Description
Waterloo 1815, William Mitchell Junior, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, wounded in action at Waterloo.
William Mitchell is the younger of two William Mitchells in his company of the 3rd Battalion 1st Foot Guards, although he is no youngster himself, he was born during 1783 in Preston, Lancashire.
He first joined the army with the 84th Foot (York & Lancaster) on 1st April 1809 serving with them until 21st November 1811.
He then joined the Grenadier Guards, at the time known as the 1st Foot Guards on 15th July 1813, becoming the Junior to William Mitchell Senior, who had first enlisted in the regiment on 31st October 1805, as a member of Lt Colonel John Reeve’s Company.
At the Battle of Waterloo, the 3rd Battalion of 1st Foot Guards fielded 1021 men, by the end of the battle William Mitchell was one of the 604 casualties, 59% of their strength, the highest casualty rate of the Foot Guards.
He was discharged from service on 26th January 1816 once the regiment returned home from France in consequence of his wounding at Waterloo, having lost a finger due to a musket shot.
