June 16.

Gallantry of the Brunswick Infantry.

189

French Infantry, in its immediate front, deployed with the utmost steadiness and gallantry. This advance had been followed by the Brunswick Guard Battalion, which was now manoeuvring to form on the left of MAITLAND'S Brigade.

The French Cavalry, which had been watching for an opportunity to charge the Brigade, now made a dash at its Left Flank. When the irregular formation of the latter, which has been already explained, is considered, it is evident that any attempt to form Square at that moment would have involved the British Guards in inextricable confusion, and have rendered them an easy prey to the French horsemen. Rapid as was the advance of the latter, its object was frustrated in a manner which testifies the extraordinary discipline of the men of that Brigade. Mere discipline it was not; it was an instinctive momentary impulse, which seemed to animate the whole Corps with the sole conviction, that the only step to be taken, the only chance left for safety, consisted in a general and instantaneous movement to the ditch which bounded the Wood on their right. This was accomplished with complete success, and the French Cavalry, which had advanced in full confidence of an easy triumph, were hurled back in confusion by a volley from the ditch, which the Brigade had lined with a rapidity, a dexterity, and a precision, quite wonderful; while at the same moment, the Brunswick Battalion threw itself into Square, and received the Cavalry with a degree of coolness, steadiness, and gallantry, which won for it the warmest admiration and encomiums of the British who witnessed the manœuvre. The flanking fire which was thus brought to bear bear so suddenly on the French Cavalry by the Brunswickers, and the destructive front fire so deliberately

190

Advance of the Anglo-Allied Left.

June 16.

poured in amongst them by the British Guards from the ditch, fairly drove them out of this part of the Field.

More to the left, the French were retiring before HALKETT in perfect order, covered by their Skirmishers. As that General's Brigade neared the Farm House of Gemioncourt, Major CHAMBERS of the 36th Regiment, an experienced Officer, incited by the desire of capturing a Post which had been throughout the day a point d'appui to the French Centre, led on two Companies of his Corps towards it. They made a gallant rush into the courtyard, but were met by a smart fire which forced them back. Major CHAMBERS, however, rallied his men in the orchard; and having instructed them how to proceed in their attack, the place was instantly carried.

The further advance upon the Anglo-Allied Left had, in the meantime, kept equal pace with that on the Right. NEY had been compelled to yield the strongholds by aid of which he had hoped to force the Duke's position: his Infantry had been driven out of Piermont and the inclosures in front of his Right, as also out of the Wood of Bossu on his Left: Gemioncourt, also, in front of his Centre, had been captured; while the plain between the two positions, over which his Cavalry had executed innumerable charges-charges that were occasionally suspended merely that the scattered bands might rally afresh to renew the onslaught with redoubled vigour, and that his Artillery might pour upon the devoted Squares its destructive missiles, by which each was shattered to its very centre, was now completely cleared from the presence of a single horseman.

It was long after sunset, and darkness was sensibly approaching, when WELLINGTON, now that his Flanks and

June 16.

Wellington orders a general advance. 191

Centre were relieved, in the manner already described, from the severity of a pressure of such long duration, led forward his victorious troops to the foot of the French position. The loud shouts which proclaimed the triumphant advance of his forces on either Flank were enthusiastically caught up and responded to by those who constituted the main central line, and who had so nobly and so resolutely withstood and defied the impetuous battle shock by which they had been so repeatedly and so pertinaciously assailed.

NEY, convinced of the utter futility, if not imminent hazard, of protracting the contest, withdrew the whole of his forces, and concentrated them on the Heights of Frasne, throwing out a strong line of Picquets, to which WELLINGTON opposed a corresponding line, having the southern extremity of the Wood of Bossu on the Right, the inclosures south of Piermont on the Left, and Gemioncourt in the Centre, for its main Supports.

The French Picquets manifested an extraordinary degree of vigilance; the slightest movement on the side of the Anglo-Allied Picquets instantly attracted attention, and was noticed by a concentrated fire from the watchful Sentries of the Enemy. No movement, however, of any consequence was made on either side during the night. The wearied combatants sought that rest of which they stood so much in need, and the silence in which the Anglo-Allied bivouac soon became hushed, was only disturbed by the arrival of additional reinforcements, consisting principally of British Cavalry.

NEY was joined by the First Corps, after the termination of the action. At nine o'clock, D'ERLON presented himself to the Marshal for the purpose of reporting to him his proceedings, and of receiving his Orders, after which the

June 16.

Losses at the Battle of Quatre Bras. 193 Corps was bivouacked in the rear of Frasne; with the exception, however, of DURUTTE's Division (the Fourth), and JAQUINOT's Light Cavalry Brigade, which D'ERLON had left on the Field of Ligny, in front of the extreme Right of the Prussian Army; a measure which he had deemed advisable in order to prevent the Enemy from debouching into the plain between Bry and the Wood of Delhutte.

It is singular that NAPOLEON, who at Fleurus held so powerful a Reserve as that consisting of the Imperial Guard and the Sixth Corps, and who was in perfect ignorance of the true state of affairs at Quatre Bras, should have ventured to withdraw from NEY a force amounting to more than one half of that which he had originally placed at his disposal. It was decidedly a false step, from which no advantage resulted on his own Field of Battle, whilst there can be very little doubt that it lost him that of Quatre Bras.

The losses sustained in this Battle by the Anglo-Allied Army in killed, wounded, and missing, were as follows:

British
Hanoverians
Brunswickers

2,275

369

819

3,463 men.

:

To these must be added the loss of the Dutch-Belgian troops, amounting probably to about 1,000 killed and wounded, which makes the entire loss of the Anglo-Allied Army equal to about 4,463 men.

The French loss amounted to about 4,000 killed, wounded, and missing.

Such was the Battle of Quatre Bras: a battle in which

151. W.L. Siborne,

N