Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

162
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
1678
Part XIL — (Continued Jr-om page 144).
QUATRE BeAS and WATERLOO GaLLANT
Conduct of the " Greys."
.^^^KjN the return home of the " Greys " in
^iiI'kiI ^'^^'i' the regiment was quartered in
»»\>!2K) England, in Scotland, and sometimes
in L-eland. It was not called upon to serve in
the Peninsular campaigns, but on the escape of
Napoleon from Elba in March, 1815, all Europe
again prepared for war, and sis troops of the
gallant "Greys" were despatched in April to
reinforce the British army in the Netherlands,
its old battle ground in the Marlborough times,
upon which it had won undying fame, and was
now destined to acquire fresh laurels. On its
arrival at Denderhauten, it was brigaded with
its old comrades, the Ist Koyals and the Ennis-
killins, under the command of Sir William
Ponsonby, a Peninsula hero, and formed what
has been since termed the " Union Brigade" —
Eiif/lis/i, Sci.ittis/i, and frisk.
Early in the morning of the 19th June the
brigade was ordered to march upon Nivelles and
Quatre Bras, and arrived at the latter place about
dusk, after a long and tiresome march, when
the fighting had ceased, and the French with-
drew to Prasnes. The night was passed in an
open field near the highway, Charleroi to
Brussels.
On the 17th the brigade retired upon
Waterloo, covering the rear of the infantry and
artillery. The "Greys" manfuuvred in such
splendid style that the pursuing PVench van-
guard of cuirassiers and lancers dared not
1 '- JOHM MACKAY. cE.jp.
attack them. Every time the Frenchmen
approached too near, the gallant " Greys "
faced about to check their advance.
On the elevated ground in front of Mont St.
Jean the whole army made a stand, and every
division took up the ground upon which it was
to fight next day. The " Union " brigade was
posted on high ground in rear of Pack's brigade
of Picton's division, to the left of Charleroi
road. Picton's division when marching through
Waterloo on the IGth numbered 6,000 British
bayonets. On the 18th, when marshalled in
position on the field of Waterloo, it amounted to
no more than 3,000. Such was the severity of
the fighting at Quatre Bras, where it had to
sustain itself against the full force of Ney's
16,000 Frenchman.
The "Union" brigade at Waterloo was only
1,186 sabres, exclusive of officers.
It has been said that Napoleon, surveying
the British position on the morning of the 18th,
asked Soult where was the terrible Picton's
division posted. He was informed that it was
right in front of him. Napoleon seemed to
scan it from right to left. Soult had met it
many a time in battle array, and well knew the
General and his men, especially the Highland
regiments, "plaided and plumed Ln their tartan
array." It was the first time that Napoleon
beheld Pieton and his singularly clad troops.
He had heard of the Highlanders, and often