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.
"In this position the Division had been entirely by itself
and without cavalry all the time exposed to a heavy fire,
with alternate cavalry charges."
- Colonel van Nyeveldt
Netherlands army
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The Battle.
"There is hardly anyone in the Bossu Wood,
we must take it at once." - Marshal Ney
Ney arrived and saw only the outposts made of the Germans and Dutch.
He remarked to General Reille, the commander of II Army Corps: "There is hardly anyone
in the Bossu Wood, we must take it at once." Bossu Wood was very important but the main
attack was directed east of the wood, along the road to Quatre Bras.
Marshal Ney reasoned that, with attack along the road, the enemy in the Bossu Wood would
be obliged to pull back their line to avoid being outflanked.
French attack.
The French artillery opened fire
and infantry columns moved forward.
Around 2 PM the French moved in force, and the Allied outposts retired to Grand-Pierrepont.
The French artillery opened fire and infantry columns screened with skirmishers moved
forward.
While Bachelu's division pushed back the Dutch 27th Jagers towards Gemioncourt,
Foy's division moved against the center of enemy. Bijleveld's and Stevenart's batteries
suffered considerable loss of gunners and horses.
Half of Foy's division (Gauthier's brigade) attacked the southern edge of Bossu Wood but
was thrown back by I/Nassau-Orange and 8th Militia. The two battalions then were driven back
250 m into the wood by a new French attack. (During this battle, the brave Colonel de Jongh of
the 8th Dutch Militia, had been wounded and had ordered his staff to tie him to the saddle so he can stay with his battalion.)
Duke Bernhard led the volunteers of the
I/2nd Nassau and 2 comp. of the 7th Militia in a counterattack, and pushed the French back
out of the wood.
Around 4 PM arrived Jerome Bonaparte's division. Marshal Ney ordered this large unit
immediately to the Bossu Wood. The Nassauers fell back in rather good order.
They still held the northern part of the wood and supported with fire the Netherlands
troops defending Gemioncourt. Meanwhile Foy's division rallied on the road to Quatre Bras.
The 5th Militia suffered from French howitzers. Four companies of 27th Jagers were
in the process of withdrawing when Pire's chasseurs struck them, inflicting casualties,
and scattering many survivors.
Allies' reinforcements.
After 9 hours march (!) arrived van Merlen's Dutch Cavalry.
After Merlen, Picton's 5th British Division came,
and then the Brunswickers.
Heavily outnumbered and hard pressed, the Netherlands troops under Bijlandt and the
Nassauers were in a very critical situation. Before 3:30 PM arrived van Merlen's Cavalry
Brigade (5th Light Dragoons, 6th Hussars) with 2 guns. Both regiments were Dutch.
Merlen was a seasoned general, his troopers however were exhausted.
The horses had been saddled since the morning before, and they marched 9 hours (!) in oppressive heat that day.
Shortly after Merlen the 5th British Division under Picton came.
Picton deployed his troops as follow: Kempt's and part of Pack's brigades in the first line,
Best's Hannoverian brigade in the second, Hanoverian battery on the right, and British
battery on the left.
Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815) was one of the British hardest
fighting generals, He was respected for his courage and feared for his irascible temperament.
"In 1810, at Wellington's request, he was appointed to command a division in Spain. For the remaining years
of the Peninsular War, Picton was one of Wellington's principal subordinates. The commander-in-chief, it is true,
never reposed in him the confidence that he gave to Beresford, Hill, and Craufurd. But in the resolute, thorough and punctual
execution of a well-defined task Picton had no superior in the army." (- wikipedia)
Next came several strong battalions of Brunswick infantry along with artillery and cavalry.
They Brunswickers deployed between Bossu Wood and the road to Charleroi.
Duke of Brunswick deployed two companies of the Vanguard Battalion in the wood, and the
Jager Battalion in a ditch near Gemioncourt. The jagers were in groups of 4 at intervals
of six paces.
The Dutch repulsed French cavalry
and drove off Jamin's brigade.
Meanwhile the French infantry captured Gemioncourt. With the 5th Militia dislodged,
the British 28th also fell back, and the Allied centre was in immediate danger of collapse.
