The French artillery smote them with terrible effect; the infantry swept them with bullets; the cavalry were preparing to charge.

No wonder then that the young troops lost their self-possession, broke, and fled in utter confusion, some through Quatre Bras others through the English regiments on the left of the village.
At this moment the gallant Duke of Brunswick, while striving to rally one of his regiments, received a mortar wound.

He died a few minutes later, as his father had died on the field of Jena.

The Brunswick hussars were now ordered to advance and cover the retreat of the infantry; but as they moved toward the enemy they lost heart, turned, and fled from the field, the French lancers charging hotly among them.
So closely were the two bodies mixed together that the Forty-second and Forty-fourth which were posted on the left of the road, could not distinguish friend from foe.
Before the former regiment had time to form square the French were upon them, and for two or three minutes a desperate hand-to-hand conflict took place between bayonet and lance.

The Forty-fourth did not attempt to form a square.