Note 63 — HISTORICAL RECORD (continued 2)

"I was in command of the centre squadron of the Royal Dragoons in this charge. While following up the attack, I perceived, a little to my left, in the midst of a body of infantry, an Eagle and Colour, which the bearer was making off with towards the rear. I immediately gave the order, 'Right shoulders forward,' to my squadron, at the same time leading direct upon the Eagle, and calling out to the men with me to 'Secure the colours.' The instant I got within reach of the officer who carried the Eagle, I ran my sword into his right side, and he staggered and fell, but did not reach the ground on account of the pressure of his companions. As the officer was in the act of falling, I called out, a second time, to some men close behind me, 'Secure the colour; it belongs to me!' The standard coverer, Corporal Stiles, and several other men, rushed up, and the Eagle fell across my horse's head, against that of Corporal Stiles, who came up on my left. As it was falling I caught the fringe of the flag with my left hand, but could not at the first pull up the Eagle: at the second attempt, however, I succeeded. Being in the midst of French troops, I attempted to separate the Eagle from the staff, to put it into the breast of my coatee; but it was too firmly fixed. Corporal Stiles said, 'Pray, Sir, do not break it!' to which I replied 'Very well; carry it off to the rear as fast as you can,' which he did. Though wounded, I preferred remaining in the field in the command of my squadron, which I did until near seven o'clock in the evening, when I was obliged to withdraw; having had two horses killed under me, and having received two wounds, which confined me to my quarters at Brussels nearly two months."—Captain Clark's Narrative of the Capture of the Eagle.