C a m pa i g n s a n d B at t l e s
C a m pa i g n s a n d B at t l e s
on 17th June. They had marched there through violent thunderstorm, without rations or greatcoats and arrived soaked to the skin and exhausted. That night they tried to sleep on the muddy ground. By 9.00 a.m. on the 18th they, as part of Halkett’s Brigade, were in position just to the right of Wellington’s centre and behind the unpaved road that ran along the ridge line that connected Hougoumont Chateau and the farm of La Haye Sainte. These two positions forward of the front line had both been fortified as defensive outposts. Crucially the heavy overnight rain delayed Napoleon’s attack. The mud had made it difficult to bring up the artillery. It was only by around 11.15 a.m. that the French cannons could be brought into position and an intense opening barrage begun. The first attack by the French was on Hougoumont Chateau on the far right of the Allied line. Napoleon was hoping hoped to draw Wellington’s reserves towards the Chateau. Despite intense fighting, the chateau held and would do for the remainder of the battle. Napoleon then mounted his first major attack focusing on Wellington’s left. This was held primarily by Dutch and Belgian forces strengthened with some British. Napoleon assessed this as was Wellington’s weaker flank. The Allies were at first driven back before finally checking the French on the ridge line. They were then repulsed by a British Cavalry charge which successfully routed the attacking French infantry. But carried their charge too far and were in turn to be counter-attacked by French cavalry and cut to pieces nevertheless Napoleon’s capacity to mount a second major attack on that side was now spent. Napoleon, realising that he must take La Haye Sainte, at 3.30 pm ordered another artillery bombardment followed by an infantry assault led by Marshall Ney. Ney, seeing some soldiers moving back and thinking Wellington’s line was about to break, ordered the cavalry to charge on Wellington’s right. But Ney was wrong in thinking Wellington’s line was crumbling and the infantry were still in place including Halkett’s Brigade and the 33rd. They were still in position in strength and able to form square. Lieutenant Frederick Hope-Pattison of the 33rd wrote: “…our Brigade was placed in the most trying position in which a soldier can find himself. Held in reserve except in resisting repeated charges from the French
cavalry, which we inevitably repulsed, we were yet exposed to the destructive fire of artillery which occasioned many casualties.” Wellington himself rode up to Halkett to see how his Brigade stood. The situation was desperate and casualties were mounting. Halkett asked the Duke for a breathing space for his men, “My Lord, we are dreadfully cut up; can you not relieve us for a little while?” “Impossible!” “Very well my Lord, we’ll stand until the last man falls.” By 6.30 p.m. La Haye Sainte had at last fallen and the British infantry squares were still holding but weakening. The 33rd with the 69th behind them had lost so many they had come together as a single under-strength Regiment. Meanwhile the Prussians, whose lead troops had started arriving around 3.00 pm, were now joining the battle in strength forcing Napoleon to commit vital resources to defending his right flank. The crisis point upon which the battle would hinge was approaching. At 7.00 p.m. Napoleon ordered his key troops, the veteran Imperial Guard, forward. As its leading column closed in, Halkett took the 33rds Colour from the dying hands of Lieutenant John Cameron and led his Brigade into action. Halkett fell wounded, his command taken by Lieutenant Colonel William Elphinstone of the 33rd. Then as the French Imperial Guard continued to press forward Wellington brought his own Guards Brigade into action. Hidden behind the ridge, their sudden appearance to fire a devastating volley into the Imperial Guards checked their advance. At this pivotal moment the 52nd Regiment swung round to outflank Imperial guard and fire a further devastating volley into the flanks of the Imperial Guard followed by a bayonet charge. At this they foundered and started to retreat back down the hill. The cry then went up in the French ranks “La Garde recule” (“The Guards retreat).” Wellington seized the moment and ordered the general advance. As the Allies poured forward with the Prussians attacking hard on Napoleon’s right the withdrawal soon turned into a rout. By 9.00 p.m. Wellington and Blucher had met, the French army had collapsed and Napoleon was in flight. After advancing against the French Chasseurs (Light Infantry), the exhausted 33rd and 69th halted at Hougoumont, where they prepared to bury their fallen comrades. As the casualty returns – the ‘butcher’s bill’ – were brought to him, Wellington was overcome with emotion. He later wrote, “Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained”
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