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Rifleman Coleston’s top hat

Painting by Ray Kirkpatrick

© Waterloo Battlefield Tours

Battle of Waterloo

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Charge of the Union Brigade

 

The Union Brigade was composed of three regiments of heavy cavalry, one English, one Scottish and one Irish, hence their brigade title. The most famous of these regiments was the Scots Greys or the 2nd Royal North British Dragoons to give their correct regimental title. Their part in the charge was immortalised in the famous painting “Scotland Forever” by Lady Butler. The charge was led by the commanding officer of the Union Brigade, Major General The Honourable Sir William Ponsonby.

 

The horsemen charged headlong into D’Erlon’s Corps. The slaughter was wholesale as the French were caught completely out of formation with no hope of forming square to resist the cavalry attack. It is estimated that within a matter of minutes the French lost some 5,000 men in dead, wounded and prisoners.

 

The most famous incident of the charge involved the capture of the eagle of the French 45th Regiment of the Line by Sergeant Charles Ewart of the Greys. Ewart, who was a giant of a man, managed to seize the eagle during hand to hand fighting, during which he killed several Frenchmen. He was then ordered to take his prize to the rear by Major General Ponsonby himself. This order may well have saved Ewart’s life as dreadful carnage was to follow. The eagle is still in possession of Ewart’s regiment and is displayed at Edinburgh Castle, in whose grounds Ewart is buried.

 

 

Battle of Waterloo PAGE 3

Despite repeated, desperate attempts by the French cavalry to break them and enduring also intermittent fire from the French artillery, some of which was brought up to new positions very close to the Allied line, Wellington’s infantry stood steadfast. Not a single square was broken. The French horsemen, however, suffered terribly at the hands of the Allied artillery and  also from musket fire delivered from the squares. Those who got through and rode around the squares were counter attacked by the British cavalry lurking behind. By the end of this phase of the battle, the French heavy cavalry was virtually a spent force. They had suffered huge casualties estimated at between 30 and 40%.

Sergeant Ewart of the Scots Greys captures the Eagle of the French 45th Regiment

 

by Sullivan

 

© Cranston Fine Arts  www.battle-of-waterloo.com

La Charge 

 

courtesy of MarkChurms.com

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Battle of Waterloo PAGE 1

Tragically the horsemen did not stop. Intoxicated by their success they charged on across the valley and right up to the French artillery, killing gunners and putting guns out of action. By this time the horses were blown and the Union Brigade had become highly vulnerable to counter attack by fresh French cuirassiers and Polish lancers. The British cavalry stood little chance. The slaughter was terrible.

 

Major General Ponsonby was one of those killed. As his exhausted horse became bogged down in the mud, the lancers were upon them and killed both the General and his horse. It is estimated that of 1,300 troopers and horses of the Union Brigade who charged 600 men were killed, wounded or taken prisoner and 600 horses lost.

French Cavalry attacks

 

At around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the battle entered its most famous phase. This was the massed cavalry charges against the British infantry squares orchestrated by Marshal Ney, who rode in a number of the charges himself. It is estimated that by the end of the afternoon, Ney had committed 10,000 French horsemen to what proved to be a series of futile assaults.

 

Wellington formed his troops into approximately 20 squares or oblongs arranged in two rows in a chequerboard pattern. The square was the classic formation to resist cavalry as horses could not be enticed to charge into tightly formed squares bristling with bayonets. In front of the squares Wellington had deployed eleven batteries of artillery —approximately sixty 6 and 9 pounder guns and howitzers. The gunners were under strict instructions. They were to serve their pieces until the French cavalry were virtually upon them and then they were to abandon their guns and run back and take refuge inside the squares.

 

One of the most famous incidents of the battle. Ammunition began to run dangerously low at Hougoumont. Captain Seymour, encountered a Royal Wagon Train driver in charge of an ammunition tumbrel on the ridge. The area between the ridge and the farm was swept by artillery and musket fire. One account states, “…....cannon shot ploughed the ground in all directions and so thick was the hail of balls and bullets that it seemed dangerous to extend the arm lest it should be torn off.” Seymour pointed out to the driver that ammunition was needed at the garrison. With that the man, Private Joseph Brewer, took off, driving his horses hell for leather down the slope to the farm and straight through the open North Gate. Miraculously Brewer and his horses made it through unscathed. Without question he would  have been recommended for the Victoria Cross by Captain Seymour had it been available at that time.