Napoleon victorious, p.11
Napoleon Victorious!, page 11
The hamlet of Frasnes on the road to Quatre Bras was burning. Prussian stragglers had alerted the Nassauer commander, who had put his small force in order to defend the town. He placed a few small German detachments to hold it, but the cavalry had just ridden around north of the town. There they found that the Nassau battalion backed by an artillery battery had blocked the road north. The lancers of the 2nd Cavalry Division forced the battalion to form a square. Only the first rank of lancers were armed with the lance. Napoleon had thought only the first rank had the necessary shock potential of the lance. The rest were armed with sabres and carbines. Now these rear ranks dismounted and began skirmishing with the Nassauers from cover, dropping man after man in their tight ranks as the battalion was forced to retain its square as the remaining mounted lancers threatened. With this unit fixed, the rest of the 2nd and the Guard Light Cavalry Division again rode around and moved swiftly towards Quatre Bras.
Soult arrived ahead of Reille’s infantry to watch the 2nd’s horse artillery battery unlimber and pour canisters into the Nassauers, blowing bloody gaps in their ranks. They were badly shaken and appeared stunned, which was all the lancers needed. They swarmed in through the gaps, spearing man after man until the rest quickly surrendered. Reille’s infantry arrived and swiftly cleared the rest of the Germans out of the hamlet.
15 June – Quatre Bras
General Desnouettes pushed his chasseurs and lancers fast up the road. He knew His Majesty would accept no excuse, even though the horses were tired. Tired or not, he would get them to Quatre Bras. In doing so, they rode down the Prussian stragglers who had alerted the Nassauers in Frasnes. One wounded uhlan tried to lash his horse forward, but the animal gave out, and he could only surrender. The courier sent out by the Nassauer commander in Frasnes was also overtaken and died from a lance thrust.
The Guard Light Cavalry rode into the hamlet of Quatre Bras without opposition with an hour of sunlight left in the day. He quickly threw one of his regiments and his two horse artillery batteries north of the town on the road to Brussels. Other detachments picketed the roads to Namur and Nivelles. They engaged Nassau sentries at Houtain-le-Val. Now he just had to wait for Reille and his infantry. As sun set, he was reinforced by the 2nd Cavalry Division.
By 11:00 p.m. Reille’s lead 5th Division entered the hamlet. They were exhausted, and at least a third had fallen out on the forced march, but they were there.
Soult had come with them. He was being briefed by Desnouettes when a Guard staff officer interrupted to say that a Prussian general had been captured on the Namur road with a dispatch for Wellington. He introduced a clearly mortified Gen. Müffling, Blücher’s quartermaster general and his liaison officer to Wellington. Soult may have been a bear to his subordinates, but in such circumstances, he was considerate and chivalrous. It was clear that the Prussian was not about to provide anything of value, but that was not necessary. His dispatch, which the Prussians had the courtesy to write in good French to the Duke, was everything he could have wished. The dispatch was from Gneisenau and informed the Duke that ‘Blücher had concentrated on the east–west chaussée at Sombreffe.’ Soult immediately sent off a courier under strong escort with the dispatch to Napoleon at Charleroi.34
15 June – Army of the Netherlands Headquarters, Brussels
It was the middle of the day and Wellington was writing at length to the Tsar that it was his determination to begin offensive operations at the end of the month. He was completely unaware that Napoleon was already in Belgium. He did not receive Zieten’s warning until 3:00 p.m. when a Prussian officer covered with dirt and sweat galloped into Brussels with a much-delayed dispatch. The Duke thought it a feint, with the real main French axis of advance to still come by way of Mons. He had another reason for not prematurely making a decisive move. Brussels was full of French émigré aristocrats and British tourists whom he did not want to panic.
That same afternoon Prince William arrived from his headquarters at Brainele-Comte to the west of Nivelles on the same road that ran to Sombreffe. He reported that the Prussians had been attacked at Binche just inside the Belgian border and that he himself had heard gunfire coming from Charleroi. That decided Wellington to alert the dispersed elements of his army to collect at their division headquarters, between Grammont and Nivelles, and be prepared to march with one hour’s notice. The Reserve Corps would stay in Brussels under his command. He ordered Lord Uxbridge to collect his cavalry at Ninove. The concentration was still aimed at the French coming from Mons. The orders went out between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.
