TALE OF WATERLOO

Evening Star, Issue 19698, 27 October 1927, Page 9

TALE OF WATERLOO

DUKE AND THE BAGMAN AN UNKNOWN HEIIO. In ilie account of a visit to the'field of Waterloo I made a light-hearted and casual reference to the part played in that battle by the button-maker of Birmingham (writes E. V. Lucas, in the ‘Sunday Times’). Although many months have passed since the article ivas printed, 1 am still in receipt of letters ashing for further particulars oi thTs unknown hero. Here, then, is the story, which is to he found in that very entertaining, free-and-easy hook A Memoir of Charles Mayuc Young by his son. This work, published in 18d, begins as the biography of the lather, who was one of the best of men and tragedians, but very soon develops into the reminiscences of the son, an intelligent and conversable clergyman, who knew everyone, saw everything, and recorded with groat vivacity. The story of Wellington and the bagman, which came to the f!ev. Julian diaries Young at only one remove, is this: On the day of the battle_ or Waterloo a commercial traveller visiting Brussels in the interests of his button-making firm in Birmingham hoard, while in tlic city, the distant booming of cannon, and having always wished to sec fighting near at hand, immediately threw down his samples, hired a horse, and galloped oft in the direction of the iray._ On his way lie was held up by a British sentry, who led him to his commanding officer; and but lor the fact that tins officer was what wo call a sport that would have been the end of the story. Being, fiowever, a. sport, ho allowed the bagman to proceed, and even went to the pains of getting him a colonel’s leather—from a dead body found on the ground —to stick in his hat, as the orders to sentries were “ Nothing under a colonel’s feather to pass.” Thus ho proceeded over the fields until “.suddenly he saw before him, on the summit of a hillock for which ho was making, a figure, the very sight ol which sobered his impetuosity, caused him instinctively to draw in his bridle rein, take breath, and halt, as if pclri(led, in Ids course. The figure that met his eyes was sealed on horseback, rigid as a statue! The cocked hat, the military cloak, with its short cape, drooping in long folds from Ids shoulders, the arms raised and extended, the hands holding in their grip a field telescope, with which an eagle glance was busily scanning the fiery hosts below and beyond, told him he was within earshot of the foremost man in Europe. . . . Ho was thinking whether lie had not better boat a retreat, and retire to some spot where lie would be screened from observation, when the object of Ids dread turned round and asked him ids business there.”

The bagman explained, and the Duke listened. Then the Duke said: “You ought to have been a soldier.” adding: “ Would you like to he one?” The hagman said that nothing would give linn such joy as to be able to servo the great man. “Very well, them,” said Wellington, “you can,” and lie rapidly explained the errand. It seemed that the brigade commanded hy Sir James Kempt was in danger ot moving indiscreetly, and must he cheeked; hut the Duke had at the moment no aide-de-camp available. It was, therefore, the bagman’s duty to take a message, which had to ho oral, as the Duke was also out of writing paper. The next incident in the story is the return of the Duke’s ordinary aidcs-dc-camp, and his telling them of what had occurred, and refusing to lob any of them take over the commission, saying: “We’ll wait a little while. I’m disposed to have faith in Brummagem.” He then dismounted, lay down, spread the ‘Sun’ newspaper over his face, and for five minutes slept. At the end of that time he awoke, got again on his horse, scanned the field through his glasses, and exclaimed: “It’s all right! Kempt has changed his tactics. Well done. Buttons!” The writer 'goes on to say that, although every effort was made, not a sign of tho bagman could be discovered, and it was not for many years that the Duke could get news of him again. One evening, however, at a dinner party, he happened to bo tolling the company about him, when one of the guests said that the bagman was not only known to him, but that he had heard him allude to the part he had played at Waterloo “very cursorily and without boastfulness.” Tho Duke took down his address, and within a week obtained for his amateur despatch rider a coinmissionership of Customs.