June 18. The Prussian night attack on the French. 611

which was perpendicular to the direction of the original position of the Prussians, had been taken up with great skill by GROUCHY, notwithstanding the difficulties with which the movement had been attended. His troops had to ascend the Heights during the obscurity of the night, in rear of Limale, by a narrow, rugged road, in the immediate proximity of the Prussians, whose fire reached the head of the Defile: and he was fully occupied until a very late hour, in posting the Battalions in their proper places, as they filed out of the road, on reaching the Height; whilst, in the mean time, PAJOL'S Light Cavalry pushed rapidly round by the left.

Colonel STULPNAGEL posted the Fusilier Battalion of the 5th Kurmark Landwehr, and his Battery, in reserve, in rear of the small Wood on the right of Bierge, and advanced to the attack, late as it was, with his five remaining Battalions, having Lieutenant Colonel STENGEL with his Detachment on the right. The darkness of the night prevented the Prussians from correctly ascertaining the position and strength of the French; but nevertheless it was decided that an attempt should be made to regain Limale, and drive back the Enemy across the Dyle.

The attack was thus formed. Two Battalions in front, closely followed by the remaining three Battalions. Both the Brigade Squadrons joined the three Squadrons under Lieutenant Colonel STENGEL; and the whole of the Reserve Cavalry formed in support. In this movement, however, the mutual connection of the advancing troops was greatly impeded by the darkness of the night. The two Battalions in Front Line were on the point of passing a hollow way when they received a volley from two French Battalions on the opposite side, by which their further advance was checked. The three Battalions of the Second Line had

612 The Prussians in Wavre repel 13 assaults. June 19.

inclined too much to the left, where they became engaged with French Tirailleurs. Lieutenant Colonel STENGEL'S Detachment, in attempting to push forward, was checked by the French Cavalry; and as the latter made a disposition which menaced his Right Flank, that Officer fell back with his Detachment as far as the Wood near Point du Jour.

The decided failure of the attack induced Colonel STÜLPNAGEL to withdraw all his troops to the Wood, leaving only the 1st Battalion of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr in support of the chain of Advanced Posts. The Reserve Cavalry bivouacked in rear of the Wood. Thus ended the contest on this part of the Field. The Prussian and French Picquets were so close to one another during the night, that the Patrols were constantly clashing, and the whole Line kept upon the qui vive.

Upon the Prussian Left, the conflict for the possession of the town and Bridges of Wavre continued to be carried on with unabated fury on both sides until late in the night. VANDAMME devoted the whole of his Corps to the attack; constantly pushing forward fresh troops to relieve those who had failed in their attempts to dislodge the Prussians. The latter, who exhibited on this occasion an extraordinary degree of bravery and resolution, succeeded in repelling no less than thirteen different assaults; and even dislodged in five instances, the French from the houses they occupied, from the commencement, on the right bank of the Dyle. At one time the French had already gained possession of the great Bridge and some houses on the left bank, when they were driven back again to their own side of the river by the Prussian Reserves-these having advanced to the relief of their comrades. The struggle was desperate, and

June 18.

The brilliant defence of Wavre.

613

apparently interminable. When the French attacked the houses nearest the Bridge they succeeded in bursting open the doors, and by superiority of numbers, in possessing themselves of the ground floors. But even this did not induce the heroic defenders to relax their exertions; on the contrary, with increased fury, they defended the upper storeys of the houses, and held out most gallantly until relieved by the arrival of their Supports.

This brilliant defence of Wavre was distinguished, on the part of the Prussians, not only by the unflinching bravery of the troops, but also by the judicious disposal of the Reserves; by means of which the Enemy was foiled in every attempt to gain a permanent footing in the town. While the Skirmishers and their Supports were posted along the Dyle and the adjacent houses, the Reserves were concealed in the nearest streets, that lay in a direction parallel with that of the river and at the moment the French Columns of Attack, already crippled by the fire concentrated from the Skirmishers, endeavoured to force the Bridge; these Reserves rushed forward from their cover in the side streets, and presenting themselves in mass before the Enemy, invariably drove them back with great slaughter.

It was in this manner that the Fusilier Battalion of the 30th Regiment, under Major SPRENGER, and the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Kurmark Landwehr, under Major BORNSTÄDT, constantly repulsed, with admirable bravery, the attacks made with such superior numbers during the earlier part of the contest. One of these attacks having been attended with a somewhat favourable result, the 2nd Battalion of the 30th Regiment, under Major BEAUFORT, was brought forward: and, at a similarly critical moment, the 1st Battalion of the 4th Kurmark Landwehr, under

June 18 Heroic courage of four Prussian Battalions. 615

Major GROLMAN, came up; when both Battalions succeeded in compelling the Enemy to retire.

These Battalions then took post in the streets lying parallel with the river, in the manner before explained; and, with heroic courage, overcame every renewed attempt on the part of the French to establish themselves in the town. When, finally, it is considered that from four o'clock until night, four Prussian Battalions successfully maintained their ground against a whole Corps d'Armée, with which they were constantly and desperately engaged during the whole of that period; the merits of Colonel ZEPELIN and his brave troops are beyond all praise, and present one of the brightest examples of the defence of a town and of the passage of a river, recorded in military history.

Both the Bridges of Wavre remained in the possession of the Prussians, and the smaller one was barricaded during the night.

At a late hour, as the fire on both sides began to slacken, the combatants bivouacked on their respective sides of the river. Upon the Prussian extreme Left at Bas Wavre, the French had only shown one Battalion. This occupied an isolated building, and was supported by two Squadrons and a piece of artillery. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to gain the Bridge; which, at nightfall, continued in the possession of the Prussians.

GROUCHY was occupied late in the night in making his preparations for renewing the attack on the following morning. General TESTE's Division of the Sixth Corps having at length arrived, his Left Wing, which was thus considerably reinforced, bivouacked upon ne Height westward of Bierge; separated by this Village and the De' com his Right Wing which lay in front of W

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