Читать книгу The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 - William Siborne - Страница 7
ОглавлениеIt was divided into four Corps d'Armée.
The First Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Zieten,[6] consisted
of the First Brigade, under General Steinmetz;
of the Second Brigade, under General Pirch II.;[7] of the Third Brigade, under General Jagow; of the Fourth Brigade, under General Count Henkel; of a Cavalry Reserve, under Lieutenant General Röder; and of an Artillery Reserve, under Colonel Lehmann.
The Right of this Corps d'Armée, the Head Quarters of which were at Charleroi, communicated with the Left of the First Corps of the Duke of Wellington's Army. Its Right Brigade, the First, was cantoned in and around Fontaine l'Evêque, which lies midway between Charleroi and Binche; the Second Brigade, in Marchienne au Pont, on the Sambre; the Third Brigade, in Fleurus; the Fourth Brigade, in Moustier sur Sambre; the Reserve Cavalry in Sombref, and the Reserve Artillery in Gembloux. The line of Advanced Posts of this Corps extended from Bonne Esperance (two miles south-west of Binche) along the frontier of Lobbes, Thuin, and Gerpinnes, as far as Sossoye.
The Second Corps d'Armée, commanded by General Pirch I., consisted
of the Fifth Brigade, under General Tippelskirchen;
of the Sixth Brigade, under General Krafft;
of the Seventh Brigade, under General Brause;
of the Eighth Brigade, under Colonel Langen;
of a Cavalry Reserve, under General Jürgass;
and of an Artillery Reserve, under Colonel Rhöl.
The Head Quarters of this Corps were at Namur, situated at the confluence of the Sambre and the Meuse, where also its first Brigade (the Fifth) was stationed; the Sixth Brigade was cantoned in and around Thorembey les Beguignes; the Seventh Brigade in Heron; the Eighth Brigade in Huy; the Reserve Cavalry in Hannut; and the Reserve Artillery along the high road to Louvain. The line of Advanced Posts of this Corps extended from Sossoye as far as Dinant on the Meuse, about midway between Namur and Givet.
The Third Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Thielemann, consisted
of the Ninth Brigade, under General Borke;
of the Tenth Brigade, under Colonel Kämpfen;
of the Eleventh Brigade, under Colonel Luck;
of the Twelfth Brigade, under Colonel Stülpnagel;
of a Cavalry Reserve, under General Hobe;
and of an Artillery Reserve, under Colonel Mohnhaupt.
The Head Quarters of this Corps were at Ciney: the Ninth Brigade was stationed at Asserre; the Tenth Brigade at Ciney; the Eleventh Brigade at Dinant; the Twelfth Brigade at Huy, on the Meuse; the Reserve Cavalry between Ciney and Dinant; and the Reserve Artillery at Ciney. The line of Advanced Posts of this Corps extended from Dinant as far as Fabeline and Rochefort.
The Fourth Corps d'Armée, commanded by General Count Bülow von Dennewitz, consisted
of the Thirteenth Brigade, under Lieutenant General Hacke;
of the Fourteenth Brigade, under General Ryssel;
of the Fifteenth Brigade, under General Losthin;
of the Sixteenth Brigade, under Colonel Hiller;
of a Cavalry Reserve, under General His Royal Highness Prince William of Prussia;
and of an Artillery Reserve, under Lieutenant Colonel Bardeleben.
The Head Quarters of this Corps were at Liege, where was also stationed the Thirteenth Infantry Brigade; the Fourteenth Brigade was cantoned in and around Waremme; the Fifteenth Brigade at Hologne; the Sixteenth Brigade at Liers; the First Brigade of Reserve Cavalry at Tongern; the Second Brigade at Dalhem, and the Third Brigade at Lootz; the Reserve Artillery was cantoned in and about Gloms and Dalhem.
Prince Blücher's Head Quarters were at Namur.
The points of concentration for the respective Corps were therefore Fleurus, Namur, Ciney, and Liege. The four Corps were so disposed that each could be collected at its own Head Quarters within twelve hours; and it was fully practicable to form a junction of the whole Army at any one of these points within twenty-four hours from the time of such collection. At Namur, the most central point, it would of course be accomplished in much less time.
