The Campaign of Waterloo

Although we see the name Battle of Waterloo quite often, what happened around that place in Belgium between 16 and 18 June 1815 were several battles. Therefore I prefer to call it the Campaign of Waterloo.

To establish orders of battle for each one of those battles is necessary to split the events and to identify which units participated in each one of them. The article identified below is a good starting point for that.

                      Strategy and Tactics Nr. 42 Jan/Feb 1974

From the article:

Belgium, June 1815

Napoleon's plan for the campaign in Belgium was simple. He would bring some 125,000 men and 350 cannon into action against the two allied forces – some 225,000 men and 500 cannon. The basic concept was to use the “Strategy of the Central Position” to get between the Anglo-Allied and Prussian Armies, thereby preventing them from joining forces. Them he would attempt to defeat the Prussians first, only turning his attention to Wellington's forces when this had been accomplished.

Wellington and Blucher agreed that, upon notice of a French offensive, each would mobilize his forces, Wellington at Gosselies and Blucher at Sombrette. The two armies would then combine at Charleroi.

Ligny – 1430, Friday, 16 June

Napoleon's orders for 16 June were to Grouchy and the Right Wing (III and IV Corps, plus I, II and IV Cavalry Corps to engage the Prussians in the vicinity of Gembloux and Sombreffe. The principal problem with Grouchy's operation was preparation, since dawn found the Prussians and the French both partially on the field. Thus, Napoleon marshalled some 80,000 men and 210 guns (the Right Wing and Reserve) for an attack against the Prussian position. The Prussians, meanwhile, built up a defense line some seven miles long behind the Ligny River. This position was fairly strong, incorporating several villages and hamlets. By 1500 hours the Prussians had some 84,000 men and 224 guns in position (I, II and III Corps).

At 2000 hours, the Old Guard entered the battle against the Prussian center, with IV Corps in support. The Prussians streamed off to the rear. But Napoleon had not gained the decisive victory so strongly desired.

Quatre Bras – 1400, Friday, 16 June

Early on the day Marshal Ney had received orders to occupy the villages of Quatre Bras and Genappe, using his own Left Wing (I and II Corps, III Cavalry Corps and the Guard Light Cavalry). Although Napoleon suggested an immediate attack, Ney chose to ignore the advice. The net result was that the 7,500 infantry, 50 cavalry and 16 guns which Wellington had around Quatre Bras were undisturbed by Ney's 28,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry and 114 guns until about 1400 hours.

By 1500 the 2nd Dutch-Belgian Division, around Quatre Bras, had been forced out of several important positions. But by then Wellington arrived bringing with him the British 5th Division and Dutch-Belgian 3rd Cavalry Brigade, doubling Allied strength.

More Allied reinforcements arrived in the form of the Brunswick Corps, with about 5,000 infantrymen.

The battle continued with Ney consistently refusing to commit his full strength, throwing units piecemeal against the Allies and the Allies continuously striking back. About 1700 hours the Allies received a further 8,000 infantrymen. At about the same time Ney received orders from Napoleon to brush aside resistance at Quatre Bras and fall on the Prussian flank at Ligny. Ney therefore called up his I Corps and III Cavalry Corps.

By 1830 the French 6th Division, under Napoleon's brother Jerome, had managed to clear the outskirts of Quatre Bras, but then Wellington committed the British 1st Guards Division.

The Pursuit – Saturday, 17 June

After the battle of Ligny ended, Napoleon managed to organize a pursuit of the defeated Prussians. The I and II Cavalry Corps were instructed to follow up two possible Prussian lines of retreat.

The fall of night permitted the Prussians to recover. The I and II Corps (c. 35,000 men total) were ordered to fall back towards Tilly, while the III Corps (c. 20,000 men) was sent off towards Gembloux. Meanwhile, the uncommitted IV Corps (c. 30,000 men and 88 guns) was ordered to march as rapidly as possible and by the early morning of 17 June was in contact with III Corps. Both Corps marched then towards Wavre. With this move Blucher was abandoning his line of retreat to Prussia to go to Wellington's aid.

Wavre – Sunday, 18 June

At 1230 Grouchy ordered I Cavalry Corps and an infantry division to seize Limale village, while III and IV Corps, screened by Excelman's II cavalry Corps advanced on Wavre. The Prussian III Corps (c. 17,000 men) was covering these positions. The French reached the Dyle River at about 1630, too late for Grouchy to do anything which could appreciably help Napoleon.

By 1845, French I Cavalry Corps, reinforced by 21st Division and 7th Cavalry Division, had cleared Limale. The Prussians counterattacked and were only prevented from retaking the place by the fortuitous arrival of French IV Corps. The next morning, with his troops rested and reinforced, Grouchy resumed the battle and soundly trashed the Prussian III Corps. But by then it was too late.

Waterloo – 18 June 1815

The morning of 18 June 1815 found some 72,000 French troops confronting about 68,000 Anglo-Allied troops.