Despite all odds, the 5th Dutch Militia still hang on north of Gemioncourt.
Seeing the arrival of fresh reinforcements the militiamen stormed the farm at bayonet point,
and cleared away French skirmishers (of Jamin's brigade, Foy's division)
from the walls and fields. Only a handful of Frenchmen held on in the farm itself.
Several companies of the militia then deployed to the south of Gemioncourt. They were then
charged by the French 6th Chasseurs-a-Cheval. Supported by the fire of Bijlevald's battery,
the 5th Dutch Militia delivered a deadly volley at close range and beat off the French.
The chasseurs came back and charged again.
And again they were thrown back.
The third cavalry charge was made by the 6th Lancers.
Meanwhile the militiamen were joined and encouraged by the brave Prince of Orange.
The lancers were repulsed.
Several battalions of French infantry under Jamin (of Foy's division) moved east of
Gemioncourt.
Prince of Orange ordered Marlen's cavalry brigade to charge these forces, while the 5th Dutch
Militia Battalion and 27th Dutch Jagers were to attack from the flank. The two units charged
and drove off the French infantry.
French lancers created havoc.
"The Prince of Orange was caught in the rout,
but was saved by the speed of his mount...
[Wellington] with his steed also helping to extract
him from similarly precarious position."
- Peter Hofschroer
Van Merlen's brigade was attacked by the 5th Lancers and 1st Chasseurs while
they were still deploying. The Dutch cavalry fled in panic with the French hot on their
heels. Prince of Orange's ADC, Major van Limburgh Stirum, was badly wounded.
The lancers followed through to Bijleveldt's and Stevenart's batteries and cut down many
gunners. Then they hit the 5th Militia and 27th Jagers and inflicted heavy
casualties. Hofschroer writes: "The Prince of Orange was caught in the rout, but was
saved by the speed of his mount.
This was also the moment when Wellington returned from
his meeting with Blucher at Brye, with his steed also helping to extract him from similarly
precarious position."
The lancers were disordered by the charge and thus were easily repulsed by musket volleys
fired by the II/Nassau-Orange and a British battalion. The cavalry slowly fell back.
Meanwhile the 5th Belgian Light Dragoons fought with French 6th Chasseurs. After a brief
hand-to-hand the Belgians fell back, but the French did not pursue them. The Scots mistook
the Belgians for French and fired. Williams writes: "There then occuredd one of those tragic
incidents of war in which men die in error at the hands of friends.
Seeing the Netherlands in blue (hussars) and green (light dragoons) galloping wildly toward
the crossroads and hearing them shouting in French, the Scots of the 92nd and 42nd Highland
along the Namur road mistook them for French and were ordered to open fire on them.
Many horses in particular were brought down, as they presented the largest targets ...
Pire's troopers, picking their way around Merlen's stricken horse, came under fire on the
left of the crossroads from Rogers' battery firing canister, and withdrew, being unsupported
by infantry or horse artillery. ... Merlen was left to reflect with sadness on the losses his unit had suffered and with
bitterness that more had been caused by their 'Scotch' allies than by the French."
French columns were halted by the British infantry.
The French columns were greeted with volleys
fired by the British and Hanoverian infantry.
Then they were charged with bayonet and thrown back.
The Brunswick jagers deployed in the ditch had put their large hats on the bushes
in front of them. It attracted a lot of musket fire from French voltigeurs.
The 95th Rifles (ext.link) was unable to retake the village defended by Bachelu's infantrymen.
Prince of Orange sent several companies of 27th Jagers to assist the British, but
language proved a barrier to useful co-operation. Sir Andrew tried to encourage
the Dutch to march forward in line with his men, but the Dutch tried to explain
that the French are in too great numbers to attack frontally.
The French were in tall crop and unseen to Sir Andrew's men.
Sir Andrew insisted and his riflemen went forward unaccompanied, only to be repulsed
at once by a massive volley.
(This was typical problem arising from the mutual inability within Allied polyglot army
to understand one another. The British troops were unfamiliar with the terrain at Quatre
Bras. The Dutch on the other hand, had been on this ground skirmishing intermittenly with
the French for nearly 24 hours.
