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Waterloo campaign: Ligny through Wavre to Waterloo

May 02, 2024

Napoleonic Wars
Part of The Waterloo campaign

A portion of Belgium with some places marked in colour to indicate the initial deployments of the armies just before the commencement of hostilities on 15 June 1815: red Anglo-allied, green Prussian, blue French
Date17–18 June 1815
Location
From Ligny through Wavre to Waterloo in Belgium
Result The Prussian army retreats and the French advance, but the Prussians are able to maintain a link with the Anglo-allied army at Waterloo
Belligerents
France Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon, Marshal Grouchy Prince Blücher
Strength
French Army order of battle Prussian Army order of battle

On 16 June 1815, the French defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny. The Prussians successfully disengaged and withdrew north to Wavre where they regrouped, and later advanced westward with three corps to attack the right flank of the French army at the Battle of Waterloo. The French were slow to exploit Ligny; Napoleon wasted the morning of 17 June with a late breakfast and touring the previous day's battlefield before organising a pursuit of the two Coalition armies. Napoleon and Marshal Michel Ney took the French reserves to pursue the Duke of Wellington's Anglo-allied army. Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy was ordered to pursue and harry the Prussians and prevent them from regrouping.

Napoleon and Grouchy assumed that the Prussians were retreating towards Namur and Liège to take up a line on the river Meuse. On 17 June, Grouchy sent the bulk of his cavalry ranging in that direction as far as Perwez. From a 22:00 despatch to Napoleon, Grouchy still thought the Prussians were retreating north-east although by then he knew that two Prussian corps were heading north towards Wavre. From another despatch four hours later, Grouchy intended to advance to either Corbais or Wavre. However, at the end of 17 June his detachment was behind the Prussians, on the far side of the Dyle; Grouchy could neither prevent the Prussians at Wavre from moving to Waterloo, nor regroup with Napoleon on 18 June at Waterloo.

On the morning of 18 June, the remaining Prussians crossed the Dyle in and around Wavre and headed westwards towards Waterloo. Grouchy was at Sart-lez-Walhain when at about 11:30 he and his staff heard cannonades from the Battle of Waterloo, 23 kilometres (14 mi) to the northwest; a local notary gave them an accurate location of the source of the sound. There were no direct roads from Grouchy to the battle, but there was a road to Wavre, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) away to the north-northwest. Grouchy moved on Wavre, arriving at 16:00. At the Battle of Wavre, the French defeated the Prussian rearguard, the Prussian III Corps commanded by Johann von Thielemann, which had been about to leave for Waterloo.

The Prussian advance to Waterloo was impeded by swollen streams, which turned their valleys into muddy swamps, in particular the small river Lasne close to Saint-Lambert. Napoleon neglected to screen his right flank and failed to detect the Prussian's approach. At around 17:00 on 18 June, the Prussian vanguard started to arrive at Waterloo in strength from the Wood of Paris; shortly after they were attacking the right flank of Napoleon's army.

Ligny to Wavre, 17 June edit

Prussian retreat from Ligny edit

 
The Dyle river in Wavre (early 20th century).

After the Battle of Ligny, Zieten's Prussian I Corps and Pirch I's[a] II Corps retired to Tilly and Gentinnes.[2]

On the night of 16 June, Prussian headquarters ordered the army to fall back to Wavre[2] instead of falling back along lines of communication toward Prussia; by doing so, Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher retained the option of linking-up with the Anglo-allied army.[3] I and II Corps were ordered to Bierges and Saint-Anne.[b] Thielemann's III and Bülow's IV Corps at Gembloux and Baudecet [fr][c] received the order on the morning of 17 June to move and bivouac at Bawette [nl][d] and Dion-le-Mont [fr] near Wavre.[2]

I and II Corps passed through Mont-Saint-Guibert. II Corps deployed as rearguard in a defile behind the settlement. I Corps arrived at Wavre around noon, crossed the Dyle, and took up positions at Bierges. II Corps followed, but took up position on the right bank of the Dyle, between Sainte Anne and Aisémont.[2]

A cavalry brigade with half a horse battery, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Eston von Sohr,[6] from II Corps[7] acted as rearguard for I and II Corps. It was ordered to take up a concealed position between Tilly and Gentinnes and observe French movements, and fall back to the defile at Mont-Saint-Guibert when engaged.[6]

Also that night, Colonel von Röhl, superintendent of the army's Ordnance Department, set out for Wavre to organize any artillery arriving there for action. His aide-de-camp went to Gembloux to move the army's reserve ammunition wagons to Wavre.[8] Additional precautions were taken. Urgent orders for ammunition were sent to Maastricht, Cologne, Wesel, and Münster. Orders went to Liège to move the siege train to Maastricht, and to destroy the iron foundry at the arsenal.[8]

General Friedrich Wilhelm von Jagow's detachment had held Byre during the night. At first light on 17 June, it began moving to Gembloux by way of Sombreffe, and arrived before III Corps. After receiving the retreat order, Jagow directed the detachment's units back to their brigades.[9]

Prussian III Corps joins IV Corps at Gembloux edit

Prussian III Corps remained in place for much of 16 June, which covered the retreat through Gembloux.[10]

Blücher was recovering from his fall at the Battle of Ligny. It was Gneisenau, Blücher's chief-of-staff,[11][e] who gave III Corps the option of retreating by Tilly or Gembloux. Thielemann chose Gembloux, as he knew that the French held Saint-Amand, Ligny, and the Ligny battlefield up to Sombreffe.[6]

The widely dispersed III Corps regrouped during the night of 16 June; the manoeuvre was protracted. It was not until 02:00 on 17 June that the head of the column, made of the reserve artillery, reached the Nivelles–Namur/Fleurus–Gembloux crossroad and the Gembloux road.[f] The corps' main body reached Gembloux at 06:00.[6]

III Corps' rearguard—Borcke's 8th Infantry Brigade and Hobe's III Corps Cavalry (the reserve cavalry)—took up position along the Namur road, facing south down the Fleurus chaussée (high road) toward the French. The rearguard withdrew at 04:00.[6]

IV Corps' vanguard reached Baudecet by the old Roman at nightfall on 16 June. Bülow learned of the Battle of Ligny, and ordered brigades posted at intervals along the road. Hake's 13th Brigade was bivouacked to the rear, near Hotomont [fr][g] where the road intersected with the Namur-Louvain road. In the morning, IV Corps was posted about 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) to the rear of Grembloux on the Roman road.[14]

As III Corps approached Gembloux, it learned of IV Corps' position. Major Karl von Weyrach,[15][16] Blücher's aide-de-camp, and who had accompanied III Corps through the night, left to report the status of both corps to army headquarters; he found it at Mellery.[h] III Corps halted on the other side of the town. Neither Thielemann nor Bülow knew where I and II Corps were. Writing to Bülow, Thielemann said that he had no new orders from Blücher, but believed the army was retreating to Saint-Trond. Furthermore, III Corps had not been followed by the French, but he had heard distant firing on the right, which he concluded was connected with Duke of Wellington's Anglo-allied Army.[14]

With two corps available, the Prussians could contest a French pursuit toward Gembloux.[10]

Cavalry skirmish along the Namur road edit

The Prussians were too far away to easily follow by the time the French organized a pursuit. The French detached Pajol[i] and the 4th Cavalry Division[failed verification] of his light Cavalry Corps to pursue. The division, led by Pierre Soult, consisted of Clary's 1st, Blot's 4th, and Liégeard's 5th Hussars; they struck down the Namur road. They were supported by Lieutenant General Baron François Antoine Teste's 21st Infantry Division of Lobau's VI Corps, which took up position on the heights above Mazy.[19]

4th Cavalry Division quickly encountered a Prussian force composed of Horse Battery No. 14 and a squadron of the 7th Uhlans. The horse battery, from II Corps, had retired during the Battle of Ligny after running out of ammunition but had not found the reserve ammunition wagons; it had neither returned to II Corps or withdrawn with III Corps, instead "uselessly driving first in one direction, and then in another". The Uhlans, from III Corps, had been posted at Onoz and had not received recall orders. The French captured all of the Prussian guns, with the Uhlans losing 30 men before escaping. The skirmish gave the French the impression that the Prussians were retreating toward Namur.[20]

Prussian III Corps and IV Corps retreat to Wavre edit

At about 09:30, Weyrach arrived at IV Corps headquarters with orders from army headquarters for IV Corps to move to Dion-le-Mont, near Wavre, by Walhain and Corbais [fr][j][k] The orders also defined the corps' rearguard. The main body of the rearguard—ultimately 14th Brigade—was to be posted at Vieux-Sart. Furthermore, a detachment of a regiment of cavalry, two battalions of infantry, and two guns of horse artillery was to be sent to Mont-Saint-Guibert to reinforce, and then cover the withdrawal of, I and II Corps' rearguard; this detachment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ledebur and composed of the 10th Hussars, the fusilier battalions of the 11th Regiment of Infantry and 1st Regiment of Pomeranian Landwehr, and two guns from Horse Battery No. 12.[22]

The main body of the IV Corps moved directly to Dion-le-Mont. It took up position on the height near that town, near the intersection of the roads leading to Louvain, Wavre, and Gembloux.[23]

III Corps began moving at 14:00; it arrived at Wavre late in the evening and took up positions at Bawette. General Borcke's 9th Infantry Brigade and Colonel Count Lottum's Cavalry Brigade remained on the right bank of the Dyle. Other units rejoined the main body at Wavre: Colonel Marwitz' Cavalry Brigade which had withdrawn through Tilly, the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Kurmark Landwehr and the two squadrons of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry from Dinant, and the survivors of the 7th Uhlans squadron from Onoz. The corps' two squadrons from the 9th Hussars had not yet arrived from Ciney.[24]

Prussian headquarters retreats to Wavre edit

Prussian army headquarters relocated to Wavre early on 17 June. Blücher was still recovering from his injuries and remained bedridden for the rest of the day.[25]

Late in the morning, Lieutenant Massow [de] made a round trip as messenger between the Prussians and the Anglo-allies.[25] He notified the Anglo-allies that the Prussians were retreating to Wavre,[26] and then returned with a message from Wellington for Blücher. Wellington intended to retreat to Waterloo, and requested the support of two Prussian corps so he could give battle. Blücher did not reply immediately. The request was viewed favourably but the Prussian army was still regrouping on Wavre and Blücher did not yet know what he could promise. It was not known if IV Corps would join the army on 17 June. I and II Corps needed ammunition, but its supply had been directed to Grembloux. For the moment, the Prussians maintained their position near the Dyle, with VI Corps at Mont-Saint-Guibert as vanguard.[25]

 
Abbey of Aywiers in the village of Couture-Saint-Germain.

During the day, Major Falkenhausen conducted reconnaissance toward Genappe from Céroux [fr].[l] He observed the French advance along the Genappe-Brussels high road from woods beyond Céroux. Prussian patrols were sent toward Lasne, Couture-Saint-Germain, and Aywiers [fr], to observe the defiles along the streams of the Lasne.[28]

French reconnaissance and inactivity edit

The Prussian retreat, in good order and along routes where only minor roads (as opposed to high roads) were available, was met by French inactivity. At dawn on 17 June, French vedettes were within 0.80 kilometres (.5 mi) of Prussian III Corps' rearguard. The French did not conduct patrols, and missed the opportunity to observe the direction of the rearguard's withdrawal after sunrise.[29] Pajol's detachment, perhaps suspecting Namur was not the direction of the Prussian retreat, went to Saint-Denis where it regrouped with the 21st Infantry Division. A brigade from Exelmans' Heavy Cavalry Corps was sent to reinforce Pajol's detachment; based on updated intelligence, it redirected en route to Gembloux and discovered traces of the Prussian retreat.[30]

In the morning, Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy, acting commander of the Right Wing of the French Army, travelled to meet Napoleon at the emperor's quarters at Fleurus; the marshal was responding to a summons from the previous evening. At 08:00 and 09:00, Napoleon, accompanied by Grouchy, started a tour of the surrounding area; he visited officers, troops, and the battlefield at Ligny. At one point, he had a lengthy conversation with Grouchy and Gérard—commander of the IV Corps—about domestic politics and other subjects unconnected with the campaign.[31]

French main army divides edit

Grouchy's detachment[32]
Unit Commander Troops Guns
Infantry Cavalry Gunners Total
III Corps General Count Vandamme 14,508 0 936 32
IV Corps General Count Gérard 12,589 2,366 1,538 38
21st Division (VI Corps) Lieutenant General Baron Teste 2,316 0 161 8
4th Division (I Cavalry Corps) Lieutenant General Count Pajol 0 1,234 154 6
II Cavalry Corps Lieutenant General Count Exelmans 0 2,817 246 12
Initial strength 29,413 6,417 3,035 38,870 96
Losses on 16 June 3,900 800 400 5,100 0
Strength on morning of 17 June 25,513 5,617 2,635 33,765 96

By noon on 17 June, Napoleon had received reconnaissance reports toward Quatre Bras, and learned of the Prussian concentration at Gembloux. The army was divided between these two targets. He made the first changes to the disposition of the French army since sending Pajol's detachment to pursue the Prussians toward Namur.[33]

For an attack on Quatre Bras, forces would stage in front of Marbais astride the Namur road. The assigned formations were:[33]

  • Lobau's VI Infantry Corps, minus 21st Division which was supporting Pajol's detachment.
  • Milhaud's IV Cavalry Reserve Corps (a corps of Heavy Cavalry Cuirassiers), along with Lieutenant General Baron Subervie's Light Cavalry Division (detached from Pajol's I Cavalry Reserve Corps)
  • Lieutenant General Baron Domon's 3rd Light Cavalry Division (of II Corps)
  • Imperial Guard, both cavalry and infantry.

