Augustus Simon Frazer Augustus Simon Frazer ( 1776 – 1835 ) , commanded the artillery at the British invasions of the Río de la Plata ( 1807 ) and the Horse Artillery on Wellington ' s staff in the Peninsular War , and later during the Waterloo Campaign . Family . He was born 5 September 1776 at Dunkirk , where his father , Andrew Frazer , was Assistant Commissary for the demolition of the fortress . He received his early education at the High School of Edinburgh , where he was a contemporary of Lord Brougham . He had only a sister , Maria Ernestine , who married and lived in Vienna . In 1809 , Simon Frazer married Emma Lynn , daughter of James Lynn , Esq , of Woodbridge in Suffolk . They had two sons . The elder , Augustus Henry , was born in August 1810 and obtained a commission in the Royal Artillery He retired from service at the rank of second captain and died unmarried while traveling in Syria in July 1848 . The younger son , Andrew James , born in October 1812 , obtained a Lieutenant ' s Commission in the Rifle Corps , from which he retired , and he died , unmarried at Ramsgate in July 1845 . Military Service . Frazer joined the Royal Military Academy , at Woolwich , on 16 August 1790 as a gentleman cadet . On 18 September 1793 , he was gazetted a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery , and at the end of the year joined the Army in Flanders , under command of the Duke of York . In early 1794 , he was promoted to First Lieutenant , and attached with 2 field guns to the 3rd Foot Guards ( Grenadiers ) , where he served until the army returned to England in May 1795 . During that time , he was present at several engagements , including the battles of Tournay and Boxtel . Upon return to England , he was appointed to the Royal Horse Artillery , and on 16 July 1799 received the rank of Captain Lieutenant . From August to late November , he took part in the Duke of York ' s expedition in Holland . In 1803 , Frazer received his rank of Captain , and in 1807 , embarked for South America to participate in General John Whitelock ' s expedition to Buenos Aires . Despite the disastrous results of this campaign , Frazer acquired experience and skill in his management of the transport and placement of the artillery . In 1811 , he was assigned to the Duke of Wellington ' s army in the Peninsula , where he served at the battles of Salamanca and Osma and the Siege of Burgos . Later he was present at the Battle of Vitoria , for which he received a special notice from Sir Alexander Dickson , the overall commander of Artillery . Subsequently , he served at the blockade of Papeluna , and the Siege of San Sebastian . At Papeluna , ⋅Thomas Graham brought him to the notice of Wellington . At San Sebastian , he directed the fire from the flank , remarkable for its accuracy . He subsequently participated in the investment of Bayonne , at which he was wounded . At the conclusion of fighting after Toulouse , he returned to England , as a Lt . Colonel , and received the Peninsular Gold Cross , with one clasp for Vittoria , San Sebastian , Nivelle , Nive , and Toulouse , and was awarded Knight Commander of the Bath . Waterloo Campaign . In 1815 , Frazer returned to command the Horse Artillery and was attached to Wellington ' s Headquarters . He was present at the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June , but his artillery did not actually arrive until after the fight . The artillery covered the retreat from Quatra Bras , delaying the French cavalry sufficiently to allow the infantry to withdraw . The Horse Artillery successfully dislodged the French from the woods surrounding Hougemont , without bringing the Allied troops under friendly fire . He successfully substituted 9 - pounders for 6 - pounders with many of the troops , and formed one troop with howitzers . The 9 - pounders inflicted heavier losses on the French advance , particularly with its case shot , than would have been inflicted with the lighter guns . Subsequent to the battle , he wrested from the Prussians the French guns that had been captured by the British , but which had been taken over with Prussian sentries . Upon returning to England after occupation duty , he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 21 June 1816 . He was appointed Director of the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich , where he died on 11 June 1835 .