War in France and Belgium in 1815

556 Pages·1897·40.508 MB·English

by  W. Siborne

01=
2
-<
ZG><^0P*0 I*2S3 I.rrJn <T^M'f
^/MAINfl3\\V
IRARYO/
--J
\\EUNIVERJ1//

HISTOKY
WAR IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM,
IN 1815.
CONTAINING MINUTE DETAILS
OF THE
BATTLES OE QUATEE-BEAS, LIGNY, WAVEE,
WATEELOO.
CAPTAIN W,
SIBOENE,
SECRETARY AND ADJUTANT OF THE ROYAL MILITARY ASYLUM
j
CONSTRUCTOR OF THE "WATERLOO MODEL."
SECOND EDITION.
VOL. II.
LONDON
:
T. AND W. BOONE, NEW BOND STREET.
MDGCCXHV.
\ -

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XL
Commencementof the grand attack upon the left wingandcentreof the
Anglo-alliedarmy Ontherightof theattackthe French gain possession
of the farm of Papelotte, which, however, is soon retaken by the 3rd
battalion of the 2nd regiment of Nassau Retreat of Bylandt's Dutch-
Belgian infantry-brigade Picton'sdispositions Attackbythe Frenchleft
centralcolumn Gallantcharge by Kempt's brigade Death of Picton
Contestbetweencuirassiersand the 2ndlife guards in frontof the right
ofKempt'sbrigade Attack uponLa Haye Sainte by the left brigade of
Donzelot's division Advance of Roussel'scavalry-brigadebythe French
leftofLa HayeSainte Uxbridgedecidesupon charging the enemy's at-
tackingforce with Somerset'sand Ponsonby'scavalry-brigades Chargeby
theFrench cuirassiers and carabiniers It is met by thatof Somerset's
cavalry-brigade Advance of Ponsonby's cavalry-brigade Advance of
Alix'sand Marcognet's French infantry-divisions Theyreach the crestof
theAnglo-allied position AdvanceofPack'sbrigade Itsattack uponthe
head of Marcognet's column Charge by Ponsonby's cavalry-brigade
Complete overthrow of the French columns The Greyscapturetheeagle
of the45th French regiment They also charge and defeatasupporting
column of Marcognet'sattackingforce The Royals capture the eagleof
the 105th French regiment The Inniskillings defeat and disperse the
columnstowhichtheyareopposed Continuationofthe chargebySomer-
set'sbrigade Disorderedstateofthe two British cavalry-brigades They
crowntheenemy'sposition,andcutdown the gunners and horses of the
French batteries At length they retire The left of their line suffers
severely from acharge by Jaquinot's light cavalry-brigade Vandeleur's
lightcavalryadvancesinsupport upon the left Charge by the 12th end
16th British light dragoons The French cavalryisdriven back Vivian
moveshisbrigadetotheright, and opensafirefromtwo gunsofhishorse-
artillery The Britishcavalryengagedinthisaffair sustainsaheavy loss
Dispositionof thetroops ontheAnglo-allied left and centre Tableauof
thebattle atthisperiod. page2
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
Continuationofthecontestat Hougomont Attempted flankattack uponthis
post completelydefeated byCaptain Cleeves's foot-battery of the King's
German legion The principal buildings of Hougomont, including the
chateau,setonfire by the French Napoleon prepares a grand cavalry-
attack upon Wellington's right wing Renewed attack upon La Haye
Sainte Tremendous cannonade along the French heights French grand
cavalry-attack Itsfailure Its renewal Second failure Ney, on being
reinforced by Kellermann's corpsof heavy cavalry,and Guyot's heavy
cavalry-divisionoftheguard, renewshisattack Thisismost successfully
resisted Ney directs anotherattackupon La Haye Sainte,and advancesa
heavy columnof Bachelu's infantryagainst the centreof theAnglo-allied
right wing Wellington draws Chasse's Dutch-Belgian division from
Braine-la-leudtowardstheprincipal sceneof action, and moves Clinton's
divisionintothefrontline ContestatLa Haye Sainte The 5th and 8th
line-battalionsoftheKing'sGermanlegion,onadvancingtochargeFrench
infantryinrearof LaHayeSainte, aresuddenlyassailedinflankbyFrench
cavalry, andthe8thbattalionisalmostentirelydestroyed Artilleryinthe
Anglo-alliedfrontline reinforced Attack by a column of French heavy
cavalryupontheAnglo-alliedrightcompletelydefeatedbyMajor Mercer's
batteryof British horse-artillery A strong column of French infantry,
supportedby cavalry,advancesagainstthecentreoftheAnglo-allied right
wing It is charged by Somerset's heavy cavalry-brigade Conduct of
Trip'sDutch-Belgiancarabinier-brigade Gallantchargebythe3rdhussars
of the King'sGerman legion Renewed attack by the columnof French
heavycavalryinfrontof Major Mercer's horse-battery It is repulsed as
before Wellington reinforces the right of his frontlinebydu Plat'sin-
fantry-brigade of the King's German legion, accompanied by Captain
Sympber's horse-battery of the same service It is attacked by French
cuirassiers Thesearedrivenoff bythebattalions of du Plat's brigade
Renewedchargebythecuirassiersequallyunsuccessful FailureofFrench
cavalry attack upon the right centre of the Anglo-allied line Adam's
British light infantry-brigade advances into thefrontline, ontherightof
Maitland's brigade; crosses the ridge, and takesupa positionontheex-
terior slope Hereitisrepeatedly attacked by French cavalry Advance
of Halkett's Hanoverian brigade The French assailthepostof La Haye
Saintewith the utmost vigour It falls into their possession Napoleon
directs Neytofollow up this advantage with avigorous attack uponthe
centreof the Anglo-allied line, and atthesame timetorenew theassault
upon Hougomont Ney's views and dispositions Attack upon Allen's
division The 5th line-battalion of the King's German legion, led by
Ompteda, gallantly charges French infantry, but is furiously assailed in
flankbyaregimentofcuirassiers,andnearlydestroyed : Omptedaiskilled