A detachment composed mainly of III Corps, IV Corps, and II Cavalry Corps[32] was assigned to Grouchy to pursue the Prussians. This was sufficient to probe Prussian movements, maintain communication with the main French army, and affect withdrawal if sorely pressed; it was not meant to fight the entire Prussian army.[33] 7th Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Girard, of II Corps had suffered heavy casualties the day before and was left at Ligny.[32]

Napoleon's orders were:[33]

"Pursue the Prussians, complete their defeat by attacking them as soon as you come up with them, and never let them out of your sight. I am going to unite the remainder of this portion of the Army with Marshal Ney's Corps, to march against the English, and to fight them if they should hold their ground between this and the Forest of Soignies. You will communicate with me by the paved road which leads to Quatre Bras."

The Prussian's main line of retreat was still unknown to the French. Napoleon believed the Prussians were retreating toward Namur and Liège, and to a line on the Meuse. From there, the Prussians could threaten the right flank of a French advance on Brussels.[34] Grouchy believed pursuit was not worthwhile as the Prussians were now many hours ahead of the French, having started to retreat at 22:00 the previous night; he could not convince Napoleon to allow him to go to Quatre Bras with the main French army.[35]

Main article: Waterloo campaign: Quatre Bras to Waterloo

Once arrangements with Grouchy were complete, Napoleon ordered the army at Marbais to advance. 5th Light Cavalry Division acted as vanguard, and the French reached Quatre Bras at about 14:00. By that time, the infantry of the Anglo-allied army had crossed the Dyle and were retreating along high road to Brussels. The French engaged the covering Anglo-allied cavalry.[35]

Prussian rearguard retreats to Mont-Saint-Guibert edit

French movement through Byre toward Quatre Bras was observed by Sohr's Prussian I/II Corps rearguard. Sohr retained a cavalry brigade, which was held to the rear of Tilly. Shortly afterwards, the Prussians began slowly pulling back to Mont-Saint-Guibert in response to the approach of French dragoons from Exelmans' II Cavalry Corps. The French skirmishers slowed the Prussians by forcing them to take frequent precautions against attack; the French abandoned the chase as night fell. Ledebur's IV Corps rearguard was waiting at Mont-Saint-Guibert when Sohr's detachment arrived in the evening of 17 June; Ledebur passed on orders to defend the defile.[36]

Grouchy advances to Gembloux edit

After Napoleon's departure, Grouchy ordered III and IV Corps to move to junction of the Gembloux and Namur roads and then - after receiving reports of significant Prussian movement through Gembloux - onto Gembloux. In the meantime, Grouchy went to the advanced posts of Exelmans' dragoons, which were now beyond Gembloux.[36] III and IV Corps reached Gembloux very late in the evening; III Corps was posted in front, and IV Corps to the rear, of the town. 6th Light Cavalry Division, commanded by Brigadier General Louis Vallin after Lieutenant General Antoine Maurin was wounded at the Battle of Ligny, was stationed nearby on the right bank of the Orneau.[36]

The 1st Brigade of Lieutenant General Chastel's 10th Cavalry Division, consisting of the 4th and 12th Dragoons, under Brigadier General Bonnemain, was pushed on to Sart-lez-Walhain.[m] 15th Dragoons, from General Vincent's [fr] Brigade of the 9th Cavalry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Strolz), were detached to Perwez.[n][37][38] These units reported that the Prussians had retired toward Wavre.[39]

21st Infantry Division, accompanied by Pajol's cavalry detachment, returned to its morning starting position of Mazy from Saint-Denis. Siborne states that there was no satisfactory explanation for this movement.[38]

Grouchy wrote a despatch to Napoleon dated 10:00 on 17 June. He gave his disposition around Gembloux, and a less accurate assessment of Prussian movements. According to Grouchy, from Sauvenières one Prussian column went to Wavre, perhaps to link up with the Anglo-allies, while the main Prussian body went to Perwez[n] en route to Liège. Finally, a column of Prussian artillery went to Namur. Grouchy reported he would follow the main Prussian body, which at that time seemed like either to Wavre or Perwez.[40] Siborne states that the despatch "was well calculated to satisfy Napoleon, that at least the spirit of his instructions had been understood by the Marshal."[10]

At 02:00 on 18 June, Grouchy sent another to Napoleon reporting that he would advance upon either Corbais or Wavre.[10]

Prussians regroup at Wavre edit

At 17:00 on 17 June, the Prussian reserve ammunition wagons reached Wavre, and the army was resupplied.[8] By the evening, the Prussian army was positioned around Wavre. Two corps were on each side of the Dyle and ready to resume operations. The rearguards remained at Vieux-Sart and Mont-Saint-Guibert, and withdrew without difficulty the next day. The only units still in transit were Borcke's 9th Brigade, Hacke's 13th Brigade, and Hobe's reserve cavalry from III Corps; they arrived in Wavre by 06:00 the next day.[41] Patrols were sent toward the main Namur-Louvain road, and up the river to maintain contact with the rearguard at Mont-Saint-Guibert. A detachment from I Corps provided flank protection at Limal.[28] The defiles of the Lasne were patrolled during the evening.[42] According to William Siborne, morale and confidence in Blücher's leadership remained high.[3]

With preparations completed, Blücher replied to Wellington's request for reinforcements.[8] Blücher pledged the support of his entire army. His only condition was that the Coalition would attack on the 19th if the French did not attack first on the 18th.[43] Before midnight, Blücher was notified by a despatch from General Karl Freiherr von Müffling—attached to the Anglo-allied headquarters—that the Anglo-allied army was deployed at Waterloo—from Braine l'Alleud on the right to near La Haye on the left—and awaiting the arrival of the French army and Prussian reinforcements.[44]

From midnight, the army received orders for the advance on Waterloo.[45] IV Corps, followed and supported by II Corps, would advance to Chapelle-Saint-Lambert at dawn; they would attack the French right flank if serious fighting had already started, otherwise they were to conceal their strength. IV Corps would leave an observation detachment at Mont-Saint-Guibert, which would gradually fall back to Wavre if attacked, and send any baggage unnecessary for the battle to Louvain. I and III Corps would be ready to follow IV Corps if necessary.[45] The plan was despatch to Müffling—to forward to Wellington—with an explanation that troop fatigue prevented earlier movement.[46]

The Coalition armies were ready to link-up at Waterloo on 18 June, unlike the main French army and Grouchy's detachment.[47]

Wavre to Waterloo, 18 June edit

Grouchy chooses Wavre instead of Waterloo edit

The French began moving on Wavre on the morning of 18 June.[46]

At 05:00, Pajol's cavalry detachment and 21st Infantry Division set out from Mazy for Saint-Denis and Grand-Leez [fr],[o] to Tourinnes where they awaited further orders.[46]

Grouchy's detachment also started moving. The Heavy Cavalry Corps, consisting of eight regiments of dragoons, set out at around 08:00. III and IV Corps began moving along the same road through Sart-lez-Walhain,[p] toward Wavre at around 09:00; the corps' left flank was protected by the 6th Light Cavalry Division, which advanced toward the Dyle.[46] III and IV Corps' march was slowed by poor roads, and narrow and miry defiles.[48] Gérard, going ahead of IV Corps, arrived at Sart-lez-Walhain at 11:00, where he found Grouchy taking breakfast in the house of M. Hollaëbt, a notary.[48]

At around 10:30, Heavy Cavalry Corps' vanguard met the Prussian rearguard on the road to Wavre. The French cavalry formed a 3.2 kilometres (2 mi) line from a wooded ravine near the Farm of La Plaquerie,[q] to a point about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi)) south of Vieux-Sart toward Neuf-Sart. As skirmishers engaged, Exelmans sent Chef d'Escadron d'Estourmel to update Grouchy and advise that the Prussians had retreated toward Wavre during part of the night and morning for closer communication with the Anglo-allies.[49]

At about 11:30, Colonel Simon Lorière—Grouchy's chief of staff—heard a distant but violent cannonade coming from Waterloo while walking in the garden, and notified Grouchy. Grouchy went into the garden with several officers, including Gérard, Vandamme, Exelmans. Hollaëbt was summoned and asked to identify the direction of the sound; he pointed to the Forest of Soignies and replied that it was coming from the vicinity of Plancenoit[r] and Mont-Saint-Jean.[48]

Gérard favoured moving immediately toward the sound to better support Napoleon, and volunteered IV Corps. General Baltus of the artillery disagreed, perhaps worried by the difficulties of moving the guns. General Valaze, commanding the engineers of Gérard's corps, initially agreed with Baltus but noted that he had three companies of sappers to remove obstacles, which gave Gérard confidence that guns carriages and limbers could be moved.[50]

Grouchy was determined to follow Napoleon's instructions to prosecute the Prussians, and rejected Gérard's strategy. Grouchy believed his detachment had just encountered the rearguard of the Prussian infantry. Furthermore, Blücher's intentions were unclear; the Prussians could decide to fight at Wavre, or continue retreating toward Brussels, or - if attempting to join the Anglo-allies - move in front or behind of the Forest of Soignies. The detachment would go to Wavre. Grouchy justified his decision after the campaign. Fundamentally, he saw his responsibility as the execution of Napoleon's instructions; sending even a part of the detachment toward Forest of Soignies would have been in contravention of those orders. Furthermore, it would have been difficult for separated parts of the detachment to support each other near the Dyle; the river was swollen by rain and its banks were swampy.[51]

As Grouchy moved to join the vanguard, he received a message from Napoleon that confirmed his decision. The message, written at the Farm of Caillou on 18 June at 10:00, warned of the impending attack on the Anglo-Allied army at Waterloo, and instructed Grouchy to move toward Napoleon from Wavre and to maintain close communication.[52] Grouchy did not act immediately on the new instructions. No measures were taken to either detect possible Prussian movement toward Waterloo, or establish closer communication with the main French army. Grouchy conducted a direct advance on Wavre. The left flank was neglected. The Heavy Cavalry Corps was ordered to take up position on the right at Dion-le-Mont [fr], with its position taken over by 6th Light Cavalry Division.[53]

Prussians depart for Waterloo edit

Before dawn, Major Witowsky led a detachment from the 2nd Silesian Hussars to Maransart to scout the defiles of the Lasne, and the area beyond toward the French;[42] they encountered a French patrol at Maransart.[54] Falkenhausen also send reconnaissance parties to the Lasne, which also maintained communication with the detachment at Mont-Saint-Guibert; they found the defiles free of the French.[54] French movement between the Dyle and the Charleroi high road was accurately observed and reported.[55] The Prussian patrols forced French messengers to avoid the area, thus lengthening the line of communication between the main French army and Grouchy's detachment.[42]

At daybreak on 18 June, Prussian IV Corps began to move from near Dion-le-Mont to Saint-Lambert through Wavre.[53] The vanguard consisted of General Losthin's [de] 15th Brigade, the 2nd Silesian Hussars, and a twelve-pounder battery. The vanguard reached Saint-Lambert by 11:00, then crossed the soft and muddy valley before halting in the Wood of Paris.[s] Hussar patrols went to scout the Anglo-allied and French eastern flanks.[56]

A Prussian patrol with a staff officer made contact with a squadron of the British 10th Hussars, commanded by Captain Taylor, posted at Smohain. The staff officer had a report for Wellington, which Taylor ordered relayed by Lieutenant Lindsey. The report stated that Bülow was at Saint-Lambert and was advancing with IV Corps, although this was an overstatement as only the corps' vanguard had reached Saint-Lambert at the time.[57]

The remainder of IV Corps was delayed by a fire that broke out in Wavre after the vanguard passed. The fire spread rapidly and put ammunition wagons at risk. The 1st Battalion of the 14th Regiment, under Major Löwenfeld, and the 7th Pioneer Company extinguished the fire. Hiller's [de] 16th and Hacke's 13th Brigades arrived at Saint-Lambert much later than the vanguard. The rearguard, the 14th Brigade, was even farther behind.[56]

