Mineral Point Tribune

A Story of Waterloo.

How a French General Was Stolen by a Young English Officer.

The only prisoner made by the English reserve at Waterloo, says an English paper, was a French general, whose capture was due to the cool head and stout heart of a young brigade major anxious for adventure. During the battle several regiments of cavalry and infantry were kept in reserve under a heavy fire from the French guns.

Great was the havoc, and neither men nor horses relished the passive attitude to which they were condemned. While a group of officers in front of the left wing of the reserve were discussing the situation their attention was attracted to a French general and his staff, all on horseback, who were looking through their glasses at the Englishmen. One of the group was Capt. Halkett, a young brigade major mounted on a thoroughbred.

Suddenly he exclaimed: "I'll lay any one five pounds that I will bring that French general over here dead or alive. Who'll take my bet?" "Done, done, done!" shouted several officers.

The captain examined the saddle girths and his pistols. Then shouting "good-by!" and putting spurs to his horse, he dashed at a furious pace across the plain between the British and French lines. His comrades followed him with their glasses, not speaking a word. The Frenchmen opposite seemed puzzled. Believing that the Englishman's horse had bolted, and that the rider had lost control of him, they opened their ranks to let the runaway horse through. Halkett steered his steed so as to graze the mounted general on the right side. At that instant he put his arm around the Frenchman's waist, lifted him bodily out of the saddle, and, throwing him across his own horse's neck turned sharp and made for the English lines.

When the general's staff realized the meaning of the bold rider they dashed after him; but he had a good start, and not a Frenchman dared to fire for fear of hitting the general.

Half a squad of English dragoons seeing Halkett chased by a dozen French officers, charged them. They opened their ranks to let Halkett through, closed them up again the moment he was in the rear, and then forced the Frenchmen to turn swiftly and seek shelter under their own guns.

Amid the maddest cheering Halkett stopped in front of the British lines, with the general half dead but securely clasped in his strong arms. He jumped from his horse, apologized to the prisoner for the uncereonious way in which he had been handled, and, in reply to the congratulations of his comrades, said simply: "Praise my horse, not me." The captured general was treated with the utmost courtesy and consideration.