The Dutch jagers, unable to speak English, tried to indicate by gestures the situation
they faced. Some British soldiers undrestood while others not.
Kincaid for example wrote: "... they [the Dutch jagers] were a raw body of men, who had
never before been under fire; and they could not be prevailed upon to join our skirmishers."
The Netherlands officers and many troopers, having seen French service in Germany, Spain and
Russia, had been holding their positions unaided all morning. It was from such unirformed
comments as Kincaid's that the British myth of the 'cowardly' Netherlands troops grew.
Had they really been cowardly or sympathetic to Napoleon, they would have run away the
previous evening or betray their position rather than do what they did: hold it alone against
increasingly superior French forces, even against Wellington's orders.
According to H. Williams "Siborne's attempts to impute cowardice on the Netherlands troops
was a red herring to distract history's attention from the inept performance of the British
staff officers.)
Meanwhile Marshal Ney ordered Bachelu's division and half of Foy's division to advance.
Five batteries were deployed between Gemioncourt and Pireaumont in support.
Wellington deployed 7 British battalions 500 m south of Quatre Bras,
and 4 Hanoverian battalions on the Namur road.
This large force was supported by the 95th Rifles and Roger's battery.
The British 28th of Foot was sent to support the Netherlands troops in Gemioncourt.
The French columns crossed the brook and were greeted with powerful volleys fired by the British and
German infantry. The fire was tremendous and the French halted. Then they were charged by
the Highlanders and Hanoverians. The French infantry fell back.
Wellington's forward movement failed.
"... our brave Colonel [Sir Robert Macara] fell at this time,
pierced through the chin until the point [of lance] reached his brain.
Captain Menzies fell covered with wounds."
- Sergeant Anton of 42nd Highland
The Allies infantry was halted by French artillery fire and then was thrown into confusion by cavalry charge. Fortunately they managed to
form squares. Hofschroer writes: "... squares of British infantry held off the French cavalry at first,
but the square of the 42nd was broken and the 44th was thrown into disorder, the colour of
the 44th being fought over."
Sergeant Anton of the 42nd Highland: "We were ready and in line ... and forward we
hastened though we saw no enemy in front. The stalks of rye, like reeds that grow on the
margins of some swamp, opposed our advance; the tops were up to our bonnets, and we strode
and groped our way through as fast as we could. By the time we reached a field of clover on
the other side we were very much straggled; however, we united in line as fast as time and
our speedy advance would permit.
The Belgic skirmishers retired through our ranks, and
in an instant we were on their victorious pursuers. ... Marshal Ney ... observed our wild
unguarded zeal, and ordered a regiment of lancers to bear down upon us. We saw their
approach at a distance, as they issued from a wood, and took them for Brunswickers coming
to cut up the flying [French] infantry ... they were approaching our right flank, from which
our skirmishers were extended, and we were far from being in a formation fit to repel an
attack ... no preparative movement to receive them as enemies; further than the reloading
of our muskets. ... a German [KGL] orderly dragoon galloped up, exclaiming 'Franchee ! Franchee !' and,
wheeling about, galloped off. We instantly formed a rallying square; no time for
particularity: every man's musket was loaded, and our enemies approached at full charge;
the feet of their horses seemed to tear up the ground.
... our brave Colonel [Sir Robert Macara] fell at this time, pierced through the chin until
the point reached his brain. Captain Menzies fell covered with wounds. ... The grenadiers
[of 42nd Highland], whom he commanded, pressed round to save or avenge him, but fell beneath
the enemies lances."
The official report of the Hanoverian brigade described the action that followed:
"... Verden Battalion was not able to fall back quickly enough and was largely ridden down
or taken prisoner."
Wellington rallied the Brunswick hussars and, bringing up the remnants of Merlen's cavalry,
prepared to go forward and plug the gap. Williams writes: "But before his cavalry was
positioned to advance, Pire's superior forces struck, driving them and Wellington himself
back beyond the crossroads." Wellington, to avoid death or ignominious capture, rode toward
the 92nd Highlanders ... Calling out to the men to crouch low, he jumped his horse over their
heads and found refuge nehind them." According to Best approx. 2 squadrons of French
chasseurs attacked battalion of the 92nd Highland but without success.
