June 18. Flight of the Guard and of d'Erlon's Corps. 535

any such Flank Attack as that which so successfully arrested its progress, and so completely effected its dispersion.

The direction given to ADAM's Line by its "right shoulder forward" movement having brought it perpendicular to the general front of the French position, that Officer became naturally anxious for support upon his Right Flank, to secure the latter from the Enemy's Cavalry; which, it was to be presumed, would now be brought forward from his Reserve, since none of it had been employed in immediate support of the last attack. He urgently requested for this purpose, the aid of troops from the other part of CLINTON's Division; and Lieutenant Colonel HALKETT, seeing what was required, immediately advanced with the nearest Battalion of his Hanoverian Brigade, the Osnabrück Landwehr, in Column at quarter distance, and close up in right rear of the 71st Regiment. Thus ADAM's Brigade, maintaining its four deep line, and being flanked by the Hanoverian Battalion which could form Square at any moment, was secured against Cavalry.

The confused and disordered mass of the Imperial Guard, from the first impulse given to it by the flank charge, hastened a short distance in a direction parallel with that of the Anglo-Allied Line, and then naturally inclining towards the French position, it fell into nearly the same track of retreat as that pursued by the First attacking Column, namely towards the first rise of ground intersected by the Charleroi road, a little beyond the southern extremity of the Orchard of La Haye Sainte. As it approached the rear of those Columns of D'ERLON'S Corps, which had been so desperately opposing ALTEN'S Division; the latter became infected with the panic, and commingled with the flying Guard.

ADAM'S Brigade continued its triumphant advance, at first

536 Wellington asks Anglesey for fresh Cavalry.

parallel, for a short distance, to the Allied Line; and then, bringing forward its left shoulders, swept proudly onward in the direction of the French Height before mentioned; crowds of fugitives hurrying along and striving to escape from the pursuing wave that seemed every instant on the point of engulfing them.

During its advance, the front of ADAM's Brigade was partially crossed by the Squadron of the 23rd Light Dragoons, under Lieutenant BANNER, retiring in disorder from its charge. Mistaken for hostile Cavalry, these Dragoons were unfortunately fired upon by the 52nd Regiment; and it was not until the foremost of them had fallen close upon the bayonets, that the error was discovered.

Immediately after this incident, a fire of grape was opened upon the 52nd by three French field pieces in the prolongation of its Right Flank. This enfilading of the Regiment in its four deep line was a judicious measure on the part of the French Artillery, and well calculated to derange the advante of ADAM's Brigade. It was, however, very gallantly and speedily checked by the wheeling up and advance of the Right Section of the 52nd, under Lieutenant GAWLER; who succeeded in driving off the guns, whilst the rest of the Regiment continued its pursuit.

WELLINGTON, as soon as he saw that the success of the charge by ADAM's Brigade was so decisive, requested UXBRIDGE immediately to launch forward some fresh Cavalry to check the probable advance of that of the Enemy; and to second the efforts of the Infantry in front, by boldly attacking the French Reserves, which appeared collected in front of La Belle Alliance, the critical point of NAPOLEON'S Line.

Lieutenant Colonel Lord GREENOCK, Assistant Quarter

June 18.

"Tell them the French are retiring!"

537

master General of the Cavalry, was despatched to VIVIAN with Orders for him to move his Hussar Brigade to its right from its position in rear of ALTEN's Division, so as to get clear of the Infantry, and then to advance directly to the front by the right of MAITLAND'S Brigade of Guards.

At the same time, the Duke turned round to order up the nearest Supports to the space which had been vacated in his Front Line by the advance of ADAM's Brigade. But what a spectacle met his view! The three Dutch-Belgian Squares, into which D'AUBREMÉ's Brigade had been formed, and whose unsteadiness, previously described, had greatly augmented as the firing and shouting on the exterior slope of the ridge, of which they could see nothing, became more continuous and intense, were now in a state bordering on dissolution. The faces of the Squares were already broken at intervals by groups in the act of abandoning their ranks; whilst several Officers of VANDELEUR'S Brigade, which, as before observed (see pages 526-527), was drawn up in their rear, were zealously exerting themselves in endeavouring to induce these troops to stand fast.

