As La Haye Sainte falls and with the French skirmishers and cannon slowly grinding down the British, Colonel Ford, the Prince of Wales' Own Volunteers inexperienced commander, is frightened, confused and indecisive when Napoleon, mistakenly believing the British are wavering, sends forward four massive columns of the his best, most renowned troops, the Imperial Guard, to strike the decisive blow. Two columns are stalled by stiff resistance, Wellington personally orders the volleys that rout the third column, and Sharpe rallies his old regiment and plays a major role in repulsing the last one. Witnessing this, Wellington gives Sharpe official command of the regiment. The sight of the Imperial Guard in retreat shatters French morale, and the rest of the army flees. The Prussians finally arrive on the field, and Wellington orders a general advance.