Blücher acted immediately upon learning that the right flank of the main French army was exposed, seeing the opportunity to move his army through the Lasne defiles to the Wood of Paris.[54] I Corps was ordered to depart after V Corps passed through Wavre. It would march by way of Fromont and Ohain and join the Anglo-allied left at La Haye;[t][54] I Corps set out at about 12:00 along the left bank of the Dyle.[56] II Corps was ordered to follow IV Corps to Saint-Lambert. III Corps would remain for a time as rearguard in the defile of Wavre, and then follow II Corps. Blücher intended to have the bulk of the army past the defiles of Saint-Lambert before abandoning Wavre.[54]

At 09:30, Blücher send a despatch informing Wellington that he intended to attack the French right flank as soon as possible.[42] Blücher left Wavre before 11:00 to reconnoitre the terrain toward Saint-Lambert from near Limale.[58]

French attack Wavre edit

Main article: Battle of Wavre

French cavalry penetrated between the Prussian rearguard at Vieux-Sart and Mont-Saint-Guibert when Prussian IV Corps' Reserve Cavalry - following the corps' 13th Infantry Brigade - was passing through Wavre. The Reserve Cavalry immediately detached two regiments—the 2nd Pomeranian, and the 1st Silesian of the Landwehr Cavalry—to counter the French advance.[59] Ledebur's Prussian detachment at Mont-Saint-Guibert began falling back to Wavre upon learning of the French advance. Sohr's Prussian detachment, which had withdrawn from Mont-Saint-Guibert in the morning, sent a brigade of 150 cavalry and two horse artillery guns to reinforce Ledebur.[60] Ledebur's detachment linked up with the IV Corps' Reserve Cavalry regiments and Sohr's cavalry brigade; they reached Farm de Auzel[u] after a "slight affair" with French III Corps.[60]

Around noon, Prussian II Corps began moving from between Saint-Anne and Aisémont,[v] on the right bank of the Dyle, through the defile toward Wavre for a river crossing.[60] Progress was slow as the corps crowded into the defile.[60] At Wavre, the garrison of 1st Battalion of the 14th Regiment, II Corps, was relieved by a battalion of the 30th Regiment, Prussian III Corps.[60]

While underway, II Corps was notified by Sohr's detachment—the corps rearguard—of the French advance consisting of six cavalry regiments of, ten artillery pieces, and two strong columns of infantry.[60] By this time, the Wood of Sarats,[w] close to the Farm of Auzel,[u] was occupied by battalions of the 8th Brigade, II Corps, commanded by Colonel Reckow.[61][x] Pirch put General Brause, commander of the 7th Brigade, in command of the rearguard, and reinforced Sohr's detachment with the 11th Hussars and four pieces of horse artillery. Brause posted the remaining battalions of the 8th Brigade in rear of the wood, the three cavalry regiments on the right, and Foot Battery No. 12 in front. The 7th Brigade, deployed into line, remained in reserve.[7]

The French "did not advance with much vigour" and the Prussian's withdrew in perfect order. Ledebur's detachment withdrew slowly before the French and linked up with 8th Brigade; 8th Brigade maintained position until 15:00 against the vanguard of French III Corps. General Brause ordered the retreat between 15:00 and 16:00. Sohr's detachment and then the II Corps reserve cavalry regiments crossed the bridge at the Mill of Bierges,[y] which was occupied by two companies of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Regiment. Sohr's detachment only rejoined II Corps at Waterloo. The Fusilier Battalion of the 1st Pomeranian Landwehr, commanded by Major Krüger, distinguished itself during the withdrawal. After the river crossing was completed, the 1st Battalion of the Elbe Landwehr remained at Bierges until the bridge was destroyed and the mill set on fire. The 11th Hussars and the 2nd Battalion of the Elbe Landwehr remained to observe the Dyle crossings and did not rejoin their corps before the following day.[7]

Blücher learned of the French advance on Wavre while near Limale. He ordered Prussian III Corps to hold Wavre against a strong French attack; the strength of Grouchy's attacking French detachment was unknown to the Prussians. If the French crossed the Dyle upstream or did not attack in strength, III Corps was to leave a few battalions in the town and rejoin the main army in the direction of Couture-Saint-Germain as the reserve. The order was relayed by Colonel Clausemotz, Chief of the Staff of III Corps.[58] Vandamme's French III Corps attacked Wavre at 16:00 as Prussian III Corps was leaving Wavre.[63]

Prussians advance to the Wood of Paris edit

 
Châteaux Frischermont, shortly after the Battle of Waterloo.

A detachment of the 2nd Silesian Hussars and staff officer Major Lützow, was sent to scout the right front of the Prussian advance in the direction of the French right flank at Waterloo. They reached the Wood of Paris and discovered that the French right flank was completely exposed. A Prussian troop of Hussars advanced beyond the Wood of Paris to near Frischermont, where it had a good view of the Waterloo battlefield; the troop also did not encounter any French forces.[64]

The Prussians had the opportunity to quickly occupy the Wood of Paris. Lützow, on his way to report to Blücher met General Grolman, the Quartermaster General of the Army. Grolman ordered the Silesian Hussars and two battalions of infantry from Bülow's vanguard—the units having just crossed the defile of Saint-Lambert—to immediately take the wood, and sent a despatch to Blücher suggesting that the 15th and 16th Brigades be ordered to follow the vanguard once they had regrouped on the Waterloo side of the defile.[65]

The march through the defile of Saint-Lambert was difficult and exhausting. Rainfall, starting during the afternoon of 17 June and continuing through the night, had turned the valley of the Lasne into a swamp. The roads between Wavre and Saint-Lambert were similarly affected. The columns were drawn out for miles due to frequent stoppages and breaks. Blücher travelled along the line of march to provide encouragement.[66] By 16:00, after considerable difficulty and delay, the 15th and 16th Brigades, and the reserve cavalry and artillery, had reached the plateau between the Lasne and the Smohain.[z] The plateau sloped steeply downwards toward the streams, but its high ground was comparatively dry and firm and suitable for marching.[67]

 
The Monument to Colonel Count von Schwerin [de].

At the Wood of Paris, the Prussians deployed along a considerable front in a close compact order, on each side of the road leading from Lasne towards Plancenoit. The artillery kept to the road. The cavalry drew up to the rear of the wood to follow the infantry.[67] 15th Brigade deployed at around 15:00, and shortly afterwards its cavalry screen skirmished with a French patrol in which Colonel Schwerin [de] was killed. Schwerin may have been the first Prussian officer killed at the Battle of Waterloo; a memorial now marks the site.[68][aa]

Blücher observed the "tremendous cannonade", the renewed French attack at 16:00, and the French reserves behind La Belle Alliance preparing for another attack; he feared that the Anglo-allied line might break if the Prussians waited. Wellingon's frequent and pressing despatches added urgency. Blücher had planned to attack with II and IV Corps (13th and 14th Brigades from IV Corps were expected to join shortly, and II Corps was following along the same line.) Instead, he decided to attack with only what was at the Wood of Paris,[69] and ordered units still on the march to join as quickly as possible.[70]

The Prussian direction of attack was perpendicular to the right flank of the French Army and the Charleroi road, which was the French main line of operation.[70]

At 16:30, 15th and 16th Brigades debouched in typical Prussian brigade formation. 15th Brigade deployed on the right, detaching three battalions (2nd Battalion of the 18th Regiment, the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Silesian Landwehr, and the 1st Battalion of the 18th Regiment) toward Frischermont and Smohain to cover the right flank. 16th Brigade deployed on the left, with two battalions (3rd battalions of the 15th Regiment and the 1st Silesian Landwehr) under Major Keller to cover the left flank to the Lasne stream. 100 cavalry from the 3rd Regiment of Silesian Landwehr Cavalry, led by Falkenhausen, patrolled beyond the Lasne.[71]

Prussians advance from the Wood of Paris edit

Main article: Battle of Waterloo

During the march from Genappe to La Belle Alliance, the main French army had detached Domon's 3rd Cavalry Division eastward to scout the area between the high road to Brussels and the Dyle. Desmichels' 4th Regiment of Chasseurs pushed as far as the bridge at Mousty,[ab][73] where its skirmishers exchanged a few carbine shots with some Prussian dragoons, who did not engage them further. This allowed Napoleon to surmise that the principal Prussian column—of I and II Corps—had retreated through Tilly and Gentinnes; Grouchy was still unaware of this.[72]

Blücher ordered a cannonade against Domon's detachment, which was forming up en potence at a considerable distance from the Prussian vanguard; this was primarily to announce the Prussian presence and draw French attention away from the Anglo-allies.[74] Domon's entire line advanced to attack, led by a regiment of chasseurs. The Prussian's 2nd Silesian Hussars and the 2nd Neumark Landwehr Cavalry moved forward through the infantry and attacked with the Hussars on the left and the Landwehr on the right; the Prussian cavalry, supported by the 3rd Silesian Landwehr Cavalry, attacked and drove back the chasseurs before retreating to avoid being flanked by the advancing French line.[74] The Prussian cavalry were covered by Horse Battery No. 11, and Captain Schmidt's Foot Battery of the 15th Brigade which drew up to oppose a French pursuit. The French declined to follow up their attack because of the Prussian battery fire and the advancing Prussian infantry.[74]

By now, the battalions of Prussian 15th Brigade's flank guard of had reached Smohain. They had advanced so cautiously that their appearance from the south-eastern part of the village surprised both nearby Anglo-allied and French troops. The Prussian battalions crossed the principal fence separating them from the French extreme right, and at 17:30 drew up in line almost at right angles with the direction of the French front—two battalions in line, with the third in support; this marked the full engagement of the Prussians at the Battle of Waterloo.[75]

Analysis edit

Losing track of the Prussians edit

Historian Peter Hofschröer states that Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo was directly caused by the French losing track of the Prussians.[76]

Siborne finds it inexplicable that Napoleon failed to exploit French advantages on the morning of 17 June. Beside the picket at Gentinnes, the Prussian front was clear as far as Gembloux. The Anglo-allies were still at Quatre Bras with their left flank exposed due to the Prussian retreat. There was nothing stopping the French from moving through the defile of Genappe and into Anglo-allied rear, followed by an attack on the Anglo-allied left and rear at Quatre Bras.[77] The French army was no more fatigued than their opponents; the Anglo-allied had force marched to Quatre Bras. Napoleon later led the comparatively fresh Imperial Guard and VI Corps to Quatre Bras to attack the Anglo-allies with Marshal Michel Ney; this attack was strangely delayed, and only caused minor cavalry skirmishes between the French vanguard and the rearguard of the retreating Anglo-allies.[78] Napoleon campaign depended on defeating his opponents in detail, but the required aggressiveness failed to materialize;[79] Siborne notes that it was a sharp contrast to Napoleon's performance the previous year.[77]

An earlier dispatch of Grouchy's detachment on the morning of 17 June, and a more vigorous pursuit on Grouchy's part, may have caught Prussian III Corps at Gembloux.[80]

Siborne criticizes Grouchy's search effort on 17 June as being unnecessarily restrictive. Grouchy had 65 squadrons of cavalry and sent them mainly toward the French right—where he and Napoleon incorrectly expected the Prussians to be—instead of dispersing them to cover more of the ground east of the Dyle. It would also have allowed him to maintain closer contact with Napoleon by occupying the line of Nil Sait Vincent, Corbaix, Mont-Saint-Guibert, and the bridge at Mousty.[ab][27] It would also have alerted the French to the Prussian rearguard at Mont-Saint-Guibert. While the poor roads may have slowed the progress of Grouchy's main body, Siborne notes that the French cavalry scouts reached Perwez[n] to the east on the evening of 17 June; reaching Mont-Saint-Guibert should not have been a problem.[81]

Siborne also criticizes Grouchy's lack of urgency early on 18 June. From the despatch to Napoleon written at 22:00 on 17 June, Grouchy suspected that a Prussian detachment may have gone to Wavre with the intention of linking up with the Anglo-allied army. He should have known that the distance from Gembloux to Wavre was 15 miles, and only 12 miles from Wavre to Napoleon's line of advance. If Grouchy insisted on advancing on Wavre, he should have moved before 07:00 to 08:00, and not by the circuitous route through Sart-lez-Walhain; matters were made worse by both III and IV Corps using the same road.[82] Siborne suggests a better option was for Grouchy to ignore Wavre and march to Saint-Lambert, where he could support the main French army at Waterloo.[83]

What Grouchy might have done edit

In his despatch, written at two o'clock in the morning, he mentioned to Napoleon his design of marching upon Corbaix or Wavre; a movement of which Napoleon, in his reply, expressed his approval; and if he had directed one of his Infantry Corps along the line of Corbaix and La Beiraque, and the other by that of Mont-Saint-Guibert and Mousty, there can be no doubt that, even late as was the hour at which he started from Gembloux, he would, in a great measure, have fulfilled the expectations of Napoleon.[84]

In this case, he would naturally have so divided his cavalry, that one portion would have scoured the country along the front and right of the column marching by Corbaix and La Baraque [fr],[ac] and the other portion would have been employed in a similar manner along the front and Left of the Column moving upon Mont-Saint-Guibert and Mousty. Both at this point and at Ottignies, about 730 metres (800 yd) lower down the stream, there is a stone bridge across the Dyle. There is a direct road from Mousty to Saint-Lambert, scarcely 8 kilometres (5.0 mi), and another to the Field of Waterloo. The cavalry in advance of the left column could not have failed to discover the Prussian troops in march to join the Left of Wellington; for they were then passing slowly, and with extreme difficulty, through the defiles of Saint-Lambert and Lasne.[85]

This discovery would have led to the right column being moved by its left, from La Baraque to Mousty; the cavalry attached to it masking the movement as long as possible. The left column would then, in all probability, have followed its advanced cavalry to Saint-Lambert; and the right corps have either moved upon the same point as a reinforcement, or have diverged upon Lasne as a Support, upon which the former might have fallen back, if compelled to effect its retreat towards Plancenoit. [86]

In this manner might Grouchy have so far realised the anxious expectation of Napoleon as to have fallen upon Bulow flagrante delicto, and have materially procrastinated the co-operation of Blücher with Wellington on 18 June; a co-operation which a contrary proceeding, originating in fatal tardiness of movement, and exhibiting useless manoeuvring in a false direction, could not fail to render easy in execution and successful in result.

