Rank and File.
52nd Regt. 1st bat. 997
71st do. do. 788
95th do. 2nd bat. Rifles 571
95th do. 3rd do. do. 185
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Total 2,541
Brevet Colonel Reynell, afterwards Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Reynell,
commanded the battalion at this period.
Napoleon resolved on attacking the Allies before their forces had
been fully collected, and by well-marked and admirably combined
movements, a portion of his army was concentrated, on the 14th of
June, between the Sambre and the Meuse.
On the morning of the 16th of June, as the battalion was proceeding
to the usual exercising-ground of the brigade at Leuze, it received
orders for an immediate advance upon Nivelles, where it arrived late
that night. On the same day, Prince Blücher had been attacked at
Ligny, and was forced to retreat to Havre. The Duke of Wellington
and a portion of his army had been also attacked at Quatre Bras
by Marshal Ney, who, however, made no impression upon the British
position.
In the course of the morning of the 17th of June, the Duke of
Wellington made a retrograde movement upon Waterloo, in order to keep
up his communication with the Prussians. At day-break on the same
morning, the first battalion of the Seventy-first retired, and took
up its position, with the rest of the allied army, on the plains in
the neighbourhood of Waterloo, being situated to the left and rear of
Hougomont.
The Seventy-first, with the rest of the army, bivouacked in position
during the night of the 17th of June, drenched by the rain, which
fell heavily. Upon the morning of the memorable 18th of June, the
battalion stood in open column, and in this situation was exposed
for some time to a heavy fire of artillery, but a judicious movement
to a short distance alleviated in a great measure this annoyance.
Line was next formed, and about two o’clock the battalion, with the
rest of the brigade, advanced, met their opponents in position,
charged, and instantly overthrew them.
A heavy fire now commenced upon the retreating enemy, but the
alignment having been completely deranged by the impetuosity of the
advance, Colonel Reynell, with his usual coolness, proceeded to
restore order, and had just completed the dressing of the line when
the French cavalry was seen advancing. Square was instantly formed,
and the Seventy-first, with the rest of the brigade, sustained a
charge from 3 regiments of French cavalry, namely, 1 of cuirassiers,
1 of grenadiers-à-cheval, and 1 of lancers.
The charge was made with the most obstinate bravery, but nothing
could overcome the steadiness of the British infantry, and after a
destructive loss, the French were forced to retire. At this moment
a piper played up the Seventy-first quick march, followed with the
charge. Major-General Adams with the regiment exclaimed, “Well done,
Seventy-first; you are all lions together, and as for you, piper, you
are an honour to your country. Forward, my lads, and give them the
charge in style, as I know and see you can do.”
Previously to this advance of the enemy’s cavalry the square of the
Seventy-first was struck by a round shot, which killed or wounded an
officer and 18 men of the eighth company.
About seven o’clock in the evening the left wing of the battalion
was formed in rear of the right, and while thus placed was, with the
rest of the division, attacked by a column of the Imperial Young
Guard, which had been kept in reserve during the day. It was allowed
to approach close without molestation, when the regiments, throwing
in a close and well-directed fire, prevented its deployment, and it
retired in confusion.
The enemy having now exhausted all its efforts, the British, in their
turn, advanced. The Seventy-first, in the first instance, suffered
much from the fire of some guns that enfiladed its front; these were
soon silenced, and the battalion was afterwards left unmolested. In
this advance the light brigade captured several guns. Night closed
in fast, and the corps rested after this lengthened and sanguinary
encounter, the pursuit of the discomfited enemy being committed to
the Prussians, under Marshal Blücher, who had arrived on the field of
battle in time to decide the defeat of the French.
The Seventy-first had Brevet Major Edmund L’Estrange (Aide-de-Camp to
Major-General Sir Denis Pack, K.C.B.), and Ensign John Todd, killed.
The following officers were wounded: the Lieut.-Colonel commanding
the battalion, Colonel Thomas Reynell; Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Arthur
Jones; Captains Samuel Reed, Donald Campbell, William Alexander
Grant, James Henderson, and Brevet Major Charles Johnstone;
Lieutenants Joseph Barrallier, Robert Lind, John Roberts, James
Coates, Robert Law, Carique Lewin, and Lieutenant and Adjutant
William Anderson.
The number of serjeants, buglers, and rank and file killed amounted
to 29; 166 were wounded, of whom 36 died of their wounds.