Due to French cavalry charges, Wellington's forward movement failed. He was obliged to order
Picton's division to retire from their present positions to the shelter of their original
positions along the Namur road.
The Duke of Saxe-Weimar observed this scene from the Bossu Wood and the next day wrote:
"... whilst I was defending the wood, the enemy drove our left wing [Picton] as far as
Quatre Bras, at this moment the brave Duke of Brunswick was killed ..."
Allies suffered under fire.
Duke of Brunswick was struck and fell near the Leib Battalion.
He was rescued by jagers who carried him
using their weapons as a stretcher.
Wellington moved the Brunswickers (see picture) nearer Gemioncourt, and deployed on
the north bank of the brook. Hofschroer writes: "As their flank was exposed, Pack's 42nd
and 44th Foot, partly recovered from the French cavalry attacks, moved up along the road a
little. On the left of the Brunswickers, on the Namur road, stood the Luneburg Landwehr
Battalion who had replaced the 92nd Highlanders. ... The 3rd Line occupied several buildings
on the Quatre Bras road with the 2nd [Brunswick] to its right, and a battalion of the 92nd
[Highland] to its left, in the ditch along the roadside."
Because the Brunswickers and some Scots formed the first line, they suffered from artillery
fire. The skirmishers of Foy's division had moved up the bushes and along the brook.
More skirmishers were firing from the flank, from Bossu Wood. Their fire was quite annoying
for the Allies. Major von Rauschenplat had his arm ripped off by a shell splinter, and Major
von Cramm was fatally wounded. The under-fire Brunswick infantry retired a little bit, while
their uhlan squadron attacked the French 1st Light (of Jerome Bonaparte's division) formed
in square. One volley drove back the uhlans in a great disorder.
Duke of Brunswick and his horse were struck and fell near the Leib Battalion [Brunswick].
He was rescued by jagers who carried him to the battalion, using their weapons as a stretcher.
It was a fatal wound, the musketball smashed through Duke's one hand, his abdomen and his
liver. Major Prostler of the Leib Battalion tried to rally his men, but two French horse
guns swept them with canister and they broke, reeling back toward the crossroads.
With a 2 to 1 advantage in men
Wellington decided to go over to the offensive.
"Wellington's force had swollen to 36,000 men and 50 guns.
With a 2 to 1 advantage in men and rough parity in guns
Wellington decided to go over to the offensive."
Before 5:30 PM arrived the 3rd British Division made of British and German troops.
The French were outnumbered. Kielmansegge's Hannoverian brigade was sent towards Pireaumont,
while Halkett's brigade deployed west of Quatre Bras. Hofschroer described what next
happened: "Major Lloyd with 4 9pdrs moved up to the left of Rauschenplat's companies.
Ney responded by deploying two horse batteries from his reserve cavalry, which soon
knocked out 2 of Lloyd's guns and killed a large number of the battery horses."
The battered remnants of Lloyd's battery limbered up and withdrew.
French horse battery opened canister fire at British 33rd Foot
1st Yorkshire -West Riding. The redcoats broke up and fled to Bossu Wood.
Then Ney sent 3 battalions (one in line and two in column) followed by 3 battalions between
the road and Bossu Wood, which was now largely in French hands.
Five battalions under Gauthier (of Foy's division) advanced alomg the Charleroi road,
with Pire's light cavalry to its rear.
A Prussian officer, Captain von Wussow, arrived at Quatre Bras. He was carrying a duplicate
message from Blucher. (The first courier, Major von Winterfeld, had been shot by Bachelu's
skirmishers.) Wussow recounted his experience: "I had to ride through enemy musketry,
but managed to reach the English troops at Quatre Bras unscathed.
Here I found the Duke of Wellington on foot, holding his telescope and watching the attack
and movements of the enemy."
In the meantime the Emperor had been reflecting that Ney might not succeed in carrying
out the movement of turning the corner at Quatre Bras but instead become enmeshed in an
inconclusive fight with Wellington, with the result that d'Erlon corps would not get over
to support him in time. But Napoleon considered that Ney should be able to carry out his
primary mission of keeping Wellington from joining Blucher even without d'Erlon's corps.
