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the iron cases, their cannon was deserted and taken; and the columns of infantry were thrown into such confusion, that they had just time to get beyond the range of the prudent pursuit of their adversaries, whose warfare was yet defensive. The dragoons and infantry, with their captured cannons and eagles, calmly returned to their place in position, to await the next advance of the enemy.
If our present ground had the well-fought round now faintly described, in full view; so had Napoleon's station, about a mile along the road from where we stood, With the poor farmer Lacoste pinioned on horseback beside him, stood the Emperor, unable to conceal his astonishment at the recoil, and almost flight, of his best troops; and constrained in spite of himself, repeatedly to mutter compliments to the spirit; rapidity, and steadiness of the British cavalry;—“These British fight admirably,” said he to Soult; “but they must give way.”—“No, sir, they prefer being cut to pieces," was the answer of him who knew something of them. The grey horses especially struck him, and he often repeated, “What fine troops!”
The attacks now described, we are told, might serve as a fair specimen of the reiterated war during the entire day. From eleven in the morning till seven at night, it consisted of a succession of such assaults, with unabated fury, and increasing numbers, and often with a boldness and deadly effect, which perplexed our soldiers, and put their matchless firmness to the utmost trial. It may be believed that every fresh onset swept away multitudes of our infantry; still the survivors gave not an inch of ground, but made good the lines, and firm the squares.—No men in Europe could have endured more than they did.—Again and again the enemy’s cannon rebounded from their adamantine front, dis-
