"_Up, Guards, and at them!_" (Vol. v., p. 396.).--I know not what your
correspondent A. A. D. may mean by asking "whether the battle of
Waterloo was not a myth!" but I am glad to be able to state, from the
very best authority, the circumstance of the celebrated order to the
Guards on that day. It was at all times the Duke of Wellington's habit
to cover as much as possible troops exposed to the fire of cannon, by
taking advantage of any irregularity of ground, and making them sit or
lie down, the better to cover them from fire till the moment of attack;
and the Duke's common practice was, just as the enemy came close, and
was on the point of attacking him, he attacked them. What he may have
said on this occasion, and _probably did say_, was, "_Stand up,
Guards_;" and then gave the commanding officers the order to attack. One
would not pledge oneself to the very syllables of such a command on such
an occasion; but what I have stated is the recollection of one who was
present, and it is _equivalent_ at least to the popular version of "_Up,
Guards, and at them!_"