William Ponsonby (British Army officer)

Sir William Ponsonby K.C.B. (* 1772, † June 18, 1815 at Waterloo ) was a British general.

As a major general and commander of the 2nd ( heavy ) Brigade ( Brigade Union ) of the Reserve Cavalry (Lord Uxbridge ), he led in the Battle of Waterloo, the counter-attack against the infantry of the first French corps of General Jean -Baptiste Drouet d' Erlon's and was killed in the subsequent attack of the French cavalry.

His death in battle is partly due to false economy. He had his best horse behind the lines left and instead was ridden on an older, poorer horse into battle. From the unregulated continuous attack of the Grey Dragoons carried away, his horse was finally too exhausted to even take it out of the reach of French lancers can.