He still thought Mons was the most likely French objective because the road to Brussels ran directly northwards from it. He said, ‘For this reason, I must wait for my advice from Mons before I fix on my rendezvous.’ The source of that advice was Lt. Col. Grant. He had no idea, however, that Grant had divined the real French approach via Charleroi. Unfortunately, his dispatch to Wellington was intercepted by a puffed-up Hanoverian cavalry officer, Lt. Col. von Hacke, who had the temerity to read it, declare it nonsense, and send it back to Grant.35
In the meantime, Wellington meant to keep his promises to the Duchess of Richmond to attend the lavish ball she had planned. He intended that his attendance would indicate that the situation was not critical. It was also meant to show such confidence that Brussels’ large pro-Napoleon faction would have no excuse to act. It was also the place where most of his generals were likely to be found.
15 June – The Roads to Sombreffe
As Wellington’s orders went out, over 60,000 Prussians and Saxons were rushing down the roads and over the fields to answer the call to concentrate at Sombreffe. Thousands of men, especially the reluctant Saxons, fell out in exhaustion, but the main columns pushed on.
15 June – Allied I Corps Headquarters, Braine-le-Comte, Belgium
If Slender Billy was more valour than ability, he was lucky to have a superb chief of staff in Gen. Baron Jean de Constant Rebecque. He had also heard the Prince’s personal report of hearing gunfire from the direction of Charleroi and took it most seriously, especially when a few stray Prussian cavalrymen spoke of a major movement in that direction as well as statments from the Nassauers at Frasnes of approaching gunfire. He could read a map. If the French were coming by way of Mons, the road to Brussels ran through his own headquarters and Nivelles ten miles to the east. If, however, the French were coming from Charleroi, the road to Brussels ran through the crossroads hamlet of Quatre Bras. He made the decision to order the 2nd Netherlands Infantry Division at Nivelles, commanded by Lt. Gen. Baron Henri de Perponcher-Sedlnitzky, to march to Quatre Bras immediately. At the same time, he sent an order to the 8,000 men of the British 3rd Infantry Division at Soignes, four miles south-west of Braine-le-Comte, to also begin marching to Quatre Bras. Shortly after he had sent off the orders, Wellington’s order to concentrate at Nivelles arrived. Rebecque disregarded that and continued to organize the corps for the defence of Quatre Bras. A courier sped through the moonlight to Brussels.
Just as Perponcher-Sedlnitzky opened his orders, a courier dashed up to him from the commander of the Nassau battalion at Houtain-le-Val with word that his sentries had been attacked by French cavalry on the road to Quatre Bras. The general’s mind raced over the ramifications. Was this the result of a deep French scouting patrol? Or more likely was it the disaster it surely appeared to be? If so, the French had snapped the only good lateral road between Wellington and Blücher’s armies. He knew his duty demanded an immediate attempt to drive the French out of Quatre Bras. He would literally be attacking in the dark against an enemy of unknown strength and disposition. His division numbered 7,620, but only his 1st Brigade (2,931) was at Nivelles. His 2nd Brigade was almost twice as strong, but it was centred at Genappe, north of Quatre Bras. He sent off couriers to order its commander, Prince Bernard of Saxe-Weimar, to secure Quatre Bras at all costs. He desperately hoped that the Prince had news of the French as well and that he would move immediately on Quatre Bras. He had instructed the Prince in May that the point of alarm for his brigade was Quatre Bras. At the same time, he roused the 1st Brigade and led it into the growing dark, towards Quatre Bras.
15–16 June – Duke of Richmond’s Rented Palace, Brussels
Wellington arrived fashionably late to the ball. Rumours of the French at Charleroi had circulated through the city, and every eye was keen to see if the Duke showed any nervousness. He was serenely calm, though one observer noted a sense of anxiety beneath his bonhomie. It was noted that he would break off a conversation to give orders to young officers who dashed off. Officers whose regiments were at any distance were leaving in response to the Duke’s assembly order.
Shortly before the traditional late supper, a courier arrived and presented his dispatch to the Prince of Orange, who just handed it to Wellington. He read it, no trace of anxiety on his face, but officers were called, orders given or quickly written. He suggested that the Duke of Brunswick and Slender Billy join their commands. It was a report from Mons that nothing was happening there. So, he concluded, the reports about Charleroi were true.
