== The Battle == 

 What in pity sake does, "the loss of two eagles," in the first ¶ mean?  

 :Addressing, without actually answering, my own question, I quote from the Wikipedia entry Battle of Waterloo, Charge of the British heavy cavalry, 4th ¶, "From the centre leftwards, the Royal Dragoons destroyed Bourgeois' brigade, capturing the eagle of the 105th Ligne. The Inniskillings routed the other brigade of Quoit's division, and the Greys destroyed most of Nogue's brigade, capturing the eagle of the 45th Ligne."