In support of his mains position, Wellington occupied and fortified several places in front of the line. Some 1,000 British Guardsmen held the chateau and garden of Hougomont, while other units held the villages of La Haye Saint, Papelotte and Frichermont, and a place at the intersection of the Braine L'Alleud-Chain road and the Charleroi-Brussels highway, called the Sandpit.

Napoleon drew up his forces. On each flank was a division of cavalry, and in the center the I corps was on the right and the II Corps on the left. In reserve he held the Imperial Guard, VI Corps and the III and IV Cavalry Corps. Inexplicably, he left one division of the II Corps far in the rear.

Napoleon's plan was rather simple. It involved using II Corps to screen Wellington's right and draw reserves off from the Allied left. Then a “Grand Battery” of some 80 guns would open up on Wellington's left. After a heavy bombardment, I Corps would move out and attack this sector of Wellington's front and drive for Mont-St. Jean, thus cutting Wellington's lines of communication.

Hougoumont – 1150, Sunday, 18 June

At Waterloo Napoleon intended to deal with Wellington's outlying bastions before attepting to engage his principal forces. The first such bastions was the chateau and garden of Hougomont. The task to deal with Hougomont was given to Napoleon's brother Jerome and his 6th Division, with 7,800 men, supported by the rest of II Corps.

Hougomont was occupied by upwards of 1,000 troops, mostly British Guardsmen but with Hanoverians and Nassauers as well.

Around 1150 II Corps artillery opened up on the chateau and Jerome's infantrymen went forward. The French quickly cleared the woods below the chateau but their initial attempt to storm the buildings was easily beaten and the French fell back to reorganize.

While Wellington shifted troops around, moving some units into the chateau, evacuating others and placing a brigade of British Guards in close support, Jerome prepared another attack. Supported by II Corps artillery and elements of the 9th Division, it got underway around 1200.

A sort of see-saw action went on for the rest of the day. Although the French several times made furious assaults they were never able to completely clear the defenders out. In the end, some 3,500 Allied troops were committed to Hougomont, helping to tie down some 14,000 of Napoleon's best infantry in what was essentially a side-show.

At no time did Napoleon intended to actually take Hougomont. Nevertheless, this is precisely what Jerome attempted to do. And in addition to committing his own division, he soon involved the entire II Corps.

D'Erlon's Attack – 1345, Sunday, 18 June

While the Hougomont fiasco ran its course, I Corps, commanded by Count D'Erlon prepared the principal attack of the day. By 1300, when the Grand Battery opened fire on Wellington's troops, the Prussians were noted about six miles to the northeast, coming to the ally's aid. Napoleon ordered VI Corps up from the reserve to cover the right flank against a possible Prussian attack. Then, at 1345 I Corps was ordered forward.

D'Erlon's attack was to be conducted by four divisions. His 2nd, 3rd and 4th were to form the first line and assault the British and Dutch-Belgian troops between the Sandpit and Papelotte village. Behind these would come 1st Division, whose mission was to storm the village of Papelotte to prevent Allied enfilading fire from harassing the principal attacking divisions. The entire attacking force was to be supported on their left by the 5th Division, from II Corps, and a brigade of cavalry, while Traver's Cuirassier Brigade of the 13th Cavalry Division rode behind them in close support.

The attack initially went of well. The exposed 1st Brigade, 2nd Dutch-Belgian Division, positioned between the Sandpit and Papelotte broke and fled at the first schock. With everything hanging in the balance, General Thomas Picton, commanding the British 5th Division, ordered his troops to attack against the leading French formations.

As the French faltered, the British 9th Brigade, some 2,000 men, pressed the attack with the bayonet. Traver's cuirassiers charged this brigade in an effort to releave pressure on the 3rd Division. To counter the French cuirassiers the British 1st (Guards) Cavalry Brigade, about 1,200 men, drove into Traver's brigade, shattering it and driving it back. Meanwhile, the British 2nd Cavalry Brigade came up and attack the mass of French infantry forcing it back.

The British cavalry brigades assaulted the Grand Battery itself. But Napoleon ordered up the balance of the 13th Cavalry Division and a brigade from the 1st Cavalry Division. A confused cavalry melee soon developed, with the British getting the worst of it.

The Cavalry Actions – 1600, Sunday, 18 June

Ney was ordered to storm la Haye Saint to clear the French flank. While attacking with two brigades, he assumed that Wellington was retreating – the allies troops were just tacking shelter – and without consulting Napoleon, undertook a cavalry charge.

Ney ordered the IV cavalry Corps and the Guard Light Cavalry, about 5,000 sabers, against the Allied center. At 1600 the cavalry went forward and found fiftenn Allied infantry battalions drawn uo in two lines of squares. Without any horse artillery or infantry to help crack the squares the French were in a difficult situation.

At this time, Lord Uxbridge, the Allied cavalry commander, threw some 5,000 troopers against the French. After being forced back, the French recovered, drove Uxbridge's troopers back and were beaten by massed Allied artillery fire and the infantry squares.