Then he went in to supper about midnight. Hardly had he sat down when the Prince of Orange returned to the room and whispered into his ear. Wellington looked incredulous but said nothing except to repeat that the Prince should return to his headquarters. After a decent interval, he said to the Duke of Richmond, ‘I think it is time for me to go to bed.’ As he was bidding his host goodnight, he whispered to ask if he had a good map in the house. Richmond took him to his library and showed him the map.
He needed to confirm the implications of the message from Baron Rebecque of 10:30 p.m. that the French may have seized Quatre Bras by coup de main in unknown strength. He had dispatched the 2nd Netherlands Division to secure the crossroads, whether the French were there or not. Now looking at the map, he realized that the hinge connecting the two Allied armies had been broken. He exclaimed, ‘Napoleon has humbugged me, by God! He has gained twenty-four hours on me!’36
Richmond never forgot what the Duke said next: ‘By God, he does war honour.’
15 June – The Road to Fleurus
The Emperor rode with his staff behind the cavalry screen onto the plain of Fleurus, his only escort a squadron of grenadiers à cheval. His eye was drawn to a steep height to his left on the otherwise flat plain, and he was soon examining it with his glass. It was clear that a number of dismounted cavalry were on the height, obviously not French. He called for a staff officer to reconnoitre the hill. Captain Coignet rode up. Napoleon recognized the man who had conducted any number of such dangerous missions. ‘Do not get caught,’ he said as Coignet spurred off.
Halfway up the hill, three officers mounted and quickly came zigzagging down to confront him. They were clearly Prussians. Coignet saluted them and turned about. When he reached the bottom of the hill, he stopped to offer a bow to his pursuers. The taunt succeeded. As he closed half the distance to the Emperor, one of the pursuers galloped after him. The other two stopped to give the younger of them the honour of taking him. Napoleon was concerned enough to send two of his escort to rescue Coignet. But it was not Coignet’s first engagement. He recalled:
I patted my horse to put him in a good humor. I looked behind, and saw that I had time enough to make a left-wheel, and attack him. He shouted to me, ‘Surrender.’ And I to him also, ‘Surrender.’ Wheeling to the left, I fell upon him. Seeing me make this sudden wheel-about, he turned, but it was too late; the wine was poured out, and he had to drink it. He had scarcely completed his turn, when I was at his side, and pierced him with the point of my sabre. He fell head foremost to the ground, stone dead. Leaving my sabre hanging at my wrist, I seized his horse, and rode proudly back to the Emperor. ‘Well, old grouser, I thought you would be captured. Who showed you how to make such a turn?’
‘One of your picked gendarmes, in the Russian campaign.’
Napoleon was evidently pleased and admired the fine English-bred gelding and commented that had it been a stallion he would have bought it. His staff vied to buy it. He turned to Monthion, ‘Make a note of this old grouser. After the campaign, we will see him.’37
15 June – Gilly to Fleurus
Napoleon had to exercise no little self-control. He was used to directing his corps closely, but Davout had pushed Vandamme’s corps and the Young Guard forward and drove the Prussians back with a rain of blows. Napoleon concluded that Davout was doing everything he himself would do. He rode among the moving columns and asked the first officer he saw what regiment it was. The man replied, ‘Sire, the 37th.’
‘Ah, Gauthier’s regiment? Your soldiers have poor greatcoats.’
‘The Prussians have new ones.’
‘They are there, go and take them.’38
Once Vandamme got into battle, he was a veritable Mars. He was ably supported by Grouchy and two of his cavalry corps. They pushed Zieten’s 2nd Brigade back to the defence of the ridge near Gilly, three miles north-east of Charleroi. The Prussians had three battalions with artillery on the ridge, with four stacked up to the rear as a reserve in woods to the rear. Their left flank was guarded only by two squadrons of West Prussian dragoons.