Blücher had decided, in the event of an advance by the French across the line of the Sambre, by Charleroi, upon concentrating his Army in a position in front of Sombref, a point upon the high road between Namur and Nivelles, above fourteen miles from the former place, and only seven miles and a half from Quatre Bras, the point of intersection of this road with the one leading directly from Charleroi to Brussels, and at which Wellington had agreed, in that case, to concentrate as large a force as time would admit, in order to check any advance in this direction, or to join Blücher's Right Flank, according to circumstances.
Blücher
Should the Enemy advance along the left bank of the Meuse towards Namur, this place would become the point of junction of the First, Second, and Fourth Corps of the Prussian Army, whilst the Third, collecting at Ciney, would, after presenting a stout resistance at Dinant, operate as effectively as circumstances would admit, against the Right of the line of attack; and should he advance by the right bank of the Meuse towards Ciney, the Army would concentrate at this point, with the exception of the Fourth Corps, which would assemble at Liege as a Reserve, for the better security of the Left Flank and of the communications with the Rhine.
Such were the dispositions of the Allied Commanders, who contemplated no change in their arrangements until the moment should arrive of the commencement of hostile demonstrations of a decided character, for which they were perfectly prepared, and for which a vigilant look-out was maintained along the general line of the Advanced Posts.
From the foregoing, however, it would appear that the concentration of Wellington's Army on its own Left, and that of Blücher's Army on its own Right, required longer time than that in which they could have been respectively accomplished on other points; and further that the distribution of the former was better calculated to meet the Enemy's advance by Mons, and that of the latter to meet it by Namur, than to oppose a line of attack by Charleroi. This peculiar feature in the dispositions of the two Commanders did not escape the vigilance of Napoleon, who, as will be seen in the sequel, made it subservient to his hopes of beating their Armies in detail.
The French troops destined to constitute the Grand Army with which Napoleon had decided upon taking the field against the allied forces in Belgium, comprised the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Sixth Corps d'Armée; four Corps of Cavalry; and the Imperial Guard: amounting altogether to 116,124 men:—
| Infantry | 83,753 |
| Cavalry | 20,959 |
| Artillery, Waggon-Train, and Engineers | 11,412 |
| ——— | |
| 116,124 men and 350 guns. |
The First Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Count d'Erlon, consisted
of the First Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Alix;
of the Second Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Donzelot;
of the Third Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Marcognet;
of the Fourth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Count Durette;
and of the First Light Cavalry Division, under Lieutenant General Jaquinot;
with 5 Batteries of Foot, and 1 of Horse, Artillery.
In the beginning of June, this Corps was stationed in and around Lille.
The Second Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Reille, consisted
of the Fifth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Bachelu;
of the Sixth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Prince Jerome Napoleon;
of the Seventh Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Count Girard;
of the Ninth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Count Foy;
and of the Second Light Cavalry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Piré;
with 5 Batteries of Foot, and 1 of Horse, Artillery.
This Corps was stationed in and around Valenciennes.
The Third Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Vandamme, consisted
of the Eighth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Le Fol;
of the Tenth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Habert;
of the Eleventh Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Berthezene;
and of the Third Light Cavalry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Domon;
with 4 Batteries of Foot, and 1 of Horse, Artillery.
This Corps was assembled in and around Mézières.
The Fourth Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Gérard, consisted
of the Twelfth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Pecheux;
of the Thirteenth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Vichery;
of the Fourteenth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General de Bourmont;
and of the Sixth Light Cavalry Division, under Lieutenant General Maurin;
with 4 Batteries of Foot, and 1 of Horse, Artillery.
This Corps occupied Metz, Longwy, and Thionville, and formed the basis of the Army of the Moselle; but it was now decided that it should approach the Sambre, and unite itself with the Grand Army.
The Sixth Corps d'Armée, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Lobau, consisted
of the Nineteenth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Simmer;
of the Twentieth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Jeannin;
of the Twenty-First Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Teste;
with 4 Batteries of Foot, and 1 of Horse, Artillery.
This Corps was assembled in and around Laon.
The four Corps forming the Reserve Cavalry were placed under the command of Marshal Count Grouchy.
The First, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Pajol, consisted
of the Fourth Cavalry Division (Hussars), under Lieutenant General Baron Soult;
and of the Fifth Division (Lancers and Chasseurs), under Lieutenant General Baron Subervie; with 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery.