But beyond such procrastination of the meditated junction of Blücher's and Wellington's forces. Grouchy could have effected nothing. The junction itself could not have been prevented. The tendency of Grouchy's movements had been too narrowly watched ; the country between the Dyle and the Charleroi road to Brussels had been too vigilantly explored; and the movements, in succession, of the different Prussian Corps had been too nicely calculated and determined; to admit of the possibility of a failure, as regarded the arrival of a considerable portion of the Prussian forces on the Left of the Anglo-Allied Army.[86]

Blücher's admirable dispositions edit

Blücher had made so admirable a disposition of his four Corps that two of them could at any time have combined, and therefore have presented a superior force to Grouchy, at any point between Wavre and Plancenoit, whilst the remainder of the Army might have continued its march to Waterloo. Had Grouchy moved by Mont-Saint-Guibert and Mousty upon Saint-Lambert, Thielemann's corps would then have been on the march towards Couture-Saint-Germain, according to his original instructions; and finding Bulow engaged with the French, would have joined him. Grouchy might then have contrived to hold both these corps at bay, and thus have reduced the co-operating Prussian force at Waterloo to the two corps under Zieten and Pirch, besides considerably retarding that co-operation; since without having experienced the effects of any such interruption to the progress of the other corps, as we have here supposed, these two generals did not reach the field of battle until seven o'clock in the evening of the 18th.[87]

Napoleon's errors at this time edit

No exertions, however, on the part of Grouchy, after he broke up from Gembloux on the morning of 18 June, could have effectually frustrated the junction of Wellington and Blücher. Two great errors, for which that Marshal was not accountable, reduced the contemplated junction from a measure of calculation to one of certainty.[88]

The first and principal of these has already been adverted to at some length, and cannot be too closely kept in view—the fatal neglect of a vigorous pursuit of the defeated Prussians, on the night of 16 June and morning of 17 June by a detached Corps; combined with the extraordinary delay in the attack upon Wellington at Quatre Bras, on the latter day. The second error arose from the want of a strong reconnaissance and vigilant look out on the right of the main French army, on the morning of 18 June, followed up by the occupation of the defiles of the river Lasne.[63]

Notes edit

  1. ^ "'Pirch I', the use of Roman numerals being used in Prussian service to distinguish officers of the same name, in this case from his brother, seven years his junior, Otto Karl Lorenz 'Pirch II'" [1]
  2. ^ Three locations appear on Kaart van Ferraris close together: Bruyère Sainte Anne, Chapelle Sainte Anne, and Cense de Sainte Anne 50°42′04″N 4°37′13″E / 50.70098°N 4.62035°E / 50.70098; 4.62035 about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Aisémont.[4]
  3. ^ 50°35′46″N 4°42′43″E / 50.59620°N 4.71192°E / 50.59620; 4.71192 Siborne names "Baudecet" "Basse Bodecée",[2] and Kaart van Ferraris "Bassebodecé".[5]
  4. ^ 50°43′46″N 4°35′46″E / 50.72943°N 4.59624°E / 50.72943; 4.59624 (2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of Wavre). Siborne and Kaart van Ferraris calls it "La Bavette".[4][2]
  5. ^ Hofschröer presents a case that by Waterloo, because of his age and fragile mental state, Blücher was a figurehead and that Gneisenau was to all intense and purposes in operational command of the campaign.[12]
  6. ^ 50°31′27″N 4°37′11″E / 50.52424°N 4.61964°E / 50.52424; 4.61964 At the time there was a hamlet called Point-du-Jour at the crossroads of what is now the crossroads N93 and N29 in suburb of Sombreffe.[13]
  7. ^ Siborne names "Hotomont" "Hottoment and Kaart van Ferraris "Hottomont".[14][5]
  8. ^ Peter Hofschröer calls this place Mellery,[17] Siborne Mélioreux,[14] and another 19th-century alternative spelling is Mellorie.[18]
  9. ^ Pajol was commander of the I Cavalry Reserve Corps
  10. ^ Siborne spells "Corbais" "Corbaix"
  11. ^ Hofschröer states that to avoid entanglement Thielemann and Bülow had already agreed between themselves and that the IV Corps retreated via Tourinnes and Corroy-le-Grand [fr] while the III Corps would march via Walhain and through Corbais.[21]
  12. ^ 50°39′38″N 4°31′49″E / 50.66060°N 4.53028°E / 50.66060; 4.53028 Kaart van Ferraris "Seroulx" -- near Ottignies.[27]
  13. ^ 50°36′53″N 4°43′07″E / 50.61484°N 4.71862°E / 50.61484; 4.71862. "Sart-lez-Walhain" is named by Siborne as "Sart-à-Wallain",[36] Hofschröer as Sart-à-Walhain;[37] and by Kaart van Ferraris as "Sart Awalhain".[5]
  14. ^ a b c Hofschröer spells this place Perwez as does the Kaart van Ferraris, Siborne spells it "Perwtès".[5][38][37]
  15. ^ Siborne spells "Grand-Leez" "Grand-Lez".[46]
  16. ^ 50°36′53″N 4°43′07″E / 50.61484°N 4.71862°E / 50.61484; 4.71862. "Sart-lez-Walhain" is named by Siborne as "Sart-à-Wallain",[36] Hofschröer as Sart-à-Walhain;[37] and by Kaart van Ferraris as "Sart Awalhain".[5]
  17. ^ 50°40′04″N 4°36′05″E / 50.66791°N 4.60134°E / 50.66791; 4.60134 "Cue de la Ploquerie" on Kaart van Ferraris.[27]
  18. ^ Plancenoit is spelt Planchenoit by Siborne.[48]
  19. ^ Wood of Paris is located at 50°40′54″N 4°28′04″E / 50.68164°N 4.46786°E / 50.68164; 4.46786
  20. ^ 50°41′47″N 4°31′45″E / 50.69649°N 4.52913°E / 50.69649; 4.52913 Fromont was a hamlet south of Rixensart about 1/3 of the way to Profondsart [fr].[4][54]
  21. ^ a b 50°41′08″N 4°38′19″E / 50.68563°N 4.63869°E / 50.68563; 4.63869. About 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) north-east of Vieux-Sart
  22. ^ Three locations appear on Kaart van Ferraris close together: Bruyère Sainte Anne, Chapelle Sainte Anne, and Cense de Sainte Anne 50°42′04″N 4°37′13″E / 50.70098°N 4.62035°E / 50.70098; 4.62035, about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Aisémont.[4]
  23. ^ 0°41′26″N 4°38′48″E / 0.69063°N 4.64658°E / 0.69063; 4.64658. Only a small remnant still exists of the Wood of Sarats
  24. ^ Reckow took command of the 23rd Regiment during the battle of Ligny replacing Colonel Langen.[62]
  25. ^ 50°41′48″N 4°35′08″E / 50.69680°N 4.58566°E / 50.69680; 4.58566: The Mill of Bierges was located at what is now "Rue du Moulin à Eau 11, 1300 Wavre, Belgium" (south-west of Wavre town centre)
  26. ^ The Smohain was stream swollen by the overnight rain, that rose close to the village of Smohain, and which flowed thought its own defile.
  27. ^ The Monument to Count von Schwerin [fr] can still be seen and is located at 50°41′04″N 4°28′21″E / 50.68444°N 4.47258°E / 50.68444; 4.47258
  28. ^ a b 50°39′39″N 4°34′00″E / 50.66077°N 4.56664°E / 50.66077; 4.56664 Sliborne calls it "Bridge of Moustier",[72] while the Kaart van Ferraris call the area Moustier and includes the bridge (at its current location) and the nearby Church of Notre-Dame de Mousty [fr][27]
  29. ^ 50°40′18″N 4°37′19″E / 50.67164°N 4.62184°E / 50.67164; 4.62184 Rue De La Baraque, the original feature based on its location against the terrain on the Kaart van Ferraris was probably slightly to the north at 50°40′27″N 4°37′11″E / 50.67427°N 4.61984°E / 50.67427; 4.61984.[27]
  1. ^ fortunecity.com 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Siborne 1895, p. 287.
  3. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 305–306.
  4. ^ a b c d Kaart van Ferraris 1777, 'Wavre - Wavre' #95.
  5. ^ a b c d e Kaart van Ferraris 1777, 'Perwez le Marchez - Perwez' #114.
  6. ^ a b c d e Siborne 1895, p. 288.
  7. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 315.
  8. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 304.
  9. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 287–288.
  10. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 302.
  11. ^ Hofschröer 2006, pp. 7, 10.
  12. ^ Hofschröer 2006, p. 26.
  13. ^ Kaart van Ferraris 1777, 'Gembloux - Gembloux' #97.
  14. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 289.
  15. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 288–289.
  16. ^ Franklin & Embleton 2015, p. 91.
  17. ^ Hofschröer 2006, p. 19.
  18. ^ Haumann 1837, p. 187.
  19. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 292.
  20. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 292–293.
  21. ^ Hofschröer 2006, p. 20.
  22. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 289–290.
  23. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 290.
  24. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 290–291.
  25. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 291.
  26. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 264.
  27. ^ a b c d e Kaart van Ferraris 1777, 'Cour St. Etienne - Court-Saint-Etienne' #96.
  28. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 303.
  29. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 291–292.
  30. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 293.
  31. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 293–294.
  32. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 297.
  33. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 296.
  34. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 297–298.
  35. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 298.
  36. ^ a b c d e Siborne 1895, p. 299.
  37. ^ a b c d Hofschröer 2006, p. 15.
  38. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 300.
  39. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 299–300.
  40. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 300–301.
  41. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 302–303.
  42. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 311.
  43. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 285.
  44. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 306.
  45. ^ a b Siborne 1895, pp. 306–307.
  46. ^ a b c d e Siborne 1895, p. 307.
  47. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 303–304.
  48. ^ a b c d Siborne 1895, p. 308.
  49. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 307–308.
  50. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 308–309.
  51. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 309.
  52. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 309–310.
  53. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 310.
  54. ^ a b c d e f Siborne 1895, p. 312.
  55. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 310–311.
  56. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 313.
  57. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 327, 371–372.
  58. ^ a b Siborne 1895, pp. 315–316.
  59. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 313–314.
  60. ^ a b c d e f Siborne 1895, p. 314.
  61. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 314–315.
  62. ^ Charras 1857, p. 352 (footnote).
  63. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 323.
  64. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 490.
  65. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 490–491.
  66. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 491–492.
  67. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 492.
  68. ^ Hofschröer 2006, p. 42.
  69. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 492–493.
  70. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 493.
  71. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 493–494.
  72. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 318.
  73. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 317–318.
  74. ^ a b c Siborne 1895, p. 494.
  75. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 494–495.
  76. ^ Hofschröer 2006, p. 14.
  77. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 294.
  78. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 294–295.
  79. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 295.
  80. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 318–319.
  81. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 316–318.
  82. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 319.
  83. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 322.
  84. ^ Siborne 1895, p. 320.
  85. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 320–321.
  86. ^ a b Siborne 1895, p. 321.
  87. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 321–322.
  88. ^ Siborne 1895, pp. 322–323.

