‘The French infantry passed by the farm at La Haye Saint and advanced up to the ridge where Picton’s 5th Brigade were literally lying in wait. Dutch skirmishers retreated back to their parent regiments in Allied lines. The British troops of Picton’s 5th Brigade were stationed 100 yards behind the Dutch who were now trading volleys with the ever-advancing wave of French troops. The Dutch could not sustain the defense and reformed with other regiments. The British troops under Picton then formed up 4 men deep (twice as deep as a standard British line) to match the French who had now also formed into battle lines. The contest between the 2 masses of infantry was hotly contested and the Allied centre began to falter.’

This episode was written by Sam de Turberville.

Sam de Turberville is a teacher and author with a passion for uncovering lesser-known stories from the past. Based in Ireland, he has a keen interest on early modern history from the Age of Enlightenment to the First World War. When he isn’t researching or teaching or writing history, he enjoys motorsport and playing guitar. He hopes to write for us again soon.