Chapter IV: The 42nd at Quatre Bras

The return of Napoleon from Elba found the 42nd on duty in Ireland. But when Great Britain was pouring her choicest troops into the Netherlands, in readiness for the last great struggle, so famous a regiment as the 42nd could not be left behind. The regiment embarked at Cork on May 4, 1815, for Ostend, and thence marched in leisurely fashion to Brussels.

Anton discovers quite a new justification for the Duchess of Richmond's famous ball, which will live in history longer than any other ball at which men and maidens ever danced. He says:--

"On the night of June 15, we were roused from our peaceful slumbers
by the sounding of bugles, the rolling of drums, and the loud notes
of our Highland bagpipes, which threw their wild, warlike strains
on the midnight breeze, to awaken the plaided sons of Caledonia to
arms. Until daybreak of the 16th we stood to our arms on the streets
of Brussels, and here we were served out with four days' provisions
for each man. The grand ball was broken up, and our Highland dancers,
who had been invited to display their active movements before the
assembled lords, ladies, and military chieftains, were sent to their
respective regiments to prepare for other sport--that of glorious
battle.

"I have heard some passing animadversions upon our great commander,
for thus passing away time upon the eve of so momentous an affair
as that about to take place. I think, as a soldier, and one who was
on the spot, I have as good a right to give my opinion concerning it
as any of those croaking politicians who were hundreds of miles from
the scene of operations; and in giving my opinion, I give it as that
of every soldier who was in Brussels at the time, and I believe we
are not the worst judges of what is most likely to forward a ready
assembling, or a speedy concentration of the troops, in order to
attain the end in view.

"Owing to this general assembly of all our principal officers, the
Duke had not only all his personal staff about him, but that of
the generals under his command. They, again, had around them all
the commanding officers of corps, to whom they could personally
communicate their orders. The unusually late hour at which the
despatches from the scene of hostilities had arrived, and the
information respecting the intended movements of our allies, in
consequence of their having unexpectedly had to retreat from the
bravely contested field, might have changed all our commander's
plans. If this should have been the case, he had all those about him
to whom he could communicate his designs, without passing hours at
the desk, and sending orderlies off to the quarters of officers in a
city, the language of whose inhabitants was foreign to us. All this
trouble, happily for us and for Britain, was saved by this fortunate
ball."

Quatre Bras was not the least perilous of Wellington's battles. Ney's onfall took the Iron Duke by surprise, and that Quatre Bras was not a British defeat was due as much to Ney's blunders in attack as to Wellington's fine skill in defence, and to the magnificent courage of his troops. Ney could, with ease, have thrown 40,000 men into the fight. Wellington, at the beginning of the battle, had in hand only 7000 Dutch-Belgian troops, with seventeen guns. Picton's division only reached the field in the afternoon, having started on their long march from Brussels at five o'clock in the morning. Later, reinforcements came trickling in, till, just as night was darkening, the Guards reached the scene of action.

But the British came up in fragments, and at remote intervals of time. Wellington had very inefficient artillery, and no horsemen; and a fight under such conditions might well have gone wrong. Fortunately, Ney left half his forces out of the fight, and attacked with 20,000 instead of overwhelming the British with 40,000.

The Highland regiments formed Pack's brigade. They came up almost exhausted with their long march, and were flung hurriedly into the strife. The 42nd, in particular, fared very badly. In the whirl and passion of the fight it changed commanders no less than four times in little more than as many minutes. But disaster itself could hardly shake the ranks of the veterans of the Peninsula. Here is Anton's description of Quatre Bras. It gives a most spirited account of the struggle betwixt horsemen and infantry:--

"On the morning of June 16, before the sun rose over the dark forest
of Soignes, our brigade, consisting of the 1st, 44th, and 92nd
Regiments, stood in column, Sir Denis Pack at its head, waiting
impatiently for the 42nd, the commanding officer of which was chidden
severely by Sir Denis for being so dilatory. We took our place in the
column, and the whole marched off to the strains of martial music,
and amidst the shouts of the surrounding multitude. We passed through
the ancient gate of the city, and hundreds left it in health and high
spirits who before night were lifeless corpses on the field to which
they were hastening.

"As we entered the forest of Soignes, our stream of ranks following
ranks, in successive sections, moved on in silent but speedy course,
like some river confined between two equal banks. The forest is of
immense extent, and we continued to move on under its welcome shade
until we came to a small hamlet, or auberge, embosomed in the wood to
the right of the road. Here we turned to our left, halted, and were
in the act of lighting fires on purpose to set about cooking. We were
flattering ourselves that we were to rest there until next day; for
whatever reports had reached the ears of our commanders, no alarm had
yet rung on ours. Some were stretched under the shade to rest; others
sat in groups draining the cup, and we always loved a large one,
and it was now almost emptied of three days' allowance of spirits,
a greater quantity than was usually served out at once to us on a
campaign; others were busily occupied in bringing water and preparing
the camp-kettles, for we were of the opinion, as I have already said,
that we were to halt there for the day.

