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266 THE FRASERS OF PH1LORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
^'For an hour before carrying out his plan, Napoleon directed a furious
concentrated fire from the whole of his artillery, upon that portion of
the allied position lying between the farm of Hougomont and La Haye
Sainte. Fortunately there ran along this part of the field of battle a cart
road, on one side of which was a ditch and bank. In and under cover of
these, the 1st Brigade of Guards sheltered themselves during this terrific
cannonade, which lasted about three-quarters of an hour, and without its
protection the two battalions must have been annihilated. Napoleon pro-
bably calculated on such an effect, but he had yet to learn the extent of British
fortitude and endurance.
" The Duke was well aware of the enemy's intention, and being at this
time close to the two battalions of the First Guards, which at first were in
squares, and with which he remained during the subsequent attack, he desired
General Maitland to form them into line four deep, as he thought it possible
that Napoleon would support the attack with his cavalry. Maitland imme-
diately carried out the Duke's order, covering his change of formation with a
line of skirmishers under Swinburn, who only rejoined his battalion a few
moments before the enemy was upon them. The formation into Hne, instead
of being made by deployment, was effected by simply wheeling up to the
front the four-deep flank faces of the square, the rear faces forming the
extremities of each battalion, so that the grenadier companies were in the
centre, and the men could more readily form square again, should circum-
stances require it. The whole brigade as it now stood, four deep, occupied
only the length of one battalion in line."
2 "The above formation was scarcely completed, and the men ordered to
lie down again, when, at a quarter past seven, the furious cannonade suddenly
ceased. As the smoke gradually cleared away, under cover of which
Napoleon had been organising his attack, near La Belle Alliance, a superb
sight opened upon the brigade. Close columns of regiments of the Old
Imperial Guard, 5000 strong, directed by Napoleon himself, and led by Ney,
on foot (for his horse had been shot under him), were seen advancing up the
slope au ]ias cle charge direct upon them, with shouts of ' Vive I'Empereur !'
" These columns were composed of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th regiments
1 History of the Grenadier Guards, vol. iii. p. 40. 2 Ibid. p. 41.