Waterloo, a rare manuscript ‘eye witness’ poem composed by Sergeant William Grant, 92nd Highlanders, a Waterloo veteran who was subsequently promoted to Sergeant-Major and later commissioned as Ensign & Adjutant in the 92nd, probably unpublished, 8pp, 200 x 125mm, circa 1840, stitched with thread, signed ‘The Song of Waterloo was composed by Serjeant Wm. Grant, 92nd Highlanders’, folded and torn but good condition for age £300-400

WATERLOO

‘Twas on the 16th day of June my boys
In Flanders where we lay
Our bugle to the alarm did sound
Before the break of day

Near Quarter Bra we met the French
Their shape to us seemed new
For in a steel armour they were clad
On the plains near Waterloo

For full five hours and longer
We sustained this bloody fray
and during a long and darksome night
We on our arms did lay

On the 18th in the morning
Both armies did advance
On this side stood brave Albion’s sons
on that the pride of France

The fate of Europe in their hands
Each man his sabre drew
and death or victory was the word
on the plains of Waterloo

William Grant fought as a Sergeant in Captain John Warren’s company of the 92nd Highlanders at Waterloo. He was shortly afterwards promoted to Sergeant-Major and, on 5 November 1819, he was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Ensign. He did not live to claim a Peninsula Medal. The above is a small selection of the 28 verses that make up this poem.