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102

Retreat of Zieten's troops.

June 15.

whole French Army appeared to be in motion, and that the direction of the advance of its Columns seemed to indicate the probability of Charleroi and its vicinity being the main object of the attack, sent out the necessary Orders to his Brigades. The First was to retire by Courcelles to the position in rear of Gosselies; the Second was to defend the three Bridges over the Sambre, at Marchienne au Pont, Charleroi, and Châtelet, for a time sufficient to enable the First Brigade to effect its retreat towards Gosselies, and thus to prevent its being cut off by the Enemy, after which it was to retire behind Gilly; the Third and Fourth Brigades, as also the Reserve Cavalry and Artillery, were to concentrate as rapidly as possible, and to take up a position in rear of Fleurus.

The three points by which the First Brigade was to fall back, were Mont St Aldegonde, for the troops on the right, Anderlues for those in the centre, and Fontaine l'Evêque for the left. In order that they might reach these three points about the same time, ZIETEN ordered that those in front of Fontaine l'Evêque should yield their ground as slowly as the Enemy's attack would admit. Having reached the line of these three points, about ten o'clock, the Brigade commenced its further retreat towards Courcelles, having its proper Left protected by a separate Column consisting of the 1st Regiment of Westphalian Landwehr and two Companies of Silesian Rifles, led by Colonel HOFFMANN, in the direction of Roux and Jumet, towards Gosselies.

At Marchienne au Pont stood the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Prussian Regiment, belonging to the Second Brigade of ZIETEN'S Corps. The Bridge was barricaded, and with the aid of two guns, resolutely maintained against several attacks; after which these troops commenced their retreat upon Gilly, by Dampremy. In the latter place were three

June 15.

The French cross the Sambre.

103

Companies of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment of Westphalian Landwehr, with four guns. These also retired about the same time towards Gilly, the guns protecting the retreat by their fire from the Churchyard; after which they moved off as rapidly as possible towards Gilly, while the Battalion marched upon Fleurus; but the 4th Company, which defended the Bridge of La Roux until Charleroi was taken, was too late to rejoin the latter, and therefore attached itself to the First Brigade, which was retreating by its Right Flank.

Lieutenant General Count PAJOL'S Corps of Light Cavalry formed the Advanced Guard of the Centre Column of the French Army: it was to have been supported by VANDAMME'S Corps of Infantry, but by some mistake, this General had not received his Orders, and at six o'clock in the morning had not quitted his bivouac. NAPOLEON, perceiving the error, led forward the Imperial Guards in immediate support of PAJOL As the latter advanced, the Prussian Outposts, though hard pressed, retired, skirmishing in good order. At Couillet, on the Sambre, about a mile and a half below Charleroi, the French Cavalry fell upon a Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 28th Prussian Regiment, surrounded it, and forced it to surrender.

Immediately afterwards, the French gained possession of Marcinelles, a village quite close to Charleroi, and connected with this town by a dike 300 paces in length, terminating at a Bridge, the head of which was palisaded. Along this dike the French Cavalry ventured to advance, but was suddenly driven back by the Prussian Skirmishers, who lined the hedges and ditches intersecting the opposite slope of the embankment; a part of the village was retaken, and an attempt made to destroy the Bridge. The French,

104

Capture of Charleroi.

June 15.

however, having renewed the attack with increased force, succeeded in finally carrying both the dike and the Bridge, and by this means effected their entrance into Charleroi. Major ROHR, who commanded this Post, now felt himself under the necessity of effecting his retreat with the 1st Battalion of the 6th Prussian Regiment, towards the preconcerted position in rear of Gilly, which he did in good order, though hotly pursued by Detachments of PAJOL's Dragoons.

By eleven o'clock, the French were in full possession of Charleroi, as also of both banks of the Sambre above the town, and REILLE's Corps was effecting its passage over the river at Marchienne au Pont.

The right Column of the French Army, commanded by Count GÉRARD, having a longer distance to traverse, had not yet reached its destined point, Châtelet on the Sambre.

