G. A. Henty 
One of the 28th [PDF ebook] 
A Tale of Waterloo

Following the untimely death of his father, young Ralph Conway becomes the man of the house amidst trying circumstances. Herbert Penfold, a one-time admirer of Ralph’s mother, steps in as something of a father figure and forms a close bond with the boy. But when Ralph bravely decides to join the British effort to push back Napoleon Bonaparte, his family’s future is threatened.