. 
On the reassembling of the army under the Duke of Wellington in Belgium in 1815, he joined it 
with Captain Norman Ramsay’s ‘‘H” troop R.H.A. He was engagedin the retreat from Quatre Bras 
on the 17th June, and in the memorable battle of Waterloo concluded his short but active carcer in 
his countries service, being shot at the close of the day by arifleman while directing his guns 
against the enemy’s columns. 
Some particulars of his death and of his character are given in the following letters. Writing to 
Sir William Robe from Amiens 7th August 1815, 2nd Captain and brevet Major A. Macdonald 
says, “‘I should have written you long ere this had not a wound which deprived me of the use of 
my arm prevented me. As to the fall of your lamented son and my esteemed friend, I can only 
say that few young men have left this life more sincerely regretted, and his exertions on the 18th will 
ever endear his memory to all who witnessed his noble conduct on that day. Major Ramsay’s last 
words to me were as follows, ‘ did you ever witness such conduct as that of Brereton and Robe?”...... 
About 5 o’clock on the 18th your son reccived a mortal wound, and about the same time the follow- 
ing day he died at the village of Waterloo, after twice having taken leaye of me in the most 
friendly and affectionate manner......... His remains were interred in a beautiful spot in the 
village of Waterloo, where I intend to raise a monument to his memory.” 
Writing to his father on the 8th July 1815 from Paris, Lieutenant Robe, R.H., says,........ 
** Major Macdonald, and the surgeon that formerly belonged to Bean’s troop at Chatham, I forget 
his name, [Ambrose] were with him when he expired, both of whom were his particular friends. 
The former was with him when he received his wound, he says he called to him immediately for 
assistance and thought he could walk off the field, but on attempting to rise from the ground he 
found he was unable. Macdonald then ordered some men to carry him to a house in Waterloo, 
and he accompanied him and saw every possible care taken of him. Upon the surgeon examining 
the wound he found the ball had entered his groin and settled in the intestines, which caused an 
inflammation which proved fatal. When the surgeon toldhim it was impossible to save him, he 
appeared quite calm, and said there was no help for it, shook hand with him and Macdonald, and 
did not seem the least to regret his fate. When they asked him if he had anything to say to his 
friends, he said, ‘No, only give my love to my father and mother, and all my friends at home and 
