The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-02-01
Incidents of "a BATTLE.

incidents of "a BATTLE.
Some English guardsmcn who were
in the battle Of Waterloo, related TO
Hayden. the painter, the following an
ccdotes OF the thickest of the fight
They present war in all its horrors:
The description of the men was sim
pie, characteristic and poeti,nl They
said that when the life guards and cui-
rasscrs met, it was like, the ringing Of
ten thousad hlacksniths, anvls. One
of them knew my models, Shaw and
Dakin. He saw Dakin, while fighting
on foot with two cuirasscrs, also on
foot, divide both their heads with cuts
five and six. He said Dakin rode out,
foaming at the mouth, and chcered on
his troops. III the evening he saw Da-
kin lying dead cut in pieces. Dakin
sat to me for the sleeping groom on his
knees in Macbeth.
Another saw Shaw fighting with two
cuirassers at n time. Shaw, he. said,
always cleared his passage. He saw
him take an eagle, but lost it after.
wards; as when any man got an eagle,
all the troops hear him on both sides,
left off fighting, and set on him who
had the eagle. lie went on himself
very well, but riding too far, was
speared by a lancer, and tainted away.
Recovering, he sat upright, when three
or four lancers saw him. rode ut him
and spared him till they thought him
dead. He remembered nothing till revi-
we'd by the shaking as they carried him
to the yard of La Haye Sainte. There
he heard some one groaning, and turn
ing around, saw Shaw, who said:
81 am dying; my side is torn off by
she'll" His comrades told us how he
had swooned away, and being revived
by their taking him up to be carried
t" Brussels at daybrcak, he saw poor
Shaw dead. with his check in his hand.
Corporal Webster, of the second lifo
guards, saw Shaw give his first CUT
AS he was getting down the rising
ground in the hollow road cuirassicur
waited and gave point at his belley;
Shaw parricd the thrust, and before
the Frcnchman recovered, cut him
right through, ''his brass helmet to his
elm, and his face fell off him like bit
of apple"
Another, IIndgson, Ga model, and
the finest Of all, standing six feet and
four inches. perfect Achilles, cl,ar-cd
up to the French baggage. lie saw
artillery driver boys Of sixteen crying
on their horses. In coming back,
whole French regiment opened and
let him pass at full galIop, and then
closed and gave him volley, and new
er hit him or horse.
The first man who stopped him was
an lrishman il. the French service
He dashed at him, and said, "-Dn
,, you, III stop your GROWING" Hodg-
son said he was frightened, he had new
er fought anybody with swords
Watching the cuirassieur, however, he
found he could not move his horse so
Elui,kly as he could; so, letting 60 the
reins, and guiding his horse with his
knees, as the cuirassieur gave point at
his throat, Hodgson cut his sword hand
off and dashed his sabre through his
throat, cutting it round and round
The first cut he gave him was on the
cuirass, which he thought was silver
lace. The shock nearly broke his
arm. sd IN me" he added, ''now |
have found out the way, soon gave
it them" AS Hodgson rode back, af.
ter being fired at, an officer encounter
ed him. Hndgson cut his horse ut the
maps, and, as it dropped dead. the Off.
cer's helmet rolled of, and Hodgson
saw q bald head and white hairs. The
officer begged for mercy, but at that
instant q troop Of lancers was approach.
ing at the gallop, so Hodgson e.eaved
his head in two with blow and es
capped. The recollection OF the white
hairs he told us panied him oftcn.-
I Before ho got back to tho British lines
a lancer officer charged him, and miss
/ ing his thrust came right on Hodgson
and his horse. Ilodsson got clear and
cut his head Off at the neck, at one
blow, and the head dropped on his
hapersack, where he kept the blood
stain.
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