The Battle Dance: Waterloo

Galloping at Everything

The thunder of cannon and musketry was tremendous. It drowned out every other sound. But Lieutenant Nicholas Tilden could see nothing beyond the lip of earth before their brigade and the chaussée running through their hollow. The fire from the French batteries had persuaded the cavalry commanders to shift their men aside for safety but word had come from the Earl of Uxbridge to get in line because the infantry required rescuing.

Nicholas had got up out of the shade, where he had lazed and slept, and after yawning and stretching he mounted his horse. His helmet handed up, Nicholas grimaced as he placed the heavy and irksome metal bole onto his head. The 1st Life Guards moved into line, right of the King's Dragoon Guards, brigade centre, while the 2nd Life Guards made up its left side. For the reserve Wellington had advised all cavalry commanders to keep, Somerset had put the Horse Guards to his left rear.

"Uxbridge is back!"

Nicholas was fiddling with his equipment when Captain Kelly pointed out the cavalry commander cantering up to the 1st Life Guards and then fill a place in the front rank of the left-hand squadron.

"Why here? Why with us?" Nicholas asked. "How are we special?"

Kelly rolled his eyes. "Have you not noticed we are the front centre of his two brigades? Here he gets to head up the charge!"

"Oh." Nicholas blinked, shook his head, uneasy how little awake he was feeling. "Damn it, Kelly, I'm drunk."

"I know," Kelly sighed. "The charge will wake you up. We draw out our swords now!"

A scratchy scrape shocked the line as cavalrymen pulled out their huge swords. His felt very awkward in his hand and searching brain for bits of his training Nicholas strengthened his assurance. That's it, I'm not addled, he thought. Then a bugle blasted in his ear and he revised that conclusion. It was the signal to walk. Nicholas spurred his horse. This is my moment. He glanced over to his Captain and grinned, but Kelly was looking straight ahead. This is our moment. Nicholas focused on the top of the rise, lowering in his eyes as the horses slowly breasted it.

"What will we find there to fight?"

"French heavy cavalry," Kelly called.

"Then we are evenly matched."

"You fancy? Nah, we are more than a match for those fairies on ponies."

"Of course this time Uxbridge leads us in person!"

Now Nicholas could see over the crest and was disheartened to discover the 1st Life Guards must navigate their own infantry. Thankfully these German troops had formed squares for fear of French cavalry. Other friendly infantry shifted for the heavy men on heavy horses to slip through their ranks. But this sapped time, shape, and speed. Nicholas was concerned their cohesion had begun to fray. Then concern evaporated, for he had seen the cuirassiers. Until the second of General Somerset's brigade bursting out of Alten's Germans, the cuirassiers could not have suspected any cavalry but themselves was anywhere about.

Our strike is a surprise, Nicholas realised as raising his sword and cheering he went as one of the chunks of cavalry crashing into the perplexed cuirassiers. Cohesion, speed, and form be dammed. We take the bastards by surprise!

The shock of contact was like two walls banging together. Helmets knocked off. Fears vanished, Nicholas bashed between two cuirassiers and wielding his sword crazily he saw the French horsemen were bolting off in every direction. Lunging at one, he threatened his blade at the man's face, which got the man to back off. But when this trick failed for another, he hit the hilt on the French face and hearing the man roar with pain or passion he saw the cuirassier join a spreading dash for its rear. It can't be this easy? he thought. Even yesterday's glory was harder!