(Ney did not intentionally leave d'Erlon's 1st Corps behind.)
Ney was speechless with surprise and alarm when Delcambre informed him that in
obedience to an order from Napoleon, d'Erlon's corps was marching off toward St.Amand
to attack the Prussians at Ligny. How could the Emperor expect him to hold up an army
with three battle-weary divisions ?
Ney decided to countermand Napoleon's order to d'Erlon.
Meanwhile Count d’Erlon had moved from the high road between Gosselies and Frasnes upon the
Roman Road leading towards Wagnele, and his advance had just come in sight of the field
of battle when he received counter-orders from Marshal Ney.
(There has been much debate of what would have happened if d'Erlon's I Corps had engaged
at either Ligny or Quatre Bras.)
Luneburg Battalion captured Pireaumont.
"It carried out this attack with such a force that,
despite determined resistance, it drove the enemy
out of all his positions, not only from the fields
and hedges along the road, but also out of the village of Pireaumont. ..."
Due to heavy artillery fire the Hanoverian troops were ordered to lie down.
General Charles Alten writes: "Both sides now engaged in a heavy artillery
bombardement, and the enemy tried several times to force the left flank, consisting of my
division. I sent off the 1st Luneburg Battalion to drive him again out of the village of
Pireaumont, to our fore, which the Brunswick infantry had been forced to leave.
Ltn-Col. von Klenke carried out this order with absolute determination, and he was able not
only to retake the village, but also to throw the enemy back into a wood the far side of the
village, and to repel his subsequent counter-attacks."
The official Hanoverian report added: "An English battalion and two companies of Brunswick
jagers were the only troops that had until now been available to offer the enemy resistance
on the left wing. They had just been attacked with such force, that they had been driven out
of the village of Pireaumont and pushed back so far that the enemy skirmishers were able to
fire on the head of the column of the 1st Hanoverian Brigade on the road.
The Light [Field] Battalion Luneburg, which was in the lead, was immediately ordered to
deploy for an attack. It carried out this attack with such a force that, despite determined
resistance, it drove the enemy out of all his positions, not only from the fields and hedges
along the road, but also out of the village of Pireaumont and the tip of the wood adjoining
it.
He only just manage to salvage a battery which he had moved up next to the village.
As the resistance stiffened, particularly in the wood, the Grubenhagen Battalion was sent
to support the Luneburg Battalion."
The French infantry attempted to retake Pireaumont. They came with stronger force but
the Allies had already 2 Hanoverian battalions and 2 companies in the village, and 2 more
Hanoverian battalions behind it. The French attack was beaten off.
Halkett's British brigade, followed by two Brunswick battalions (Life, and 1st Line) reached
the fields of tall rye. The Brunswickers took up their positions in the ditches along the
Nivelles road.
General Alten writes: "... several enemy columns moved forwards, so I detached the battalions
Grubenhagen, Duke of York, and Bremen, against them. With artillery support from Cleves of
KGL, the columns were driven back. On my right, enemy cavalry tried, with several charges,
to force their way through, but, thanks to the resolute behaviour of my troops, were not
successful. In this affair, the Landwehr Battalion Luneburg under Ltn-Col. von Ramdohr
particularly distinguished itself. It let the enemy advance to 30 paces before firing a
volley that threw back the cavalry with great loss."
According to Best report: "... the Luneburg Battalion had laid down in the ditch along the
main road. ... Just as the enemy came into range, the Luneburg Battalion stood up and fired
from 30 paces with such effect that the larger part of the enemy fell with many them killed.
... The fire was so well directed that only a few enemy cavalry survived, several falling
only 5 to 6 paces from us."
French cuirassiers captured the color of the 69th Foot
and scattered several British units.
Cuirassier Henry and Maréchal-des-logis Massiet jumped to the ground
and picked up the king's color of the British 69th Foot from the arms
of ensign Clarke who had been hacked down by 23 saber cuts.
For this, Henry received the Legion of Honour.
Ney learned that d'Erlon's powerful I Army Corps had moved towards Ligny.
This meant that there were no reinforcements for Ney. He was outnumbered
and could not now crush the enemy.