References edit

  • Charras, Jean Baptiste Adolphe (1857), Histoire de la campagne de 1815 (in French), Brussels: Meline, Cans et Comp. & J Hetzel et Comp., p. 352
  • , fortunecity.com, archived from the original on 15 August 2007[better source needed]
  • Dictionnaire géographique universel, ou Description de tous les lieux du globe (in French), vol. 2, (K-Z), Haumann, 1837, p. 187
  • Franklin, John; Embleton, Gerry (2015), Waterloo 1815 (2): Ligny, Osprey Publishing, p. 91, ISBN 978-1-4728-0366-5
  • Hofschröer, Peter (2006), Waterloo 1815: Wavre, Plancenoit and the Race to Paris (illustrated ed.), Pen & Sword Military, ISBN 9781844151769
  • "'Braine la Leud' #78 'Wavre - Wavre' #95; 'Cour St. Etienne' #96; 'Gembloux - Gembloux' #97; 'Perwez le Marchez - Perwez' #114; and 'Namur' #116", Kabinetskaart der Oostenrijkse Nederlanden et het Prinsbisdom Luik, Kaart van Ferraris, 1777

Attribution

  •   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Siborne, William (1895), The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 (4th ed.), Westminster: A. Constable

Further reading edit

  • Wit, Pierre de (21 March 2008), "17th June 1815", The campaign of 1815: a study, Emmen, the Netherlands{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

