the day. Several times the French burst inside the enclosure and into the orchard, but the English aided by the strength of their position gallantly defended the Chateau and it was never taken. At two o'clock Marshal Ney attacked the centre of the allies, intending to break through the centre and take the left wing of the allies in the rear. The French took possession of the garden of Haye Sainte and stormed Papelotte, when the indomitable Picton came forward with his division and forced back the French, and died in the endeavour. Somerset's Household brigade came up to the scene, and the gallant Highlanders dashed into the enemy supported by Col. Ponsonby's Inniskillens, Scots Greys, and Royal Dragoons, and they pushed back the French almost to Belle Alliance, where the English were in turn checked and repulsed with fearful slaughter.
The English and the Germans now formed themselves into squares and the French cavalry hurled itself impetuously on these famous squares, and thinned their ranks but could not break them. Both in the centre and in the east however the French gained considerable advantages, they stormed La Haye Sainte after a heroic resistance by the Germans under Major Von Baring, and they also stormed Papellote. This was about 5 p. m. The victory of the French was now a matter of certainty.
An event had happened however which dashed the hopes of the French to the ground. At 4-30, the Prussians approached the battle-field and began their cannonade from Frechemont, near Papellote, in the extreme east. Henceforward Napoleon tried the impossible task