The French artillery concentrated its fire on the Prussian line at which the advancing columns of the 15th and 23rd of the Line of the 8th Division aimed. Although tired after a long march, the adrenalin rush of combat gave them new energy as the drums beat the pas de charge and the battalions cheered, ‘Vive l’Empereur! ’ The artillery ploughed the way for them, blowing bloody gaps through the Westphalian Landwehr on the Prussian right flank. The Landwehr collapsed and fled as the 15th crested the ridge to see the cavalry coming up parallel with them. Now surrounded, the two remaining Prussian battalions on the ridge surrendered. Those in reserve began a hasty withdrawal through the woods, pursued by the 15th.
As Napoleon rode up he heard the crash of gunfire as Davout threw the cavalry and Vandamme at the Prussians. The Emperor reflected that Davout was showing exactly the aggressive initiative for which he had chosen him. He found ample proof in the 1,200 Prussian prisoners being hustled to the rear. The survivors fell back rapidly towards Fleurus, where Zieten had determined to rally his corps. He had to hold the French there to allow the rest of the army to concentrate. Zieten’s 3rd Brigade had been bruised about as badly by Reille at Gosselies and was moving quickly to Fleurus. Delaying Napoleon had cost Zieten 4,000 men that day. The word spread through his exhausted men that Davout the Terrible, the author of their national trauma at Auerstedt in 1806, commanded against them. Zieten was quick to inform Blücher that Davout was on the field. The Prussian commander burned to avenge that day when he had flung his cavalry in bloody ruin against Davout’s infantry squares. The news did not arouse any trepidation in the field marshal. Rather, it stoked his desire for revenge to white hot.
But the falling darkness effectively shut down the fighting. The congestion at Charleroi caused Gérard’s IV Corps to be redirected to the east where they found an undefended bridge to cross the Sambre. They marched up through the dusk and went into bivouac along with Vandamme’s men.
Napoleon found Davout and Vandamme by a fire. It was there that the courier from Soult delivered the captured dispatch. Reading it, he exclaimed, ‘Fortune smiles on us!’ He had worried that she had abandoned him, but here was proof she had not. Blücher was concentrating his army at Sombreffe. Napoleon had believed he would face no more than 40,000 Prussians the next day. Now he said, ‘I have them!’39
16 June – Quatre Bras
The Prince of Saxe-Weimar was thankful for the moonlit night. It was the only way his 28th Nassau-Orange Regiment had any chance at all to secure Quatre Bras. They marched down the Brussels road from Genappe with the Prince at the head of the column, skirmishers out front. A pair of cannons fired, sending solid shot straight through the ranks. The men were staggered by the bloody furrow that killed or wounded forty-two men. Then a bugle blew, the sound of hooves on cobbles, and the French cavalry were among them, hacking and stabbing, the moonlight glinting off their sabres. The lead battalion disintegrated as the men fled across the fields, pursued by the horsemen. The Prince’s body would be found the next day on the road.
CHAPTER 4
‘La Ball Commence!’
16 June 1815
3:30 a.m. – The Netherlands Army I Corps Headquarters, Braine-le-Comte
Slender Billy rode into his headquarters at 3:30 a.m. and was immediately briefed by Rebecque on the situation. Reports had been coming in that the attempts of the 2nd Netherlands Division to secure Quatre Bras had been repulsed in the night. The 1st Brigade had pulled back to Houtain-le-Val and the 2nd Brigade to Genappe after the Prince of Saxe-Weimar had been killed. The British 1st and 3rd Divisions were on the march to concentrate at Nivelles. The Prince was back in the saddle in a few minutes.
4:00 a.m. – Grande Armée Headquarters, Charleroi
Napoleon rose at 4:00 and immediately began to read and discuss with Berthier the reports that awaited him. He dictated letters to both Soult and Davout laying out his plans. Against the Prussians he would employ Grouchy’s cavalry to hold their left flank in place while he battered away at their right, forcing Blücher to commit his reserves and then throw his own reserve at the Prussian left to crush it. He expected the defeated Prussians to retreat in the direction of their communications through Liège. To ensure that Wellington did not come to the aid of the Prussians, Soult was to defeat the allied forces at Quatre Bras in detail as they came up. He had almost 50,000 men, sufficient to accomplish that task. After finishing the Prussians, Napoleon would march to join Soult then seize Brussels. As a postscript, he ordered Berthier to send an order to d’Erlon’s corps at Gosselies to remain there and be prepared to march to support either Soult or himself.