"But, 'Hark! a gun!' one exclaims; every ear is set to catch the
sound, and every mouth seems half opened, as if to supersede the
faithless ear that doubts of hearing. Again another and another
feebly floats through the forest. Every ear now catches the sound,
and every man grasps his musket. The distant report of the guns
becomes more loud, and our march is urged on with greater speed.
Quatre Bras appears in view; the frightened peasantry come running
breathless and panting along the way. We move on to the left of the
road, behind a gently rising eminence, form column of companies,
regardless of the growing crop, and ascend the rising ground; a
beautiful plain appears in view, surrounded with belts of wood, and
the main road from Brussels runs through it.

"We now descended to the plain by an echelon movement towards our
right, halted on the road (from which we had lately diverged to the
left), formed in line, fronting a bank on the right side, whilst
the other regiments took up their position to right and left, as
directed by our general. A luxuriant crop of grain hid from our view
the contending skirmishers beyond, and presented a considerable
obstacle to our advance. We were in the act of lying down by the
side of the road, in our usual careless manner, as we were wont when
enjoying a rest on the line of march, some throwing back their heads
on their knapsacks, intending to take a sleep, when General Pack came
galloping up, and chid the colonel for not having the bayonets fixed.
This roused our attention, and the bayonets were instantly on the
pieces.

"There is something animating to a soldier in the clash of the fixing
bayonet; more particularly so when it is thought that the scabbard is
not to receive it until it drinks the blood of its foe.

"Our pieces were loaded, and perhaps never did a regiment in the
field seem so short taken. We were all ready and in line--'Forward!'
was the word of command, and forward we hastened, though we saw no
enemy in front. The stalks of the rye, like the reeds that grow on
the margin of some swamp, opposed our advance; the tops were up to
our bonnets, and we strode and groped our way through as fast as we
could. By the time we reached a field of clover on the other side we
were very much straggled; however, we united in line as fast as time
and our speedy advance would permit. The Belgic skirmishers retired
through our ranks, and in an instant we were on their victorious
pursuers.

"Our sudden appearance seemed to paralyse their advance. The singular
appearance of our dress, combined, no doubt, with our sudden début,
tended to stagger their resolution: we were on them, our pieces were
loaded, and our bayonets glittered, impatient to drink their blood.
Those who had so proudly driven the Belgians before them, turned
now to fly, whilst our loud cheers made the fields echo to our wild
hurrahs.

"We drove on so fast that we almost appeared like a mob following
the rout of some defeated faction. Marshal Ney, who commanded the
enemy, observed our wild unguarded zeal, and ordered a regiment of
lancers to bear down upon us. We saw their approach at a distance,
as they issued from a wood, and took them for Brunswickers coming
to cut up the flying infantry; and as cavalry on all occasions have
the advantage of retreating foot, on a fair field, we were halted in
order to let them take their way; they were approaching our right
flank, from which our skirmishers were extended, and we were far
from being in a formation fit to repel an attack, if intended, or to
afford regular support to our friends if requiring our aid. I think
we stood with too much confidence, gazing towards them as if they had
been our friends, anticipating the gallant charge they would make on
the flying foe, and we were making no preparative movement to receive
them as enemies, further than the reloading of the muskets, until a
German orderly dragoon galloped up, exclaiming, 'Franchee! Franchee!'
and, wheeling about, galloped off.

"We instantly formed a rallying square; no time for particularity;
every man's piece was loaded, and our enemies approached at full
charge; the feet of their horses seemed to tear up the ground. Our
skirmishers having been impressed with the same opinion that these
were Brunswick cavalry, fell beneath their lances, and few escaped
death or wounds; our brave colonel fell at this time, pierced through
the chin until the point of the lance reached the brain. Captain
(now Major) Menzies fell, covered with wounds, and a momentary
conflict took place over him; he was a powerful man, and, hand to
hand, more than a match for six ordinary men. The Grenadiers, whom he
commanded, pressed round to save or avenge him, but fell beneath the
enemies' lances.

"Of all descriptions of cavalry, certainly the lancers seem the
most formidable to infantry, as the lance can be projected with
considerable precision, and with deadly effect, without bringing the
horse to the point of the bayonet; and it was only by the rapid and
well-directed fire of musketry that these formidable assailants were
repulsed.

"Colonel Dick [who afterwards fell at Sobraon] assumed the command on
the fall of Sir Robert Macara, and was severely wounded. Brevet-Major
Davidson succeeded, and was mortally wounded; to him succeeded
Brevet-Major Campbell (now lieutenant-colonel on the unattached
list). Thus, in a few minutes, we had been placed under four
different commanding officers.