The Fourth Brigade of ZIETEN's Corps, as also the advanced portion of the Third, continued their retreat towards Fleurus; General JAGOW, who commanded the latter, having left the two Silesian Rifle Companies and the Fusilier Battalion of the 7th Prussian Regiment at Farciennes and Tamines, for the purpose of watching the points of passage across the Sambre, and of protecting the Left Flank of the position at Gilly. But, from the moment the French made themselves masters of Charleroi, and of the left bank of the Sambre above that town, the situation of the First Brigade under General STEINMETZ became extremely critical. ZIETEN immediately ordered General JAGOW, whose Brigade was in reserve, to detach Colonel RÜCHEL with the 29th Regiment of Infantry to Gosselies, for the purpose of facilitating General STEINMETZ's retreat.

The Prussian Regiments of Infantry generally consisted of three Battalions, of which the Third was the Fusilier Battalion.

June 15.

Action at Gosselies.

105

The Colonel found that General RÖDER (commanding the Reserve Cavalry of the Corps) had posted there the 6th Regiment of Prussian Uhlans (Lancers) under Lieutenant Colonel LUTZow, to whom he confided the defence of Gosselies, which he occupied with the 2nd Battalion of the 29th Regiment, while he placed himself in reserve with the other two Battalions.

As soon as the French had assembled in sufficient force at Charleroi, NAPOLEON ordered Count PAJOL to detach General CLARY's Brigade towards Gosselies, and to advance with the remainder of the First Corps of Reserve Cavalry towards Gilly. General CLARY, with the 1st French Hussars, reached Jumet, on the left of the Brussels road, and only but little more than a mile from Gosselies, before the First Prussian Brigade had crossed the Piéton. He now advanced to attack Gosselies, but was met by Lieutenant Colonel LUTZOw and his Dragoons, who defeated and repulsed him, and thus secured for General STEINMETZ time to pass the Piéton; and as soon as the latter had turned the Defile of Gosselies, Colonel RÜCHEL with the 29th Regiment moved off to rejoin the Third Brigade.

The check thus experienced by General CLARY led to his being supported by Lieutenant General LEFEBVREDESNOUETTES, with the Light Cavalry of the Guard and the two Batteries attached to this force; and a Regiment from Lieutenant General DUHESME's Division of the Young Guard was advanced midway between Charleroi and Gosselies as a Reserve to LEFEBVRE-DESNOUETTES. Advanced Guard of REILLE'S Corps, which had crossed the Sambre at Marchienne au Pont, was also moving directly upon Gosselies, with the design both of cutting off the retreat of ZIETEN's troops along the Brussels road, and of separating the Prussians from the Anglo-Allied Army.

The

106

Action at Heppignies.

June 15.

D'ERLON'S Corps, which was considerably in the rear, received orders to follow and support REILLE.

General STEINMETZ, upon approaching Gosselies, and perceiving the strength of the Enemy and the consequent danger of being completely cut off, with the utmost promptitude and decision directed the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Westphalian Landwehr to march against the Enemy's Left Flank, with a view to divert his attention and to check his advance, while, protected by the 6th Lancers and the 1st Silesian Hussars, he continued his retreat towards Heppignies. This plan was attended with complete success; and STEINMETZ reached Heppignies with scarcely any loss, followed by General GIRARD at the head of the Seventh Division of the Second French Corps d'Armée, with the remainder of which REILLE continued his advance along the Brussels road. Heppignies was already occupied by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 12th Prussian Regiment, and with this increase of strength STEINMETZ drew up in order of battle, and upon GIRARD's attempting to force the place, after having previously occupied Ransart, he advanced against him, and drove him back in the direction of Gosselies. A brisk cannonade ensued, which was maintained on the part of the Prussians, only so long as it was deemed necessary for covering their retreat upon Fleurus.

In conformity with ZIETEN's Orders, General PIRCH II., when forced to abandon Charleroi, retired to Gilly, where, having concentrated the Second Brigade, about two o'clock, he took up a favourable position along a ridge in rear of a rivulet; his Right resting upon the Abbey of Soleilmont, his Left extending towards Châtelineau, which Flank was also protected by a Detachment occupying the Bridge of Châtelet, GERARD'S Corps not having as yet arrived at that point.

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