Battle of Waterloo

Page 3

explained, Baring’s repeated requests for resupply were ignored. Eventually they were forced to rummage through the pouches of the dead and wounded, but still could only muster four rounds per man. A final French assault took the farm, but only after bitter hand to hand fighting, the German Riflemen using bayonets, sticks, bricks and anything else they could find to hold off the French. With all hope of holding out gone, Baring ordered the farm to be abandoned. Those who were able rushed into the farmhouse, out through the back door and away to the Allied front line. There were only 42 survivors of the original garrison of nearly 400.

 

 

 

 

Repulse of the Garde Imperial

 

At around 7.30 p.m. Napoleon decided to use his trump card. He sent his elite troops, the Garde Imperial, who had never before been defeated in battle, marching up the slope to smash through Wellington’s line. At a range of around 400 yards they came under artillery fire from the allied batteries, but on they came.

 

Wellington had used his most renowned battle tactic of keeping his men over the reverse slope of the ridge and ordering them to lie down on the ground. As La Garde approached, therefore, they thought there was a gap in the line and victory would be easy. When the French were some 40 paces from the crest of the ridge, Wellington gave the order and up out of the ground arose four ranks of red coated Guardsmen, who poured musketry into the ranks of the Garde Imperial. The effect was devastating. Some continued to advance, some stopped, some tried to turn back but were pushed forward by the ranks behind. At the same time, the 52nd marched parade ground style down from the ridge and along the exposed flank of the French column. They wheeled left, presented their muskets and poured a deadly enfilading fire into the column. Then the Guardsmen launched a bayonet charge into the head of the column.

 

Suddenly in all the chaos and carnage a shout that had never been heard before rang out — “La Garde recule” (The Garde retreats). By this time the Prussians were advancing in force from the east, pushing the French back from the village of Plancenoit. Suddenly Napoleon’s Grande Armee turned into a disorganised, fleeing rabble. Some units of the Garde formed square and refused to surrender, but by then the battle was lost. The French streamed away from the battlefield, throwing away their arms and equipment. As the fugitives came to the village of Genappe, located to the south of Waterloo, such was their desperation to get away, that many of the soldiers shot and hacked at their own comrades trying to get over the narrow bridge. The French were mercilessly pursued and slaughtered throughout the night by the Prussians, keen to avenge their defeat at Ligny two days earlier.

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Battle of Waterloo PAGE 2

1st. Regiment French Light Infantry at Waterloo

by Brain Palmer

 

© Cranston Fine Arts

www.battle-of-waterloo.com

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Rifleman Coleston’s top hat

The Iniskillings (27th Regiment of Foot) were drawn up in a very exposed position to guard against a major French advance up the road past La Haye Saint. During the course of the battle they suffered 66% casualties, the highest of any British infantry regiment at Waterloo. Many were artillery casualties, described as “lying dead in square” sustained at this point in the battle. One of the Iniskilling wounded was Elizabeth McMullen, the pregnant wife of Private Peter McMullen. Not wishing to be parted from her husband, she decided to stay with the regiment and was hit in the leg whilst attending to wounded soldiers inside the square. Her husband lost both arms, but they both lived to tell their amazing story.

 

 

Wellington saved the day by bringing forward Brunswick and Hanovarian reinforcements who, together with British infantry units, were formed into line and exchanged fire very effectively with the tirailleurs. The outcome hung in the balance briefly until the French wavered and were driven back. La Haye Saint itself, however, remained in possession of the French. 

The battle then entered the phase known as “The Crisis”. It was at this point that the Wellington was in grave danger of losing the battle. It hardly any wonder that, with this phase of the battle in mind, he later described Waterloo as “the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life” .

 

The capture of La Haye Saint provided the French with a forward platform from which they could launch further attacks. They now brought up artillery and infantry and assailed the Allied front line from much closer quarters. This was an absolutely critical time for Wellington as French 6-pounders were blazing away at ranges of as little as 100 yards and some of the French skirmishers, known as tirailleurs, were firing at ranges of only 50 yards

across the whole of his line. Casualties were also sustained from bombardment by the French grand battery situated on the other side of the valley and firing over the heads of the tirailleurs.

Elizabeth McMullen of the 27th

 

by Ray Kirkpatrick © Waterloo Battlefield Tours

The Crisis

Capture of La Haye Saint

 

The farm of La Haye Saint was located about 250 yards in front of the British line and its possession, like that of Hougoumont, was of vital importance. The initial garrison strength was 400 Riflemen of the King’s German Legion commanded by Major Baring. The green uniformed KGL Riflemen had defended the farm with great bravery. They had managed to beat off several French attacks, although massively outnumbered. There is little doubt that they could have successfully defended the farm for the duration of the battle, as did the Guards at Hougoumont, but their ammunition began to run low and, for reasons which were never adequately

The Defence of La Haye Saint

 

by Ray Kirkpatrick © Waterloo Battlefield Tours