The Prussians having been defeated and forced to retreat, the Duke of Wellington made a corresponding movement on the 17th of June, to preserve his communication with them, and the SEVENTH HUSSARS were engaged, with other corps, in covering this retrograde movement. On passing through the village of _Genappe_, the French lancers began to press upon the rear of the retiring army, and the SEVENTH were directed by their colonel, Lieutenant-General the Earl of Uxbridge, to charge. This order was executed with signal bravery; but the lancers, being sustained by a great mass of cavalry, and having their flanks secure, presented an almost impenetrable row of pikes, through which the hussars were unable to break. The regiment rallied and charged a second time; but the lancers, being well supported and advantageously posted, were enabled to maintain their ground. Some impression had, however, been made, and two squadrons of the first regiment of life guards coming up at speed, the weight and power of their charge broke the lancers, who were pursued through the village with great slaughter. The retreat was afterwards continued with skirmishing and cannonading to the position in front of the village of _Waterloo_, where the army passed the night exposed to a heavy rain.
On the following day the hard contested and sanguinary battle of _Waterloo_ was fought,--a battle memorable in the annals of Europe,--where the fate of empires was decided by the sword, and the British troops acquired immortal honour! During the early part of the action the SEVENTH HUSSARS supported the infantry, and towards the evening they were ordered forward. Moving from Hugomont, they acted nearly on the reverse of the enemy, and by a series of brilliant charges, most nobly executed, contributed to the final overthrow of the French army. On this occasion the officers and men proved their resolution to support the high character which the regiment had so long borne; and their conduct was publicly noticed and attested in the strongest and most unequivocal terms by the commander of the cavalry, Lieutenant-General the Earl of Uxbridge, who, after having gone through this arduous day, received a wound at the close of the action by which he lost his right leg.