May 02, 2024
waterloo, campaign, ligny, through, wavre, waterloo, napoleonic, warspart, waterloo, campaigna, portion, belgium, with, some, places, marked, colour, indicate, initial, deployments, armies, just, before, commencement, hostilities, june, 1815, anglo, allied, gr. Napoleonic WarsPart of The Waterloo campaignA portion of Belgium with some places marked in colour to indicate the initial deployments of the armies just before the commencement of hostilities on 15 June 1815 red Anglo allied green Prussian blue FrenchDate17 18 June 1815LocationFrom Ligny through Wavre to Waterloo in BelgiumResultThe Prussian army retreats and the French advance but the Prussians are able to maintain a link with the Anglo allied army at WaterlooBelligerentsFrancePrussiaCommanders and leadersNapoleon Marshal GrouchyPrince BlucherStrengthFrench Army order of battlePrussian Army order of battle On 16 June 1815 the French defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny The Prussians successfully disengaged and withdrew north to Wavre where they regrouped and later advanced westward with three corps to attack the right flank of the French army at the Battle of Waterloo The French were slow to exploit Ligny Napoleon wasted the morning of 17 June with a late breakfast and touring the previous day s battlefield before organising a pursuit of the two Coalition armies Napoleon and Marshal Michel Ney took the French reserves to pursue the Duke of Wellington s Anglo allied army Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy was ordered to pursue and harry the Prussians and prevent them from regrouping Napoleon and Grouchy assumed that the Prussians were retreating towards Namur and Liege to take up a line on the river Meuse On 17 June Grouchy sent the bulk of his cavalry ranging in that direction as far as Perwez From a 22 00 despatch to Napoleon Grouchy still thought the Prussians were retreating north east although by then he knew that two Prussian corps were heading north towards Wavre From another despatch four hours later Grouchy intended to advance to either Corbais or Wavre However at the end of 17 June his detachment was behind the Prussians on the far side of the Dyle Grouchy could neither prevent the Prussians at Wavre from moving to Waterloo nor regroup with Napoleon on 18 June at Waterloo On the morning of 18 June the remaining Prussians crossed the Dyle in and around Wavre and headed westwards towards Waterloo Grouchy was at Sart lez Walhain when at about 11 30 he and his staff heard cannonades from the Battle of Waterloo 23 kilometres 14 mi to the northwest a local notary gave them an accurate location of the source of the sound There were no direct roads from Grouchy to the battle but there was a road to Wavre 13 kilometres 8 1 mi away to the north northwest Grouchy moved on Wavre arriving at 16 00 At the Battle of Wavre the French defeated the Prussian rearguard the Prussian III Corps commanded by Johann von Thielemann which had been about to leave for Waterloo The Prussian advance to Waterloo was impeded by swollen streams which turned their valleys into muddy swamps in particular the small river Lasne close to Saint Lambert Napoleon neglected to screen his right flank and failed to detect the Prussian s approach At around 17 00 on 18 June the Prussian vanguard started to arrive at Waterloo in strength from the Wood of Paris shortly after they were attacking the right flank of Napoleon s army Contents 1 Ligny to Wavre 17 June 1 1 Prussian retreat from Ligny 1 2 Prussian III Corps joins IV Corps at Gembloux 1 3 Cavalry skirmish along the Namur road 1 4 Prussian III Corps and IV Corps retreat to Wavre 1 5 Prussian headquarters retreats to Wavre 1 6 French reconnaissance and inactivity 1 7 French main army divides 1 8 Prussian rearguard retreats to Mont Saint Guibert 1 9 Grouchy advances to Gembloux 1 10 Prussians regroup at Wavre 2 Wavre to Waterloo 18 June 2 1 Grouchy chooses Wavre instead of Waterloo 2 2 Prussians depart for Waterloo 2 3 French attack Wavre 2 4 Prussians advance to the Wood of Paris 2 5 Prussians advance from the Wood of Paris 3 Analysis 3 1 Losing track of the Prussians 3 2 What Grouchy might have done 3 3 Blucher s admirable dispositions 3 4 Napoleon s errors at this time 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingLigny to Wavre 17 June editPrussian retreat from Ligny edit nbsp The Dyle river in Wavre early 20th century After the Battle of Ligny Zieten s Prussian I Corps and Pirch I s a II Corps retired to Tilly and Gentinnes 2 On the night of 16 June Prussian headquarters ordered the army to fall back to Wavre 2 instead of falling back along lines of communication toward Prussia by doing so Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher retained the option of linking up with the Anglo allied army 3 I and II Corps were ordered to Bierges and Saint Anne b Thielemann s III and Bulow s IV Corps at Gembloux and Baudecet fr c received the order on the morning of 17 June to move and bivouac at Bawette nl d and Dion le Mont fr near Wavre 2 I and II Corps passed through Mont Saint Guibert II Corps deployed as rearguard in a defile behind the settlement I Corps arrived at Wavre around noon crossed the Dyle and took up positions at Bierges II Corps followed but took up position on the right bank of the Dyle between Sainte Anne and Aisemont 2 A cavalry brigade with half a horse battery commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Eston von Sohr 6 from II Corps 7 acted as rearguard for I and II Corps It was ordered to take up a concealed position between Tilly and Gentinnes and observe French movements and fall back to the defile at Mont Saint Guibert when engaged 6 Also that night Colonel von Rohl superintendent of the army s Ordnance Department set out for Wavre to organize any artillery arriving there for action His aide de camp went to Gembloux to move the army s reserve ammunition wagons to Wavre 8 Additional precautions were taken Urgent orders for ammunition were sent to Maastricht Cologne Wesel and Munster Orders went to Liege to move the siege train to Maastricht and to destroy the iron foundry at the arsenal 8 General Friedrich Wilhelm von Jagow s detachment had held Byre during the night At first light on 17 June it began moving to Gembloux by way of Sombreffe and arrived before III Corps After receiving the retreat order Jagow directed the detachment s units back to their brigades 9 Prussian III Corps joins IV Corps at Gembloux edit Prussian III Corps remained in place for much of 16 June which covered the retreat through Gembloux 10 Blucher was recovering from his fall at the Battle of Ligny It was Gneisenau Blucher s chief of staff 11 e who gave III Corps the option of retreating by Tilly or Gembloux Thielemann chose Gembloux as he knew that the French held Saint Amand Ligny and the Ligny battlefield up to Sombreffe 6 The widely dispersed III Corps regrouped during the night of 16 June the manoeuvre was protracted It was not until 02 00 on 17 June that the head of the column made of the reserve artillery reached the Nivelles Namur Fleurus Gembloux crossroad and the Gembloux road f The corps main body reached Gembloux at 06 00 6 III Corps rearguard Borcke s 8th Infantry Brigade and Hobe s III Corps Cavalry the reserve cavalry took up position along the Namur road facing south down the Fleurus chaussee high road toward the French The rearguard withdrew at 04 00 6 IV Corps vanguard reached Baudecet by the old Roman at nightfall on 16 June Bulow learned of the Battle of Ligny and ordered brigades posted at intervals along the road Hake s 13th Brigade was bivouacked to the rear near Hotomont fr g where the road intersected with the Namur Louvain road In the morning IV Corps was posted about 4 8 kilometres 3 mi to the rear of Grembloux on the Roman road 14 As III Corps approached Gembloux it learned of IV Corps position Major Karl von Weyrach 15 16 Blucher s aide de camp and who had accompanied III Corps through the night left to report the status of both corps to army headquarters he found it at Mellery h III Corps halted on the other side of the town Neither Thielemann nor Bulow knew where I and II Corps were Writing to Bulow Thielemann said that he had no new orders from Blucher but believed the army was retreating to Saint Trond Furthermore III Corps had not been followed by the French but he had heard distant firing on the right which he concluded was connected with Duke of Wellington s Anglo allied Army 14 With two corps available the Prussians could contest a French pursuit toward Gembloux 10 Cavalry skirmish along the Namur road edit The Prussians were too far away to easily follow by the time the French organized a pursuit The French detached Pajol i and the 4th Cavalry Division failed verification of his light Cavalry Corps to pursue The division led by Pierre Soult consisted of Clary s 1st Blot s 4th and Liegeard s 5th Hussars they struck down the Namur road They were supported by Lieutenant General Baron Francois Antoine Teste s 21st Infantry Division of Lobau s VI Corps which took up position on the heights above Mazy 19 4th Cavalry Division quickly encountered a Prussian force composed of Horse Battery No 14 and a squadron of the 7th Uhlans The horse battery from II Corps had retired during the Battle of Ligny after running out of ammunition but had not found the reserve ammunition wagons it had neither returned to II Corps or withdrawn with III Corps instead uselessly driving first in one direction and then in another The Uhlans from III Corps had been posted at Onoz and had not received recall orders The French captured all of the Prussian guns with the Uhlans losing 30 men before escaping The skirmish gave the French the impression that the Prussians were retreating toward Namur 20 Prussian III Corps and IV Corps retreat to Wavre edit At about 09 30 Weyrach arrived at IV Corps headquarters with orders from army headquarters for IV Corps to move to Dion le Mont near Wavre by Walhain and Corbais fr j k The orders also defined the corps rearguard The main body of the rearguard ultimately 14th Brigade was to be posted at Vieux Sart Furthermore a detachment of a regiment of cavalry two battalions of infantry and two guns of horse artillery was to be sent to Mont Saint Guibert to reinforce and then cover the withdrawal of I and II Corps rearguard this detachment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ledebur and composed of the 10th Hussars the fusilier battalions of the 11th Regiment of Infantry and 1st Regiment of Pomeranian Landwehr and two guns from Horse Battery No 12 22 The main body of the IV Corps moved directly to Dion le Mont It took up position on the height near that town near the intersection of the roads leading to Louvain Wavre and Gembloux 23 III Corps began moving at 14 00 it arrived at Wavre late in the evening and took up positions at Bawette General Borcke s 9th Infantry Brigade and Colonel Count Lottum s Cavalry Brigade remained on the right bank of the Dyle Other units rejoined the main body at Wavre Colonel Marwitz Cavalry Brigade which had withdrawn through Tilly the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Kurmark Landwehr and the two squadrons of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry from Dinant and the survivors of the 7th Uhlans squadron from Onoz The corps two squadrons from the 9th Hussars had not yet arrived from Ciney 24 Prussian headquarters retreats to Wavre edit Prussian army headquarters relocated to Wavre early on 17 June Blucher was still recovering from his injuries and remained bedridden for the rest of the day 25 Late in the morning Lieutenant Massow de made a round trip as messenger between the Prussians and the Anglo allies 25 He notified the Anglo allies that the Prussians were retreating to Wavre 26 and then returned with a message from Wellington for Blucher Wellington intended to retreat to Waterloo and requested the support of two Prussian corps so he could give battle Blucher did not reply immediately The request was viewed favourably but the Prussian army was still regrouping on Wavre and Blucher did not yet know what he could promise It was not known if IV Corps would join the army on 17 June I and II Corps needed ammunition but its supply had been directed to Grembloux For the moment the Prussians maintained their position near the Dyle with VI Corps at Mont Saint Guibert as vanguard 25 nbsp Abbey of Aywiers in the village of Couture Saint Germain During the day Major Falkenhausen conducted reconnaissance toward Genappe from Ceroux fr l He observed the French advance along the Genappe Brussels high road from woods beyond Ceroux Prussian patrols were sent toward Lasne Couture Saint Germain and Aywiers fr to observe the defiles along the streams of the Lasne 28 French reconnaissance and inactivity edit The Prussian retreat in good order and along routes where only minor roads as opposed to high roads were available was met by French inactivity At dawn on 17 June French vedettes were within 0 80 kilometres 5 mi of Prussian III Corps rearguard The French did not conduct patrols and missed the opportunity to observe the direction of the rearguard s withdrawal after sunrise 29 Pajol s detachment perhaps suspecting Namur was not the direction of the Prussian retreat went to Saint Denis where it regrouped with the 21st Infantry Division A brigade from Exelmans Heavy Cavalry Corps was sent to reinforce Pajol s detachment based on updated intelligence it redirected en route to Gembloux and discovered traces of the Prussian retreat 30 In the morning Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy acting commander of the Right Wing of the French Army travelled to meet Napoleon at the emperor s quarters at Fleurus the marshal was responding to a summons from the previous evening At 08 00 and 09 00 Napoleon accompanied by Grouchy started a tour of the surrounding area he visited officers troops and the battlefield at Ligny At one point he had a lengthy conversation with Grouchy and Gerard commander of the IV Corps about domestic politics and other subjects unconnected with the campaign 31 French main army divides edit Grouchy s detachment 32 Unit Commander Troops Guns Infantry Cavalry Gunners Total III Corps General Count Vandamme 14 508 0 936 32 IV Corps General Count Gerard 12 589 2 366 1 538 38 21st Division VI Corps Lieutenant General Baron Teste 2 316 0 161 8 4th Division I Cavalry Corps Lieutenant General Count Pajol 0 1 234 154 6 II Cavalry Corps Lieutenant General Count Exelmans 0 2 817 246 12 Initial strength 29 413 6 417 3 035 38 870 96 Losses on 16 June 3 900 800 400 5 100 0 Strength on morning of 17 June 25 513 5 617 2 635 33 765 96 By noon on 17 June Napoleon had received reconnaissance reports toward Quatre Bras and learned of the Prussian concentration at Gembloux The army was divided between these two targets He made the first changes to the disposition of the French army since sending Pajol s detachment to pursue the Prussians toward Namur 33 For an attack on Quatre Bras forces would stage in front of Marbais astride the Namur road The assigned formations were 33 Lobau s VI Infantry Corps minus 21st Division which was supporting Pajol s detachment Milhaud s IV Cavalry Reserve Corps a corps of Heavy Cavalry Cuirassiers along with Lieutenant General Baron Subervie s Light Cavalry Division detached from Pajol s I Cavalry Reserve Corps Lieutenant General Baron Domon s 3rd Light Cavalry Division of II Corps Imperial Guard both cavalry and infantry A detachment composed mainly of III Corps IV Corps and II Cavalry Corps 32 was assigned to Grouchy to pursue the Prussians This was sufficient to probe Prussian movements maintain communication with the main French army and affect withdrawal if sorely pressed it was not meant to fight the entire Prussian army 33 7th Infantry Division commanded by Lieutenant General Girard of II Corps had suffered heavy casualties the day before and was left at Ligny 32 Napoleon s orders were 33 Pursue the Prussians complete their defeat by attacking them as soon as you come up with them and never let them out of your sight I am going to unite the remainder of this portion of the Army with Marshal Ney s Corps to march against the English and to fight them if they should hold their ground between this and the Forest of Soignies You will communicate with me by the paved road which leads to Quatre Bras The Prussian s main line of retreat was still unknown to the French Napoleon believed the Prussians were retreating toward Namur and Liege and to a line on the Meuse From there the Prussians could threaten the right flank of a French advance on Brussels 34 Grouchy believed pursuit was not worthwhile as the Prussians were now many hours ahead of the French having started to retreat at 22 00 the previous night he could not convince Napoleon to allow him to go to Quatre Bras with the main French army 35 Main article Waterloo campaign Quatre Bras to Waterloo Once arrangements with Grouchy were complete Napoleon ordered the army at Marbais to advance 5th Light Cavalry Division acted as vanguard and the French reached Quatre Bras at about 14 00 By that time the infantry of the Anglo allied army had crossed the Dyle and were retreating along high road to Brussels The French engaged the covering Anglo allied cavalry 35 Prussian rearguard retreats to Mont Saint Guibert edit French movement through Byre toward Quatre Bras was observed by Sohr s Prussian I II Corps rearguard Sohr retained a cavalry brigade which was held to the rear of Tilly Shortly afterwards the Prussians began slowly pulling back to Mont Saint Guibert in response to the approach of French dragoons from Exelmans II Cavalry Corps The French skirmishers slowed the Prussians by forcing them to take frequent precautions against attack the French abandoned the chase as night fell Ledebur s IV Corps rearguard was waiting at Mont Saint Guibert when Sohr s detachment arrived in the evening of 17 June Ledebur passed on orders to defend the defile 