212

To accept a Battle, the wisest course.

June 16.

The position had been long before selected, and the whole of the ground had even been surveyed, with a view to meet the contingency which had now actually occurred; but then it must be remembered, that in this design the co-operation of the Fourth Corps d'Armée was fully contemplated, whereas the latter had now become a doubtful question and hence it was that BLÜCHER was led to place more reliance upon a direct support from WELLINGTON, than would otherwise have been the case.

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To accept a battle, notwithstanding the absence of BÜLOW's Corps, was undoubtedly the wisest course. The Enemy's force in the field did not appear to exceed that of the Prussians; and therefore, considering the nature of the position, the contest would, in all probability, become protracted, perhaps until the arrival of BÜLOW; perhaps, also, until the close of day, without any distinct advantage being gained by either party. In the former case, the required preponderance might instantly give a decidedly favourable turn to the scale; in the latter, the junction of the Fourth Corps during the night would enable BLÜCHER on the following morning to attack his opponent with every prospect of success, and either to relieve WELLINGTON, if necessary, from any pressure in his front, or so to combine his further operations with those of the British Commander, should the latter have held his ground and concentrated his Army, as to lead to the complete overthrow of both NAPOLEON'S and NEY's forces.

To have declined the contest, and retired so as to effect a junction with his Fourth Corps, he must still, if he wished to act in close concert with WELLINGTON, have abandoned his direct communication with the Meuse and the Rhine, whence he drew all his supplies; a result which might as well be trusted to the chances of a battle.

June 16

Prussian position tactically defective.

213

These considerations were also, in all probability, strongly seconded by a desire on the part of the Prussian Commander, and one perfectly in keeping with his ardent character, to take every possible measure which was at all warranted by the actual posture of affairs, for vigorously opposing NAPOLEON'S advance.

In a tactical point of view, the position was undoubtedly defective. Nearly the entire of the ground situated between the line of Villages of Ligny, St Amand, and Wagnelé, and the great Namur road, was exposed to the view of the Enemy; and as there was every probability of a protracted village fight along the front of the position, the Supports and Reserves required to maintain a contest of that nature, would necessarily be subjected to the full play of the Batteries on the opposite heights. Upon the space above mentioned every movement could be detected from the French side; where, on the contrary, the undulations were such as to admit of the concealment of the disposition of considerable masses of troops. The defect in this respect was subsequently made strikingly manifest by the fact that the gradual weakening of the Prussian Centre for the purpose of reinforcing the Right, was closely observed by NAPOLEON, who took advantage of the insight thus obtained into his opponent's designs, by collecting in rear of the Heights of Ligny that force with which, when he saw that the Prussians had no Reserve remaining, he so suddenly assailed and broke the Centre of their line.

NAPOLEON'S dispositions having been completed, the Battle commenced, about half past two o'clock, with an attack upon the Village of St Amand, by Lieutenant General LEFOL'S Division of VANDAMME's Corps. The attack, which was made in three Columns, proved successful; the three

214 The French take and lose St Amand.

June 16.

Battalions of the 29th Prussian Regiment which defended it, were compelled, after a stout resistance, to yield to greatly superior numbers, and were driven out of the Village. General STEINMETZ, whose Brigade was posted in rear of St Amand, pushed forward all the Sharpshooters of the 12th and 24th Regiments to their support.

These, however, being unable to make head against the Enemy, who already made a disposition to debouch from the village, the 12th and 24th Regiments were led forward to renew the contest. In the mean time, just as the French appeared at the outlet of the Village, a shower of grape and canister was poured right down amongst them from the Foot Battery No. 7. Immediately upon this, both Battalions of the 12th Regiment descended into the ravine, rushed upon the inclosures, and, driving the Enemy's shattered Infantry before them, regained possession of the Village. The 24th Regiment advancing by Wings of Battalions-the one in line and the other in column of reserve respectively supported this attack upon the left, and established itself in the lower part of St Amand.

In the course of this short prelude, the Batteries ranged along the little eminences which rose on either side of the valley of the Liguy, opened a furious cannonade along the whole extent of the Front Lines of the contending Armies. Ligny, as also St Amand (when repossessed by the Prussians), both of which lay so directly under the French guns, seemed devoted to destruction. Their defenders, sheltered in a great degree by stone walls, hollow ways, and banked up hedges, appeared perfectly motionless while the deluge of shot and shell poured fast and thick around them; but no sooner did those in Ligny discover a dusky mass emerging from the clouds of smoke which enveloped the Heights above them, and wending its course downwards upon the

Juno 16.

The Prussians hold Ligny.

215

lower portion of the Village, than they rushed out of their concealment, and lining with their advanced Skirmishers the outermost inclosures, prepared to meet the onset which would probably bring them into closer contact with their Enemies, and lead to a struggle in which physical strength and innate courage, combined with individual skill and dexterity, might effect a result unattainable by a recourse to projectiles alone. It was the 2nd Battalion of the 19th Prussian Regiment, which, issuing from its cover, where it had stood in column, rapidly deployed, and, by a well directed volley, shook the advancing mass, which it then threw into disorder by following up this advantage with a well sustained fire.

Twice was this attack repeated on the part of GÉRARD'S troops, but with a similar result. A second Column now advanced against the centre of the Village, and shortly afterwards a third was launched against the upper part of it, near the old Castle; but their attempts to penetrate within its precincts proved equally futile, and the four Prussian Battalions of HENKEL'S Brigade gallantly maintained the post of Ligny. As the French Column withdrew, their Batteries played with redoubled energy upon the Village, and fresh Columns prepared for another assault.

The troops of VANDAMME'S Corps renewed the attack upon St Amand with the utmost vigour; and forcing back the 12th and 24th Prussian Regiments, which suffered most severely, penetrated into the Village, where the fight became obstinate, and the fire most destructive. STEINMETZ had only two more Battalions of his Brigade remaining at his disposal-the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 1st Westphalian Landwehr-and these he pushed forward into the Village, to restore confidence to the defenders, whose numbers were so fearfully reduced, and, if possible, to stem

216

The French retake St Amand.

June 16.

the progress of the assailants. They had scarcely got fairly into action, however, when their Commanding Officers were wounded, and both Battalions gave way before the furious onset of the French, the 3rd Battalion leaving numbers of its men killed, along the outlets of the Village. The whole Brigade, which, within a short period, had suffered a loss of 46 Officers and 2,300 men, having rallied in rear of St Amand, retired into position between Bry and Sombref, and the three Battalions which had first occupied the Village, marched to rejoin the Third Brigade; whilst the loud shouts of "Vive l'Empereur!" which immediately followed the cessation of the sharp rattle of the musketry, heard even amidst the incessant thunder of the Artillery, proclaimed the triumph of the French Infantry.

In the meantime, another assault was made upon Ligny, whose defenders had been reinforced by the two remaining Battalions of HENKEL'S Brigade. The French now changed their mode of attack. They advanced simultaneously against the centre with the view of gaining the Churchyard, and against the lower end of the Village in order to turn the Left Flank of the defenders; and taking advantage of the unusually great height of the corn, their line of Skirmishers, strengthened by whole Battalions so as to give it a decided superiority over that of the Prussians, approached so cautiously and silently as to continue unperceived until they suddenly possessed themselves of the outermost hedges and gardens. A hand to hand contest ensued, and the Prussians, pressed in front by superior numbers, and taken in flank at the same time, were forced to yield. Presently, however, stimulated by the combined exertions of the Commanding Officers, Majors Count GRÖBEN, KUYLENSTIERNA, and REX, they recovered themselves, rallied, and again faced their Enemies.