Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo Letter, written by Ensign Charles Short, Coldstream Guards, aged 16 years, addressed to his mother and dated Monday 19th June, Nivelle; a single sheet, 420 x 330mm., with approx. 1800 words, written on both sides in a clear hand, in ink, now faded to sepia, in an easy descriptive almost matter of fact style Short describes the actions as he saw them at Quatre Bras, Genappe and Waterloo, a personal view of this climactic battle, with a tear and old repair, generally in good condition £800-1000

‘My dear Mother ...’
... ‘Col. Woodford was at a Ball with Lord Wellington at Brussels when the news came and they all set off directly for their different posts and arrived at them about the time we were ordered to start, in their Ball dresses’.
... ‘We the marched forward and reached the place of action at Quatre Bras at about half past 7 - having marched 25 miles since 3 in the morning - the men were very much fagged indeed. The 1st Brigade of Guards being in the front, went into action immediately, and in very little time lost 500 men and nearly 30 officers killed and wounded between the 2 Battalions’.
... ‘The night passed off very well, tho’ the groaning of the wounded was rather disagreeable or so for the first time’.
... ‘We also retreated (17th June) to a position about 8 miles on the other side of Genappe in the direct road to Brussels. The name of the place I do not know, you will see it in the Gazette, and it will be remembered by Europe as long as Europe is Europe’.
... ‘Our Brigade was on the right of the first line, on a hill above the Wood. We were under arms all night expecting an attack and it rained to that degree that the field where we were was half way up our legs in the mud. Nobody of course could lie down and the ague got hold of some of the men. I with another officer had a blanket and with a little more Gin, we kept up very well’.
... ‘Soon after Daylight, the commissary sent up with the greatest difficulty some Gin and we found an old cask full of wet Rye loaves which we breakfasted upon. Everybody was in high spirits’.
... ‘About ten we were formed, finding that the French were advancing to the attack in very large columns... the firing commenced in prime style some Belgian Light Troops were in the wood and when one man was wounded, at least a dozen would carry him out so that the Chief of the Work was left for our men. The French were too strong for us and after about a couple of hours, they succeeded in driving us back to a large Farm House in the Wood (Hougoument)’.
... ‘we were ordered to lie down in the road, the musket shots flying over us like Peas. An officer next to me was hit in the Cap but not hurt as it went thro’...’
...’The Brigade Major was wounded by a Cannon Ball which killed his horse and broke his arm and General Byng was wounded slightly while standing opposite to me about 5 paces. General Byng did not leave the field. Lord Wellington with his Ball dress was very active indeed, as well as Lord Uxbridge and the Prince of Orange both severely wounded, the former having lost a leg and, the latter being hit in the body. General Cooke commanded our Division lost his arm’.
... ‘The farm house was set on Fire by Shells, however we kept possession of it, and several wounded men were actually roasted alive. The cavalry came on about 5 o’clock and attacked the rest of the Line, when the Horse Guards and other Regiments (except a few) behaved most gallantly. The French charged our hollow squares and were repulsed several times; The Imperial Guards, with Napoleon at their head, charged the 1st Guards, and the number of killed and wounded is extraordinary, they lie as thick as possible one on top of the other. They were repulsed in every attack and about 7 o’clock the whole French army made a general attack for their last effort and we should have had very hard work to have repulsed them when 25,000 Prussians came on, and we soon drove them like Chaff before the Wind ...’
... ‘Lord Wellington has thanked our Division thro’ General Byng and says that he never saw such gallant conduct in all his Life’.
... ‘There never was such a glorious day. Everyone agrees...I had my Horse killed. It was very beautiful to see the engagement tho’ horrid afterwards... God grant that I may live to see you again’.
... ‘I remain your dutiful and affectionate son’.

Charles William Short was born in 1799, the eldest son of Charles Short, a barrister of the Middle Temple. He joined the Coldstream Guards as an Ensign in 1814 and was present with them at the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. In 1837 he left the army as Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel. In later life he was noted for his religious and philanthropic activities and he published works on the duties of the soldier.