The Duke, observing this, called out, "That's right; tell them the French are retiring." This intelligence, quickly caught up and spread through their ranks, had the desired effect of restoring them to order. They shortly afterwards formed into Columns, and advanced to the Front Line.

In order to preserve a distinct and connected view of the combined operations against NAPOLEON, it will be necessary, previously to describing the General Advance of the Allied Line, consequent upon the failure of the attack by the French Imperial Guard, to revert to the movements of the Prussians.

It will be recollected that VIVIAN'S, and subsequently

538 Zieten's Infantry attack the French.

June 18.

VANDELEUR'S, Brigade, quitted the Left of the Anglo-Allied Line, on the approach of the Advanced Guard of ZIETEN'S Corps towards that point. Shortly before the arrival of these troops, the French Skirmishers in front of DURUTTE'S Division, which constituted the angle of the potence on which stood the extreme Right of NAPOLEON'S Army, having been considerably reinforced, were pushed forward for the purpose of establishing themselves in the houses and inclosures in the valley below them, and of impeding, by this means, the connection between BÜLOW's Corps and the Anglo-Allied Left. The Nassauers, of Prince BERNHARD of Saxe Weimar's Brigade, fell back from the houses of the Hamlet of Papelotte; but firmly maintained their ground on the Allied side of the valley, retaining possession of the Farms of Papelotte and La Haye. The French Skirmishers, passing further to their right, pressed on to the Village of Smohain; where they became warmly engaged with the Prussian troops that had been so judiciously posted in that quarter.

BLÜCHER, perceiving the Infantry of the Advanced Guard of ZIETEN'S Corps upon the Height above Smohain, sent an Order for its moving by the shortest way to engage the Enemy in the valley. The Prussian General MÜFFLING, attached to the Headquarters Staff of the Duke of WELLINGTON, was at that moment in this vicinity, and gave the requisite instructions to the Staff Officer sent forward from ZIETEN'S Corps.

About this time, the Fifth and Sixth Infantry Brigades, as also the Reserve Cavalry of PIRCH's Corps, reached the Field, in rear of BÜLOW. PIRCH, placing himself at the head of his leading Brigade (the Fifth), immediately conducted it in the direction of Planchenoit; and, on coming up with the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Brigades, he began,

June 18 The third Prussian attack on Planchenoit. 539

in conjunction with Colonel HILLER, to make the necessary dispositions for the Third attack upon that Village. The Sixth Brigade was ordered to follow as a Reserve; and the attack was to be supported by a simultaneous advance of the Right Wing of BÜLOW's Corps against LOBAU's Line, which was exceedingly well drawn up, and exhibited every indication of making a determined stand. BLÜCHER had despatched an Order to the Seventh Brigade (of PIRCH'S Corps) to move together with the 4th Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry, upon Maransart, on the south side of the Lasne, for the purpose of covering his Left Flank. The remaining Brigade (the Eighth) of PIRCH's Corps, which had been detained in consequence of the Rear Guard affair near Wavre, received Orders from PIRCH to quicken its advance.

The Reserve Cavalry of PIRCH's Corps was deployed in three Lines on the right of the Cavalry of the Fourth Corps. The First Line consisted of the Pomeranian Hussars and the Brandenburg Hussars; the Second, of the Silesian Uhlans, two Squadrons of the 6th Neumark Dragoons, and the Queen's Dragoons; and the Third, of the 5th Kurmark and Elbe Landwehr Cavalry. These Lines of Cavalry thus occupied the interval between the Wings of BÜLOW's Corps; and, at the same time, served to impose, by their display of force, upon the French Cavalry, under DOMON, which was then in reserve.

BLÜCHER, judging the recapture of Planchenoit to be a most essential aid in the general operations against the French, as affording the means not only of turning the Right of LOBAU's Corps, but also of molesting the Rear of the French Army, and of endangering its main line of retreat, ordered the immediate advance of the troops destined for the Third attack upon that Village.

They were formed in the following order :-The 2nd and