"An attempt was now made to form us in line; for we stood mixed in
one irregular mass--grenadier, light, and battalion companies--a
noisy group; such is the inevitable consequence of a rapid succession
of commanders. Our covering sergeants were called out on purpose that
each company might form on the right of its sergeant; an excellent
plan had it been adopted, but a cry arose that another charge of
cavalry was approaching, and this plan was abandoned. We now formed
a line on the left of the Grenadiers, while the cavalry that had
been announced were cutting through the ranks of the 69th Regiment.
Meantime the other regiments to our right and left, suffered no
less than we; the superiority of the enemy in cavalry afforded him
a decided advantage on the open plain, for our British cavalry and
artillery had not yet reached the field.

"We were at this time about two furlongs past the farm of Quatre
Bras, as I suppose, and a line of French infantry was about the same
distance from us in front, and we had commenced firing at that line,
when we were ordered to form square to oppose cavalry. General
Pack was at our head, and Major Campbell commanded the regiment.
We formed square in an instant; in the centre were several wounded
French soldiers witnessing our formation round them; they doubtless
considered themselves devoted to certain death among us seeming
barbarians, but they had no occasion to speak ill of us afterwards;
for as they were already incapable of injuring us, we moved about
them regardful of their wounds and suffering.

"Our last file had got into square, and into its proper place, so far
as unequalised companies could form a square, when the cuirassiers
dashed full on two of its faces; their heavy horses and steel armour
seemed sufficient to bury us under them, had they been pushed forward
on our bayonets.

"A moment's pause ensued; it was the pause of death. General Pack was
on the right angle of the front face of the square, and he lifted his
hat towards the French officer, as he was wont to do when returning
a salute. I suppose our assailants construed our forbearance as an
indication of surrendering; a false idea; not a blow had been struck
nor a musket levelled, but when the general raised his hat, it served
as a signal, though not a preconcerted one, but entirely accidental;
for we were doubtful whether our officer commanding was protracting
the order, waiting for the general's command, as he was present. Be
this as it may, a most destructive fire was opened; riders cased in
heavy armour, fell tumbling from their horses; the horses reared,
plunged, and fell on the dismounted riders; steel helmets and
cuirasses rang against unsheathed sabres as they fell to the ground;
shrieks and groans of men, the neighing of horses, and the discharge
of musketry, rent the air, as men and horses mixed together in one
heap of indiscriminate slaughter. Those who were able to fly, fled
towards a wood on our right, whence they had issued to the attack,
and which seemed to afford an extensive cover to an immense reserve
not yet brought into action.

"Once more clear of these formidable and daring assailants we formed
line, examined our ammunition boxes, and found them getting empty.
Our officer commanding pointed towards the pouches of our dead and
dying comrades, and from them a sufficient supply was obtained. We
lay down behind the gentle rise of a trodden-down field of grain, and
enjoyed a few minutes' rest to our wearied limbs; but not in safety
from the flying messengers of death, the whistling music of which was
far from lulling us to sleep.

"Afternoon was now far spent, and we were resting in line, without
having equalised the companies, for this would have been extremely
dangerous in so exposed a position, for the field afforded no cover,
and we were in advance of the other regiments. The enemy were at no
great distance, and, I may add, firing very actively upon us. We
had wasted a deal of ammunition this day, and surely to very little
effect, otherwise every one of our adversaries must have bled before
this time. Our commanding officer cautioned us against this useless
expenditure, and we became a little more economical.

"Our position being, as I have already observed, without any cover
from the fire of the enemy, we were commanded to retire to the rear
of the farm, where we took up our bivouac on the field for the
night. The day's contest at a close, our attention was directed to
the casualties which had occurred in our ranks. We had lost, in
killed, one colonel, one lieutenant, one ensign, one sergeant-major,
two sergeants, and forty-eight rank and file. One brevet
lieutenant-colonel, five captains, five lieutenants, two ensigns,
fourteen sergeants, one drummer, and two hundred and fourteen rank
and file composed our list of wounded. Six privates fell into the
enemy's hands; among these was a little lad (Smith Fyfe) about five
feet high. The French general, on seeing this diminutive-looking lad,
is said to have lifted him up by the collar or breech and exclaimed
to the soldiers who were near him, 'Behold the sample of the men
of whom you seem afraid!' This lad returned a few days afterwards,
dressed in the clothing of a French Grenadier, and was saluted by the
name of Napoleon, which he retained until he was discharged.

"The night passed off in silence: no fires were lit, every man lay
down in rear of his arms, and silence was enjoined for the night.
Round us lay the dying and the dead, the latter not yet interred, and
many of the former, wishing to breathe their last where they fell,
slept to death with their heads on the same pillow on which those who
had to toil through the future fortunes of the field reposed."