36 Grouchy advances to Gembloux edit After Napoleon s departure Grouchy ordered III and IV Corps to move to junction of the Gembloux and Namur roads and then after receiving reports of significant Prussian movement through Gembloux onto Gembloux In the meantime Grouchy went to the advanced posts of Exelmans dragoons which were now beyond Gembloux 36 III and IV Corps reached Gembloux very late in the evening III Corps was posted in front and IV Corps to the rear of the town 6th Light Cavalry Division commanded by Brigadier General Louis Vallin after Lieutenant General Antoine Maurin was wounded at the Battle of Ligny was stationed nearby on the right bank of the Orneau 36 The 1st Brigade of Lieutenant General Chastel s 10th Cavalry Division consisting of the 4th and 12th Dragoons under Brigadier General Bonnemain was pushed on to Sart lez Walhain m 15th Dragoons from General Vincent s fr Brigade of the 9th Cavalry Division under Lieutenant General Baron Strolz were detached to Perwez n 37 38 These units reported that the Prussians had retired toward Wavre 39 21st Infantry Division accompanied by Pajol s cavalry detachment returned to its morning starting position of Mazy from Saint Denis Siborne states that there was no satisfactory explanation for this movement 38 Grouchy wrote a despatch to Napoleon dated 10 00 on 17 June He gave his disposition around Gembloux and a less accurate assessment of Prussian movements According to Grouchy from Sauvenieres one Prussian column went to Wavre perhaps to link up with the Anglo allies while the main Prussian body went to Perwez n en route to Liege Finally a column of Prussian artillery went to Namur Grouchy reported he would follow the main Prussian body which at that time seemed like either to Wavre or Perwez 40 Siborne states that the despatch was well calculated to satisfy Napoleon that at least the spirit of his instructions had been understood by the Marshal 10 At 02 00 on 18 June Grouchy sent another to Napoleon reporting that he would advance upon either Corbais or Wavre 10 Prussians regroup at Wavre edit At 17 00 on 17 June the Prussian reserve ammunition wagons reached Wavre and the army was resupplied 8 By the evening the Prussian army was positioned around Wavre Two corps were on each side of the Dyle and ready to resume operations The rearguards remained at Vieux Sart and Mont Saint Guibert and withdrew without difficulty the next day The only units still in transit were Borcke s 9th Brigade Hacke s 13th Brigade and Hobe s reserve cavalry from III Corps they arrived in Wavre by 06 00 the next day 41 Patrols were sent toward the main Namur Louvain road and up the river to maintain contact with the rearguard at Mont Saint Guibert A detachment from I Corps provided flank protection at Limal 28 The defiles of the Lasne were patrolled during the evening 42 According to William Siborne morale and confidence in Blucher s leadership remained high 3 With preparations completed Blucher replied to Wellington s request for reinforcements 8 Blucher pledged the support of his entire army His only condition was that the Coalition would attack on the 19th if the French did not attack first on the 18th 43 Before midnight Blucher was notified by a despatch from General Karl Freiherr von Muffling attached to the Anglo allied headquarters that the Anglo allied army was deployed at Waterloo from Braine l Alleud on the right to near La Haye on the left and awaiting the arrival of the French army and Prussian reinforcements 44 From midnight the army received orders for the advance on Waterloo 45 IV Corps followed and supported by II Corps would advance to Chapelle Saint Lambert at dawn they would attack the French right flank if serious fighting had already started otherwise they were to conceal their strength IV Corps would leave an observation detachment at Mont Saint Guibert which would gradually fall back to Wavre if attacked and send any baggage unnecessary for the battle to Louvain I and III Corps would be ready to follow IV Corps if necessary 45 The plan was despatch to Muffling to forward to Wellington with an explanation that troop fatigue prevented earlier movement 46 The Coalition armies were ready to link up at Waterloo on 18 June unlike the main French army and Grouchy s detachment 47 Wavre to Waterloo 18 June editGrouchy chooses Wavre instead of Waterloo edit The French began moving on Wavre on the morning of 18 June 46 At 05 00 Pajol s cavalry detachment and 21st Infantry Division set out from Mazy for Saint Denis and Grand Leez fr o to Tourinnes where they awaited further orders 46 Grouchy s detachment also started moving The Heavy Cavalry Corps consisting of eight regiments of dragoons set out at around 08 00 III and IV Corps began moving along the same road through Sart lez Walhain p toward Wavre at around 09 00 the corps left flank was protected by the 6th Light Cavalry Division which advanced toward the Dyle 46 III and IV Corps march was slowed by poor roads and narrow and miry defiles 48 Gerard going ahead of IV Corps arrived at Sart lez Walhain at 11 00 where he found Grouchy taking breakfast in the house of M Hollaebt a notary 48 At around 10 30 Heavy Cavalry Corps vanguard met the Prussian rearguard on the road to Wavre The French cavalry formed a 3 2 kilometres 2 mi line from a wooded ravine near the Farm of La Plaquerie q to a point about 0 5 kilometres 0 31 mi south of Vieux Sart toward Neuf Sart As skirmishers engaged Exelmans sent Chef d Escadron d Estourmel to update Grouchy and advise that the Prussians had retreated toward Wavre during part of the night and morning for closer communication with the Anglo allies 49 At about 11 30 Colonel Simon Loriere Grouchy s chief of staff heard a distant but violent cannonade coming from Waterloo while walking in the garden and notified Grouchy Grouchy went into the garden with several officers including Gerard Vandamme Exelmans Hollaebt was summoned and asked to identify the direction of the sound he pointed to the Forest of Soignies and replied that it was coming from the vicinity of Plancenoit r and Mont Saint Jean 48 Gerard favoured moving immediately toward the sound to better support Napoleon and volunteered IV Corps General Baltus of the artillery disagreed perhaps worried by the difficulties of moving the guns General Valaze commanding the engineers of Gerard s corps initially agreed with Baltus but noted that he had three companies of sappers to remove obstacles which gave Gerard confidence that guns carriages and limbers could be moved 50 Grouchy was determined to follow Napoleon s instructions to prosecute the Prussians and rejected Gerard s strategy Grouchy believed his detachment had just encountered the rearguard of the Prussian infantry Furthermore Blucher s intentions were unclear the Prussians could decide to fight at Wavre or continue retreating toward Brussels or if attempting to join the Anglo allies move in front or behind of the Forest of Soignies The detachment would go to Wavre Grouchy justified his decision after the campaign Fundamentally he saw his responsibility as the execution of Napoleon s instructions sending even a part of the detachment toward Forest of Soignies would have been in contravention of those orders Furthermore it would have been difficult for separated parts of the detachment to support each other near the Dyle the river was swollen by rain and its banks were swampy 51 As Grouchy moved to join the vanguard he received a message from Napoleon that confirmed his decision The message written at the Farm of Caillou on 18 June at 10 00 warned of the impending attack on the Anglo Allied army at Waterloo and instructed Grouchy to move toward Napoleon from Wavre and to maintain close communication 52 Grouchy did not act immediately on the new instructions No measures were taken to either detect possible Prussian movement toward Waterloo or establish closer communication with the main French army Grouchy conducted a direct advance on Wavre The left flank was neglected The Heavy Cavalry Corps was ordered to take up position on the right at Dion le Mont fr with its position taken over by 6th Light Cavalry Division 53 Prussians depart for Waterloo edit Before dawn Major Witowsky led a detachment from the 2nd Silesian Hussars to Maransart to scout the defiles of the Lasne and the area beyond toward the French 42 they encountered a French patrol at Maransart 54 Falkenhausen also send reconnaissance parties to the Lasne which also maintained communication with the detachment at Mont Saint Guibert they found the defiles free of the French 54 French movement between the Dyle and the Charleroi high road was accurately observed and reported 55 The Prussian patrols forced French messengers to avoid the area thus lengthening the line of communication between the main French army and Grouchy s detachment 42 At daybreak on 18 June Prussian IV Corps began to move from near Dion le Mont to Saint Lambert through Wavre 53 The vanguard consisted of General Losthin s de 15th Brigade the 2nd Silesian Hussars and a twelve pounder battery The vanguard reached Saint Lambert by 11 00 then crossed the soft and muddy valley before halting in the Wood of Paris s Hussar patrols went to scout the Anglo allied and French eastern flanks 56 A Prussian patrol with a staff officer made contact with a squadron of the British 10th Hussars commanded by Captain Taylor posted at Smohain The staff officer had a report for Wellington which Taylor ordered relayed by Lieutenant Lindsey The report stated that Bulow was at Saint Lambert and was advancing with IV Corps although this was an overstatement as only the corps vanguard had reached Saint Lambert at the time 57 The remainder of IV Corps was delayed by a fire that broke out in Wavre after the vanguard passed The fire spread rapidly and put ammunition wagons at risk The 1st Battalion of the 14th Regiment under Major Lowenfeld and the 7th Pioneer Company extinguished the fire Hiller s de 16th and Hacke s 13th Brigades arrived at Saint Lambert much later than the vanguard The rearguard the 14th Brigade was even farther behind 56 Blucher acted immediately upon learning that the right flank of the main French army was exposed seeing the opportunity to move his army through the Lasne defiles to the Wood of Paris 54 I Corps was ordered to depart after V Corps passed through Wavre It would march by way of Fromont and Ohain and join the Anglo allied left at La Haye t 54 I Corps set out at about 12 00 along the left bank of the Dyle 56 II Corps was ordered to follow IV Corps to Saint Lambert III Corps would remain for a time as rearguard in the defile of Wavre and then follow II Corps Blucher intended to have the bulk of the army past the defiles of Saint Lambert before abandoning Wavre 54 At 09 30 Blucher send a despatch informing Wellington that he intended to attack the French right flank as soon as possible 42 Blucher left Wavre before 11 00 to reconnoitre the terrain toward Saint Lambert from near Limale 58 French attack Wavre edit Main article Battle of Wavre French cavalry penetrated between the Prussian rearguard at Vieux Sart and Mont Saint Guibert when Prussian IV Corps Reserve Cavalry following the corps 13th Infantry Brigade was passing through Wavre The Reserve Cavalry immediately detached two regiments the 2nd Pomeranian and the 1st Silesian of the Landwehr Cavalry to counter the French advance 59 Ledebur s Prussian detachment at Mont Saint Guibert began falling back to Wavre upon learning of the French advance Sohr s Prussian detachment which had withdrawn from Mont Saint Guibert in the morning sent a brigade of 150 cavalry and two horse artillery guns to reinforce Ledebur 60 Ledebur s detachment linked up with the IV Corps Reserve Cavalry regiments and Sohr s cavalry brigade they reached Farm de Auzel u after a slight affair with French III Corps 60 Around noon Prussian II Corps began moving from between Saint Anne and Aisemont v on the right bank of the Dyle through the defile toward Wavre for a river crossing 60 Progress was slow as the corps crowded into the defile 60 At Wavre the garrison of 1st Battalion of the 14th Regiment II Corps was relieved by a battalion of the 30th Regiment Prussian III Corps 60 While underway II Corps was notified by Sohr s detachment the corps rearguard of the French advance consisting of six cavalry regiments of ten artillery pieces and two strong columns of infantry 60 By this time the Wood of Sarats w close to the Farm of Auzel u was occupied by battalions of the 8th Brigade II Corps commanded by Colonel Reckow 61 x Pirch put General Brause commander of the 7th Brigade in command of the rearguard and reinforced Sohr s detachment with the 11th Hussars and four pieces of horse artillery Brause posted the remaining battalions of the 8th Brigade in rear of the wood the three cavalry regiments on the right and Foot Battery No 12 in front The 7th Brigade deployed into line remained in reserve 7 The French did not advance with much vigour and the Prussian s withdrew in perfect order Ledebur s detachment withdrew slowly before the French and linked up with 8th Brigade 8th Brigade maintained position until 15 00 against the vanguard of French III Corps General Brause ordered the retreat between 15 00 and 16 00 Sohr s detachment and then the II Corps reserve cavalry regiments crossed the bridge at the Mill of Bierges y which was occupied by two companies of the 2nd Battalion 14th Regiment Sohr s detachment only rejoined II Corps at Waterloo The Fusilier Battalion of the 1st Pomeranian Landwehr commanded by Major Kruger distinguished itself during the withdrawal After the river crossing was completed the 1st Battalion of the Elbe Landwehr remained at Bierges until the bridge was destroyed and the mill set on fire The 11th Hussars and the 2nd Battalion of the Elbe Landwehr remained to observe the Dyle crossings and did not rejoin their corps before the following day 7 Blucher learned of the French advance on Wavre while near Limale He ordered Prussian III Corps to hold Wavre against a strong French attack the strength of Grouchy s attacking French detachment was unknown to the Prussians If the French crossed the Dyle upstream or did not attack in strength III Corps was to leave a few battalions in the town and rejoin the main army in the direction of Couture Saint Germain as the reserve The order was relayed by Colonel Clausemotz Chief of the Staff of III Corps 58 Vandamme s French III Corps attacked Wavre at 16 00 as Prussian III Corps was leaving Wavre 63 Prussians advance to the Wood of Paris edit nbsp Chateaux Frischermont shortly after the Battle of Waterloo A detachment of the 2nd Silesian Hussars and staff officer Major Lutzow was sent to scout the right front of the Prussian advance in the direction of the French right flank at Waterloo They reached the Wood of Paris and discovered that the French right flank was completely exposed A Prussian troop of Hussars advanced beyond the Wood of Paris to near Frischermont where it had a good view of the Waterloo battlefield the troop also did not encounter any French forces 64 The Prussians had the opportunity to quickly occupy the Wood of Paris Lutzow on his way to report to Blucher met General Grolman the Quartermaster General of the Army Grolman ordered the Silesian Hussars and two battalions of infantry from Bulow s vanguard the units having just crossed the defile of Saint Lambert to immediately take the wood and sent a despatch to Blucher suggesting that the 15th and 16th Brigades be ordered to follow the vanguard once they had regrouped on the Waterloo side of the defile 65 The march through the defile of Saint Lambert was difficult and exhausting Rainfall starting during the afternoon of 17 June and continuing through the night had turned the valley of the Lasne into a swamp The roads between Wavre and Saint Lambert were similarly affected The columns were drawn out for miles due to frequent stoppages and breaks Blucher travelled along the line of march to provide encouragement 66 By 16 00 after considerable difficulty and delay the 15th and 16th Brigades and the reserve cavalry and artillery had reached the plateau between the Lasne and the Smohain z The plateau sloped steeply downwards toward the streams but its high ground was comparatively dry and firm and suitable for marching 67 nbsp The Monument to Colonel Count von Schwerin de At the Wood of Paris the Prussians deployed along a considerable front in a close compact order on each side of the road leading from Lasne towards Plancenoit The artillery kept to the road The cavalry drew up to the rear of the wood to follow the infantry 67 15th Brigade deployed at around 15 00 and shortly afterwards its cavalry screen skirmished with a French patrol in which Colonel Schwerin de was killed Schwerin may have been the first Prussian officer killed at the Battle of Waterloo a memorial now marks the site 68 aa Blucher observed the tremendous cannonade the renewed French attack at 16 00 and the French reserves behind La Belle Alliance preparing for another attack he feared that the Anglo allied line might break if the Prussians waited Wellingon s frequent and pressing despatches added urgency Blucher had planned to attack with II and IV Corps 13th and 14th Brigades from IV Corps were expected to join shortly and II Corps was following along the same line Instead he decided to attack with only what was at the Wood of Paris 69 and ordered units still on the march to join as quickly as possible 70 The Prussian direction of attack was perpendicular to the right flank of the French Army and the Charleroi road which was the French main line of operation 70 At 16 30 15th and 16th Brigades debouched in typical Prussian brigade formation 15th Brigade deployed on the right detaching three battalions 2nd Battalion of the 18th Regiment the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Silesian Landwehr and the 1st Battalion of the 18th Regiment toward Frischermont and Smohain to cover the right flank 16th Brigade