Artist Benjamin Haydon recalled hearing that during the Battle of Waterloo, a man in civilian clothes rode a sturdy pony onto the battlefield. His progress caught Wellington’s eye, and the Duke warned him that he was taking quite a risk. Protesting that he was just curious, and his peril no greater than the Duke’s, the man rode on.

As the battle intensified, the Duke was forced to use the inquisitive civilian to relay messages. So efficient was he, that the Duke asked for his card: it seemed he sold buttons. After the war ended, the Duke sought him out in England and found him a job in the Royal Mint, a thoughtful gesture that impressed Haydon.

116 words