While the original attackers fell back to regroup, Napoleon added the III Cavalry Corps and the Guard Heavy Cavalry. But Ney has again fail to order horse artillery or infantry support for the troopers.

By 1800 the French had charged four times. Losses on both sides were extremely heavy, but at the end Napoleon's cavalry was pretty much useless. As the French cavalry streamed back, Ney took the 5th and 9th Divisions and led them against the Allied line. But the French retired after have suffered 1,500 casulaties, 25% of their strength, caused by Allied artillery.

La Haye Saint – 1810, Sunday, 18 June

About 1810 Ney decided to attempt to take La Haye Saint. To accomplish this he collected together one brigade of the 3rd Division, some cavalry and some artillery.

The Prince of Orange saw the danger and attempted to reinforce the garrison with two battalions of Hanoverians but they were rode down by French cuirassiers.

Ney led a regiment of infantry against it in a bayonet charge and the village and also the Sandpit were orverrun. Then Ney asked Napoleon for support to conduct a strong infantry attack against Wellington's center positions. But for about three hours the Prussians had been active against Napoleon's right flank and the reserves needed by Ney were also needed by Count Lobau, commanding the VI Corps before Placenoit.

Placenoit – 1600, Sunday, 18 June

The presence of the Prussians had been known to Napoleon from about 1300 hours and he sent VI Corps, some 10,000 men, to cover his right flank. By 1700 Bulow's troops advancing lethargically but steadly were exerting considerable pressure on the left flank of Count Lobau's VI Corps.

Lobau managed to preserve its links with the main French forces but was to weak against the 30,000 Prussians to prevent them to take Placenoit. Napoleon ordered up the 4,000 men of the Young Guard Division, who took the village back in short order, only to be themselves thrown out in a Prussian counterattack.

Napoleon's answer was to commit two battalions of the Old Guard, one of Grenadiers and one of Chasseurs. These two battalions soon cleared the village and the VI Corps and the Young Guard resumed their positions. With the situation stabilized, by 1845 some of the Guard battalions were being brought back into the reserve, which was being organized for a general assault.

The Guard – 1930, Sunday, 18 June

In La Haye Saint Wellington's condition was constantly improved. He had moved some 6,600 infantry of the 3rd Dutch-Belgian Division up from his western flank and his last 1,500 cavalry from his eastern flank, where some 15,000 Prussians of the Prussian I Corps had begun arriving.

All that was in hand for Napoleon was the Imperial Guard. The balance of the Guard, some fourteen battalions, was either tied up in Placenoit or being held as an ultimate reserve. The nine remaining battalions would have to do it themselves.

The organization and conduct of the attack was led to Generals Friant and Drouot. The plan was simple: two of the battalions were to wheel to the left and screen the main attack force from Hougomont, which was still in Allied hands. The other seven were to advance in a column of two-company front. Two batteries of horse artillery and even a little cavalry were to accompany and support the attackers.

Ney gave the final order of attack, without artillery and cavalry and only with six battalions that were in position, even with the protests from Friant and Drouot. The attack got under way around 1930.

The attack veered off to the left, towards the 1st (Guards) Brigade. After dropping only one battalion to screen Hougomont, the column split in two, then three and then four different columns, each one making a different assault.

The right flank column, of one battalion, hit the Allied at west of la Haye Saint, shattered the remaining Brunswickers and forced the British 5th Brigade to fall back. But then it came the fresh Dutch-Belgian 3rd Division and the outnumbered Guardsmen were driven off. This fate also awaited the second attacking column, also of one battalion.

The third column, two battalions of Grenadiers, almost broke into the Allied center but then Wellington's 1st (Guards) Brigade moved up from its reverse slope shelter. With no cavalry or artillery support the Grenadiers wavered and fell back.

The fourth column, one battalion of Chasseurs, managed to climb the slope which concealed the Allied formations. But even as it did so units of the British 3rd (Light) Brigade deployed on its left and the French halted, lost momentum and were attacked by all the units in the vicinity. Around 1940 they faltered and fell back.

The Retreat – 1950, Sunday, 18 June

On the French right the Prussian I Corps pressure on the 4th Division had become unbearable by 1930 and they falled back. At the same time, the Prussian IV Corps had resumed the attack at Placenoit and was driving the French VI Corps and elements of the Guard back. The word of the failure of the Guard on the main front spread panic through the entire army and the French began to waver. Sensing this opportunity Wellington gave order to attack. Soon, some 25,000 Allied troops and 15,000 Prussians were exerting pressure all along the French front and the French were disintegrating.

With the battle lost, Napoleon tried to save his army. The three battalions of the Guard which Ney left behind were formed up into a row of squares just below la Haye Saint, while a further pair, plus a single battery, formed square near La Belle Alliance. The VI Corps was ordered to hold the Prussians in Placenoit as long as possible.

The moments and places relevant for our purpose are:

• Ligny
• Quatre Bras
• Wavre
• Hougoumont
• La Haye Saint
• Waterloo