deployed on the left with two battalions 3rd battalions of the 15th Regiment and the 1st Silesian Landwehr under Major Keller to cover the left flank to the Lasne stream 100 cavalry from the 3rd Regiment of Silesian Landwehr Cavalry led by Falkenhausen patrolled beyond the Lasne 71 Prussians advance from the Wood of Paris edit Main article Battle of Waterloo During the march from Genappe to La Belle Alliance the main French army had detached Domon s 3rd Cavalry Division eastward to scout the area between the high road to Brussels and the Dyle Desmichels 4th Regiment of Chasseurs pushed as far as the bridge at Mousty ab 73 where its skirmishers exchanged a few carbine shots with some Prussian dragoons who did not engage them further This allowed Napoleon to surmise that the principal Prussian column of I and II Corps had retreated through Tilly and Gentinnes Grouchy was still unaware of this 72 Blucher ordered a cannonade against Domon s detachment which was forming up en potence at a considerable distance from the Prussian vanguard this was primarily to announce the Prussian presence and draw French attention away from the Anglo allies 74 Domon s entire line advanced to attack led by a regiment of chasseurs The Prussian s 2nd Silesian Hussars and the 2nd Neumark Landwehr Cavalry moved forward through the infantry and attacked with the Hussars on the left and the Landwehr on the right the Prussian cavalry supported by the 3rd Silesian Landwehr Cavalry attacked and drove back the chasseurs before retreating to avoid being flanked by the advancing French line 74 The Prussian cavalry were covered by Horse Battery No 11 and Captain Schmidt s Foot Battery of the 15th Brigade which drew up to oppose a French pursuit The French declined to follow up their attack because of the Prussian battery fire and the advancing Prussian infantry 74 By now the battalions of Prussian 15th Brigade s flank guard of had reached Smohain They had advanced so cautiously that their appearance from the south eastern part of the village surprised both nearby Anglo allied and French troops The Prussian battalions crossed the principal fence separating them from the French extreme right and at 17 30 drew up in line almost at right angles with the direction of the French front two battalions in line with the third in support this marked the full engagement of the Prussians at the Battle of Waterloo 75 Analysis editLosing track of the Prussians edit Historian Peter Hofschroer states that Napoleon s defeat at Waterloo was directly caused by the French losing track of the Prussians 76 Siborne finds it inexplicable that Napoleon failed to exploit French advantages on the morning of 17 June Beside the picket at Gentinnes the Prussian front was clear as far as Gembloux The Anglo allies were still at Quatre Bras with their left flank exposed due to the Prussian retreat There was nothing stopping the French from moving through the defile of Genappe and into Anglo allied rear followed by an attack on the Anglo allied left and rear at Quatre Bras 77 The French army was no more fatigued than their opponents the Anglo allied had force marched to Quatre Bras Napoleon later led the comparatively fresh Imperial Guard and VI Corps to Quatre Bras to attack the Anglo allies with Marshal Michel Ney this attack was strangely delayed and only caused minor cavalry skirmishes between the French vanguard and the rearguard of the retreating Anglo allies 78 Napoleon campaign depended on defeating his opponents in detail but the required aggressiveness failed to materialize 79 Siborne notes that it was a sharp contrast to Napoleon s performance the previous year 77 An earlier dispatch of Grouchy s detachment on the morning of 17 June and a more vigorous pursuit on Grouchy s part may have caught Prussian III Corps at Gembloux 80 Siborne criticizes Grouchy s search effort on 17 June as being unnecessarily restrictive Grouchy had 65 squadrons of cavalry and sent them mainly toward the French right where he and Napoleon incorrectly expected the Prussians to be instead of dispersing them to cover more of the ground east of the Dyle It would also have allowed him to maintain closer contact with Napoleon by occupying the line of Nil Sait Vincent Corbaix Mont Saint Guibert and the bridge at Mousty ab 27 It would also have alerted the French to the Prussian rearguard at Mont Saint Guibert While the poor roads may have slowed the progress of Grouchy s main body Siborne notes that the French cavalry scouts reached Perwez n to the east on the evening of 17 June reaching Mont Saint Guibert should not have been a problem 81 Siborne also criticizes Grouchy s lack of urgency early on 18 June From the despatch to Napoleon written at 22 00 on 17 June Grouchy suspected that a Prussian detachment may have gone to Wavre with the intention of linking up with the Anglo allied army He should have known that the distance from Gembloux to Wavre was 15 miles and only 12 miles from Wavre to Napoleon s line of advance If Grouchy insisted on advancing on Wavre he should have moved before 07 00 to 08 00 and not by the circuitous route through Sart lez Walhain matters were made worse by both III and IV Corps using the same road 82 Siborne suggests a better option was for Grouchy to ignore Wavre and march to Saint Lambert where he could support the main French army at Waterloo 83 What Grouchy might have done edit In his despatch written at two o clock in the morning he mentioned to Napoleon his design of marching upon Corbaix or Wavre a movement of which Napoleon in his reply expressed his approval and if he had directed one of his Infantry Corps along the line of Corbaix and La Beiraque and the other by that of Mont Saint Guibert and Mousty there can be no doubt that even late as was the hour at which he started from Gembloux he would in a great measure have fulfilled the expectations of Napoleon 84 In this case he would naturally have so divided his cavalry that one portion would have scoured the country along the front and right of the column marching by Corbaix and La Baraque fr ac and the other portion would have been employed in a similar manner along the front and Left of the Column moving upon Mont Saint Guibert and Mousty Both at this point and at Ottignies about 730 metres 800 yd lower down the stream there is a stone bridge across the Dyle There is a direct road from Mousty to Saint Lambert scarcely 8 kilometres 5 0 mi and another to the Field of Waterloo The cavalry in advance of the left column could not have failed to discover the Prussian troops in march to join the Left of Wellington for they were then passing slowly and with extreme difficulty through the defiles of Saint Lambert and Lasne 85 This discovery would have led to the right column being moved by its left from La Baraque to Mousty the cavalry attached to it masking the movement as long as possible The left column would then in all probability have followed its advanced cavalry to Saint Lambert and the right corps have either moved upon the same point as a reinforcement or have diverged upon Lasne as a Support upon which the former might have fallen back if compelled to effect its retreat towards Plancenoit 86 In this manner might Grouchy have so far realised the anxious expectation of Napoleon as to have fallen upon Bulow flagrante delicto and have materially procrastinated the co operation of Blucher with Wellington on 18 June a co operation which a contrary proceeding originating in fatal tardiness of movement and exhibiting useless manoeuvring in a false direction could not fail to render easy in execution and successful in result But beyond such procrastination of the meditated junction of Blucher s and Wellington s forces Grouchy could have effected nothing The junction itself could not have been prevented The tendency of Grouchy s movements had been too narrowly watched the country between the Dyle and the Charleroi road to Brussels had been too vigilantly explored and the movements in succession of the different Prussian Corps had been too nicely calculated and determined to admit of the possibility of a failure as regarded the arrival of a considerable portion of the Prussian forces on the Left of the Anglo Allied Army 86 Blucher s admirable dispositions edit Blucher had made so admirable a disposition of his four Corps that two of them could at any time have combined and therefore have presented a superior force to Grouchy at any point between Wavre and Plancenoit whilst the remainder of the Army might have continued its march to Waterloo Had Grouchy moved by Mont Saint Guibert and Mousty upon Saint Lambert Thielemann s corps would then have been on the march towards Couture Saint Germain according to his original instructions and finding Bulow engaged with the French would have joined him Grouchy might then have contrived to hold both these corps at bay and thus have reduced the co operating Prussian force at Waterloo to the two corps under Zieten and Pirch besides considerably retarding that co operation since without having experienced the effects of any such interruption to the progress of the other corps as we have here supposed these two generals did not reach the field of battle until seven o clock in the evening of the 18th 87 Napoleon s errors at this time edit No exertions however on the part of Grouchy after he broke up from Gembloux on the morning of 18 June could have effectually frustrated the junction of Wellington and Blucher Two great errors for which that Marshal was not accountable reduced the contemplated junction from a measure of calculation to one of certainty 88 The first and principal of these has already been adverted to at some length and cannot be too closely kept in view the fatal neglect of a vigorous pursuit of the defeated Prussians on the night of 16 June and morning of 17 June by a detached Corps combined with the extraordinary delay in the attack upon Wellington at Quatre Bras on the latter day The second error arose from the want of a strong reconnaissance and vigilant look out on the right of the main French army on the morning of 18 June followed up by the occupation of the defiles of the river Lasne 63 Notes edit Pirch I the use of Roman numerals being used in Prussian service to distinguish officers of the same name in this case from his brother seven years his junior Otto Karl Lorenz Pirch II 1 Three locations appear on Kaart van Ferraris close together Bruyere Sainte Anne Chapelle Sainte Anne and Cense de Sainte Anne 50 42 04 N 4 37 13 E 50 70098 N 4 62035 E 50 70098 4 62035 about 2 kilometres 1 2 mi south of Aisemont 4 50 35 46 N 4 42 43 E 50 59620 N 4 71192 E 50 59620 4 71192 Siborne names Baudecet Basse Bodecee 2 and Kaart van Ferraris Bassebodece 5 50 43 46 N 4 35 46 E 50 72943 N 4 59624 E 50 72943 4 59624 2 kilometres 1 2 mi north of Wavre Siborne and Kaart van Ferraris calls it La Bavette 4 2 Hofschroer presents a case that by Waterloo because of his age and fragile mental state Blucher was a figurehead and that Gneisenau was to all intense and purposes in operational command of the campaign 12 50 31 27 N 4 37 11 E 50 52424 N 4 61964 E 50 52424 4 61964 At the time there was a hamlet called Point du Jour at the crossroads of what is now the crossroads N93 and N29 in suburb of Sombreffe 13 Siborne names Hotomont Hottoment and Kaart van Ferraris Hottomont 14 5 Peter Hofschroer calls this place Mellery 17 Siborne Melioreux 14 and another 19th century alternative spelling is Mellorie 18 Pajol was commander of the I Cavalry Reserve Corps Siborne spells Corbais Corbaix Hofschroer states that to avoid entanglement Thielemann and Bulow had already agreed between themselves and that the IV Corps retreated via Tourinnes and Corroy le Grand fr while the III Corps would march via Walhain and through Corbais 21 50 39 38 N 4 31 49 E 50 66060 N 4 53028 E 50 66060 4 53028 Kaart van Ferraris Seroulx near Ottignies 27 50 36 53 N 4 43 07 E 50 61484 N 4 71862 E 50 61484 4 71862 Sart lez Walhain is named by Siborne as Sart a Wallain 36 Hofschroer as Sart a Walhain 37 and by Kaart van Ferraris as Sart Awalhain 5 a b c Hofschroer spells this place Perwez as does the Kaart van Ferraris Siborne spells it Perwtes 5 38 37 Siborne spells Grand Leez Grand Lez 46 50 36 53 N 4 43 07 E 50 61484 N 4 71862 E 50 61484 4 71862 Sart lez Walhain is named by Siborne as Sart a Wallain 36 Hofschroer as Sart a Walhain 37 and by Kaart van Ferraris as Sart Awalhain 5 50 40 04 N 4 36 05 E 50 66791 N 4 60134 E 50 66791 4 60134 Cue de la Ploquerie on Kaart van Ferraris 27 Plancenoit is spelt Planchenoit by Siborne 48 Wood of Paris is located at 50 40 54 N 4 28 04 E 50 68164 N 4 46786 E 50 68164 4 46786 50 41 47 N 4 31 45 E 50 69649 N 4 52913 E 50 69649 4 52913 Fromont was a hamlet south of Rixensart about 1 3 of the way to Profondsart fr 4 54 a b 50 41 08 N 4 38 19 E 50 68563 N 4 63869 E 50 68563 4 63869 About 0 5 kilometres 0 31 mi north east of Vieux Sart Three locations appear on Kaart van Ferraris close together Bruyere Sainte Anne Chapelle Sainte Anne and Cense de Sainte Anne 50 42 04 N 4 37 13 E 50 70098 N 4 62035 E 50 70098 4 62035 about 2 kilometres 1 2 mi south of Aisemont 4 0 41 26 N 4 38 48 E 0 69063 N 4 64658 E 0 69063 4 64658 Only a small remnant still exists of the Wood of Sarats Reckow took command of the 23rd Regiment during the battle of Ligny replacing Colonel Langen 62 50 41 48 N 4 35 08 E 50 69680 N 4 58566 E 50 69680 4 58566 The Mill of Bierges was located at what is now Rue du Moulin a Eau 11 1300 Wavre Belgium south west of Wavre town centre The Smohain was stream swollen by the overnight rain that rose close to the village of Smohain and which flowed thought its own defile The Monument to Count von Schwerin fr can still be seen and is located at 50 41 04 N 4 28 21 E 50 68444 N 4 47258 E 50 68444 4 47258 a b 50 39 39 N 4 34 00 E 50 66077 N 4 56664 E 50 66077 4 56664 Sliborne calls it Bridge of Moustier 72 while the Kaart van Ferraris call the area Moustier and includes the bridge at its current location and the nearby Church of Notre Dame de Mousty fr 27 50 40 18 N 4 37 19 E 50 67164 N 4 62184 E 50 67164 4 62184 Rue De La Baraque the original feature based on its location against the terrain on the Kaart van Ferraris was probably slightly to the north at 50 40 27 N 4 37 11 E 50 67427 N 4 61984 E 50 67427 4 61984 27 fortunecity com 2007 a b c d e f Siborne 1895 p 287 a b Siborne 1895 p 305 306 a b c d Kaart van Ferraris 1777 Wavre Wavre 95 a b c d e Kaart van Ferraris 1777 Perwez le Marchez Perwez 114 a b c d e Siborne 1895 p 288 a b c Siborne 1895 p 315 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 304 Siborne 1895 pp 287 288 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 302 Hofschroer 2006 pp 7 10 Hofschroer 2006 p 26 Kaart van Ferraris 1777 Gembloux Gembloux 97 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 289 Siborne 1895 pp 288 289 Franklin amp Embleton 2015 p 91 Hofschroer 2006 p 19 Haumann 1837 p 187 Siborne 1895 p 292 Siborne 1895 pp 292 293 Hofschroer 2006 p 20 Siborne 1895 pp 289 290 Siborne 1895 p 290 Siborne 1895 p 290 291 a b c Siborne 1895 p 291 Siborne 1895 p 264 a b c d e Kaart van Ferraris 1777 Cour St Etienne Court Saint Etienne 96 a b Siborne 1895 p 303 Siborne 1895 pp 291 292 Siborne 1895 p 293 Siborne 1895 pp 293 294 a b c Siborne 1895 p 297 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 296 Siborne 1895 pp 297 298 a b Siborne 1895 p 298 a b c d e Siborne 1895 p 299 a b c d Hofschroer 2006 p 15 a b c Siborne 1895 p 300 Siborne 1895 pp 299 300 Siborne 1895 pp 300 301 Siborne 1895 pp 302 303 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 311 Siborne 1895 p 285 Siborne 1895 p 306 a b Siborne 1895 pp 306 307 a b c d e Siborne 1895 p 307 Siborne 1895 pp 303 304 a b c d Siborne 1895 p 308 Siborne 1895 pp 307 308 Siborne 1895 pp 308 309 Siborne 1895 p 309 Siborne 1895 pp 309 310 a b Siborne 1895 p 310 a b c d e f Siborne 1895 p 312 Siborne 1895 pp 310 311 a b c Siborne 1895 p 313 Siborne 1895 pp 327 371 372 a b Siborne 1895 pp 315 316 Siborne 1895 pp 313 314 a b c d e f Siborne 1895 p 314 Siborne 1895 pp 314 315 Charras 1857 p 352 footnote a b Siborne 1895 p 323 Siborne 1895 p 490 Siborne 1895 pp 490 491 Siborne 1895 pp 491 492 a b Siborne 1895 p 492 Hofschroer 2006 p 42 Siborne 1895 pp 492 493 a b Siborne 1895 p 493 Siborne 1895 pp 493 494 a b Siborne 1895 p 318 Siborne 1895 pp 317 318 a b c Siborne 1895 p 494 Siborne 1895 pp 494 495 Hofschroer 2006 p 14 a b Siborne 1895 p 294 Siborne 1895 pp 294 295 Siborne 1895 p 295 Siborne 1895 pp 318 319 Siborne 1895 pp 316 318 Siborne 1895 p 319 Siborne 1895 p 322 Siborne 1895 p 320 Siborne 1895 pp 320 321 a b Siborne 1895 p 321 Siborne 1895 pp 321 322 Siborne 1895 pp 322 323 References editCharras Jean Baptiste Adolphe 1857 Histoire de la campagne de 1815 in French Brussels Meline Cans et Comp amp J Hetzel et Comp p 352 Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch fortunecity com archived from the original on 15 August 2007 better source needed Dictionnaire geographique universel ou Description de tous les lieux du globe in French vol 2 K Z Haumann 1837 p 187 Franklin John Embleton Gerry 2015 Waterloo 1815 2 Ligny Osprey Publishing p 91 ISBN 978 1 4728 0366 5 Hofschroer Peter 2006 Waterloo 1815 Wavre Plancenoit and the Race to Paris illustrated ed Pen amp Sword Military ISBN 9781844151769 Braine la Leud 78 Wavre Wavre 95 Cour St Etienne 96 Gembloux Gembloux 97 Perwez le Marchez Perwez 114 and Namur 116 Kabinetskaart der Oostenrijkse Nederlanden et het Prinsbisdom Luik Kaart van Ferraris 1777 Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Siborne William 1895 The Waterloo Campaign 1815 4th ed Westminster A ConstableFurther reading editWit Pierre de 21 March 2008 17th June 1815 The campaign of 1815 a study Emmen the Netherlands a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waterloo campaign Ligny through Wavre to Waterloo amp oldid 1211679271, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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