Ney sent for Guiton's Cuirassier Brigade in one last attempt
to win. The heavy cavalry charged with outstretched sabers, but without any support and
without horse artillery. The British 69th Foot fired a volley at 30 paces.
The British square was charged by the 8th Cuirassiers and broken up. Cuirassier Henry
with the help of Maréchal-des-logis Massiet jumped to the ground and picked up the king's
color of the II Battalion of the 69th (the South Lincolnshire) from the arms of ensign
Clarke who had been hacked down by 23 saber cuts.
For this, he received the Legion of Honour.
American historian John Elting writes: "The 69th at once ordered its regimental tailors
to make up a new flag, and denied any loss. Unfortunately, Napoleon had already announced
the capture." (Elting - "Swords Around a Throne" p 352)
The British color was not the only one taken by the French cavalry.
W.Y.Carman wrote: "At Quatre Bras the French cavalry general, Donzelot [sic], captured the
colours of the British 69th and also a Dutch colour. These were eventually sold in 1909 to
an English officer. The Dutch colour was brought to me in 1956 for identification and I
recognized it as the original relic. I was able to arrange that it went to the Netherlands
Army Museum at Leiden. There it was identified as from the 2nd 'Nassauche Ligte Infanterie'.
Only the centre remained at the time. On the light yellow silk was embroidered the shield
of the Orange-Nassau coat of arms. The crowned rampant lion was on field filled (with)
billets. ... The crown at the top showed five hoops and the oval area was limited by a wreath.
The remnant was not in the best condition."
(- Letter from W.Y.Carman in Tradition Magazine # 31)
The cuirassiers also scattered the British 33rd Foot.
"The 73rd were panicked by the fate of the 69th, and they too broke and ran for the wood.
The 33rd formed on a knoll, became the target of horse battery, which cut them up with
canister, causing them to follow the others who had broken."
(Williams - "Waterloo ..." p 220)
The brave 30th Foot held their ground.
The brave cuirassiers reached Quatre Bras.
Wellington reacted immediately, he formed 2 Brunswick battalions in squares and posted
them near the croassroads. Kuhlmann's horse battery had come on ahead and opened fire.
French chasseurs inflicted heavy casualties
on the British Foot Guards.
Around 6:30 PM the British Foot Guards arrived.
Their artillery deployed behind the ditch occupied by the Luneberg Battalion.
It took the Foot Guards almost two hours to reach the southern edge of Bossu Wood,
for the French infantry had disputed every tree and shrub of it.
Also the Nassauers retook lost ground.
When the Foot Guards emerged from the wood in a broken line, heading for the Grand
Pierrepont Farm, they and the adjoining Brunswickers were pounded by French artillery,
then attacked by Pire's lancers and driven back into the wood.
Other sources claim that the charge was made by Pire's 6th Chasseurs and 1st Chasseurs.
The green-clad chasseurs attacked, forcing some of the Allied infantry into squares.
They also caught the Foot Guards, the creme-de-lacreme of the British infantry,
formed in line and in the open. The French charged from a "concealed positions in a
depresion near Pierrepont" and routed the British Guard within a moment.
[- Source: GdD Pire's letter to GdD Reille, June 25th 1815, in Arch. Serv. Hist.]
The chasseurs cut the guardsmen down inflicting very heavy casualties.
Approx. 500 redcoats were killed and wounded, the survivors fled in panic towards the Bossu
Wood. The French infantry followed them and their voltigeurs retook some of the lost
terrain.
Meanwhile the 7th Cuirassiers attacked one of Saxe-Weimar's battalions.
The infantrymen sought refuge in the wood.
Wellington's offensive.
Allies had maintained their positions
they had held that morning.
Picture: British infantry in combat, by Keith Rocco > .
At 7 PM fresh reinforcements arrived for Wellington, these were 1st and 3rd Brunswick
Light Battalions, and von Kruse's 2,800 Nassauers. Wellington ordered the Foot Guards,
the 3rd and 5th Division to move forward. Prince of Orange moved his Netherlands
troops to eject the French from the Bossu Wood. The heavily outnumbered French troops
were pushed back. Allies had maintained their positions they had held that morning.
Night fell and the fighting died down.
