Private Matthew Clay

3rd Foot Guards

Famous for his wonderfully entertaining account of the part he played in the Waterloo campaign as a young private of 20 and in particular the defence of Hougoumont. Born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in 1795, Clay enlisted in the 3rd Foot Guards 1813, aged 18. After Waterloo, he was promoted to Corporal and then Sergeant. He transferred from the Regular Army to the Bedford Militia in 1833 with the rank of Sergeant Major and was finally discharged in 1852, aged 57, after 39 years service.

 

Pictured left in the uniform of a drill sergeant of the Scots Fusilier Guards circa 1828.

 

Here are some extracts from his account “With the Guards at Hougoumont”…..

 

“When day light appeared, all being quiet on Sunday morning, we procured some fuel from the farm of Hougoumont, and then lighted fires and warmed ourselves, our limbs being very much cramped sitting on the side of the wet ditch the whole of the night. The Sergeant of each section gave a small piece of bread (about an ounce) to each man, and enquiry was made along the ranks for a butcher, one having gone forward, he was immediately ordered to kill a pig, (there being cattle at the above me named farm-house, which having been slaughtered, was divided amongst the company, a portion of the head, (in its rough state), being my share and having placed it upon the fire the heat of which served to dry our clothing and accoutrements, and to cook our separate portion of meat which having become warmed through and blackened with smoke I partook of a little, but finding it too raw and unsavoury (having neither bread or salt), I put the remainder in my haversack, and taking my musket to put it in order for action (which having been loaded the day previous and the enemy not having disturbed us during the night), I discharged its contents at an object which the ball imbedded in the bank where I had purposely placed it as a target, while so employed we kept a sharp look out on the enemy (who were no doubt similarly employed) at the same time having well attended to those things usual for a soldier to do, (in the presence of an enemy) when not actively engaged, viz., examining the amount and state of ammunition remaining after previous engagements, also putting his musket in fighting trim, well flinted, oiled, &c. (Bye the bye the flint musket then in use was a sad bore on that occasion, from the effects of the wet the springs of the locks became wood-bound and would not act correctly, and when in action, the clumsy flints became also useless; the shortest way of amending these failures which were very disheartening, was to make an exchange from those that were laying about amongst the slain).”

 

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“Our Commanding Officer on his Charger remained on the road between the fence of the garden and the exterior wall of the farm to our rear, it being a higher position from whence he could more perfectly watch the movements of the enemy. The expected signal was given for us to retire from the garden; the front of the company was led by Lieut.-Colonel Dashwood, Captains Evelyn and Elrington into the wood; I being in the rear sub-division on quitting the garden, and reaching the road as above, Lieutenant Standon, with a very determined appearance, having his cap in one hand and his sword in the other, called our attention to join him and charge the enemy; we then went up the road towards the wood, the enemy's skirmishers being under cover about the hedge. On the right of the wood; our party took advantage of cover, myself and a man of the name of R. Gann, having taken our position under cover of a circular built stack from whence we fired on the enemy. Being earnestly engaged, the intervening objects were the cause of our not perceiving the movements and retreat of our comrades. Now left to ourselves as we imagined by not seeing any one near us, and the enemy's skirmishers remaining under cover continued firing at us, we likewise kept firing and retiring down the road, up which we had advanced.

We now halted, I unwisely ascended the higher part of a sloping ground on which the exterior wall of the farm was built, thinking of singling out the enemy's skirmishers more correctly, but very quickly found that I had become a target for them, my red coat being more distinctly visible than theirs.

Remaining in this position, I continued to exchange shots with the enemy across the kitchen garden, they having the advantage of the fence as a covering, their shots freely struck the wall in my rear. Our Company from which we were separated had now opened fire from within. My musket now proving defective was very discouraging, but casting my eyes to the ground, I saw a musket which I immediately took possession of in exchange for my old one. The new musket was warm from recent use, and proved an excellent one, it having belonged to the Light Infantry of the 1^st Foot Guards. My comrade during this time had more wisely contended with the enemy on the low ground by the garden fence; he being my senior by some years and a very steady and undaunted old soldier, and although I was but a youth I felt as though I had partaken of his courageous spirit.

 

Being still annoyed by the shots of the enemy who were under good cover, we took advantage of a clover stack some distance off, and beyond the lower extremity of the farming premises from whence we exchanged several shots (During the time we were engaged with the enemy across the garden a party of their force had made an attack on the gates round the corner of the Chateau, but were repulsed, our comrades still maintaining possession of the same). My comrade now from his position by the stack, apprized me of the enemy's advances to renew the attack, and supposing ourselves shut out from the Farm, we were for a moment or two quite at a loss how to act, but on turning my eyes towards the lower gates I saw that they were open, and at the same time apprizing my comrade of so favourable an opportunity, we hastened towards that way, and before entering the Farm yard, saw several of the wounded of our company making for the rear, amongst whom I distinguished Lieutenant-Colonel Dashwood and Capt. Evelyn of the same Company, who were also wounded.

On entering the court-yard I saw doors or rather gates were riddled with shot holes, and it was also very wet and dirty; in its entrance lay many dead bodies of the enemy; one I particularly noticed which appeared to have been a French Officer, but they were scarcely distinguishable, being to all appearance as though they had been very much trodden upon, and covered with the mud; on gaining the interior I saw Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell carrying a large piece of wood or trunk of a tree in his arms, (one of his cheeks marked with blood, his Charger lay bleeding within a short distance) with which he was hastening to secure the gates against the renewed attack of the enemy, which was most vigorously repulsed.”

Privates Clay and Gann fighting outside the North Gate

Painting by Ray Kirkpatrick

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