Officer Basil Jackson of the Staff Corps was on the road from Brussels and saw the evidence
of the raging battle: "... we ... began to meet wounded men and stragglers ... There was
quite a stream of disabled soldiers on the road, habited in red, blue or black ...
some of our friends, belonging on the Staff, gave us in the meantime, an account of
the battle; all agreeing that the Duke had never before been so severely pressed, or
had so much difficulty to maintain his position." [*1]
[*1] - Jackson, in Colburne's United Services Magazine, 1847.
This is the original account by Jackson, not to be confused with the 1903 distortion
'edited' by Seaton. Jackson reported no cowardly foreigners fleeing along the Brussles
road, only those foreigners who were aiding Allied wounded or even themselves wounded.
Seaton also altered Jackson's "... all agreeing that the Duke had never been so severely
pressed, or had so much difficulty in maintaining his position" to
"... all agreeing that our troops had never been more severely pressed in maintaining
their position."
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1. 
The landscape of Belgium is a contrasting landscape of flatlands in Flanders and rolling hills in Wallonia. In 1815 Napoleon's army entered Belgium to find and defeat the two Allied armies: Prussian under Blucher and British-German-Netherlands under Wellington.
Marshal Ney arrived at Quatre Bras around 2 PM.
He immediately recognized the importance of the crossroads at Quatre Bras and the Bossu Wood.
It was impossible to move along the road to Brussels while the enemy occupied the wood.
The Bossu Wood consisted of tall trees and thick undergrowth, wide footpaths facilitated toop movements.
So far there were only few troops on the battlefield.
The advance guard (Nassau and Netherlands troops) had fought a combat with some French the previous evening. They had done so on their own initiative, choosing not to carry out Wellington's orders to move their entire force on Nivelles. Thanks to Constant Rebeque and Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, the French had just about been thwarted in their attempt to drive the two Allied armies in Belgium apart.
- Bijleveld's Horse Battery 
- 5th Infantry Division under Bachelu (Husson's 4 battalions, Campi's 5 battalions)
General de Division Comte Honore-Charles-Michel Reille (1775-1860) commanded the II Army Corps.
From 1810 until the end of Peninsular War he was fighting Wellington's troops and Spanish guerillas.
His relationship with Marshal Soult was strained to the extent that Reille abandoned his post in 1814.
In early morning, about 5 AM General Perponcher deployed the 27th Jagers Battalion,
replacing the posts of the III/2nd Nassau. Skirmishers covered the path along the
southern edge of Bossu Wood. One battery was deployed on a heightened ground.
Two companies of the II/2nd Nassau were sent to reconnoitre.
Bijleveld's battery opened fire on the Red Lancers. The cavalry combat was short and both
sides disengaged after light casualties. At 7 AM a small body of French troops probed enemy
positions but was driven back after a brief exchange of fire. Colonel van Zuylen van Nuevelt
writes: "At 7 o'clock the enemy [French] began to reconnoitre our position by making a few
cavalry charges, which were however, repulsed with loss on his side ... Up to now the enemy
had not appeared in great strength; the troops against whom we had to fight consisted, besides
part of the line infantry, the Guard Chasseurs, Guard Lancers and Guard Horse Artillery ..."
There was chaos at the various choke-points on the line of march.
Constant Rebeque found state of confusion on the road to Quatre Bras, as von Alten's and
Chassee's divisions had arrived at the same time. The noise of battle could be heard by many
troops on the road. The road to Nivelles was blocked by the baggage of the British
3rd Division. Nobody seemed to be in charge of traffic control.
The chaos was such that much of Wellington's force would not arrive until the late evening,
when the battle was over.
Ney had little to reproach himself for in the day's proceedings.
Thrown into his command at the eleventh hour, with only three infantry divisions and
small cavalry force, he had by skill and courage succeeded in fulfilling the intent of
his original orders: he had prevented Wellington from aiding the Prussians for the whole
of the 16th.
At Ligny the Prussians stood alone and were crushed. Ney however can be partially blamed
for the mess with d'Erlon's corps.
At Quatre Bras Marshal Ney lost 4,140 men. The French also captured British color.
Ney also successfully stopped any of Wellington's forces going to the aid of Blücher's
Prussians.