The Second Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Excelmans, consisted
of the Ninth Division (Dragoons), under Lieutenant General Strolz;
and of the Tenth Division (Dragoons), under Lieutenant General Baron Chastel;
with 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery.
The Third Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Count de Valmy (Kellermann), consisted
of the Eleventh Division (Dragoons and Cuirassiers), under Lieutenant General Baron L'Heritier; and of the Twelfth Division (Carabiniers and Cuirassiers), under Lieutenant General Roussel d'Hurbal; with 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery.
The Fourth Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Count Milhaud, consisted
of the Thirteenth Division (Cuirassiers), under Lieutenant General Wathier; and of the Fourteenth Division (Cuirassiers), under Lieutenant General Baron Delort; with 2 Batteries of Horse Artillery.
The principal portion of the Reserve Cavalry lay in cantonments between the Aisne and the frontier.
The Infantry of the Imperial Guard consisted
of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Grenadiers, under Lieutenant General Count Friant;
of the 3rd and 4th Regiments of Grenadiers, under Lieutenant General Count Roguet;
of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Chasseurs, under Lieutenant General Count Morand; of the 3rd and 4th Regiments of Chasseurs, under Lieutenant General Count Michel; of the 1st and 3rd Regiments of Tirailleurs, under Lieutenant General Count Duhesme; and of the 1st and 3rd Voltigeurs, under Lieutenant General Count Barrois.
The Cavalry of the Guard consisted
of two Regiments of Heavy Cavalry (Grenadiers à Cheval and Dragoons), under Lieutenant General Count Guyot; and of three Regiments of Light Cavalry (Chasseurs à Cheval and Lancers), under Lieutenant General Lefèbvre-Desnouettes. Attached to the Guard were 6 Batteries of Foot, and 4 Batteries of Horse, Artillery, with 3 Batteries of Reserve Artillery; comprising altogether 96 pieces of cannon, under the command of Lieutenant General Desvaux de St. Maurice.
These troops were principally in Paris.
The French Emperor having, upon the grounds explained in a former Chapter, determined to take the Field against the Allied Armies in Belgium, the commencement of active operations could no longer be deferred. When we reflect upon the disparity of force with which he was going to contend against two such Generals as Wellington and Blücher, we are bound to acknowledge that it was an undertaking daring and perilous in the extreme, even for an individual of the dauntless and adventurous character of Napoleon. A delay of only a few weeks would have secured for him, by means of the vast organisation which was in constant and rapid progress, a sufficient accession of disposable troops to have enabled him to effect a powerful diversion upon either Wellington's Right, or Blücher's Left, Flank, and thus to impart an infinitely greater degree of weight and stability to his main operations; but then, on the other hand, this delay would also have brought the powerful Armies of the confederated Sovereigns across the whole line of his eastern frontier, and have led to the consummation of that combined movement upon the capital, the execution of which it was his great aim to frustrate.
But it was not the first time that Napoleon had advanced against such fearful superiority of numerical strength. In the previous year, when nearly surrounded by the victorious forces of Prussia, Austria, and Russia, when apparently overwhelmed by a succession of disasters, and when his Army was daily diminishing by the desertion of newly raised conscripts, and presenting the mere wreck of its former self, he was at the very acme of his mental energy, and in the full possession of his determinate and all subduing will. His great genius seemed to acquire additional vigour and elasticity, with the increasing desperation of his position; and darting with electric suddenness and rapidity, now upon one adversary and then upon another, maintaining with the renowned leaders of his detached forces, a combination of movements developing the highest order of strategy, he succeeded by his brilliant triumphs at Champaubert, Montmirail, and Monterau, not only in stemming the torrent of invasion, but in causing the resumption of the diplomatic preliminaries of a Peace. This Peace, however, these very triumphs induced him, as if by a fatality, to reject with scorn and indignation, although the terms were honourable in the highest degree under his then existing circumstances.
Hence, with such a retrospect, Napoleon might well indulge in hope and confidence as to the result of the approaching Campaign, notwithstanding the want of sufficient time for a greater development of his resources. A finer or a more gallant Army, or one more complete and efficient in every respect, than that which he was going to lead in person, never took the Field.
Napoleon
He had selected for the line of his main operations the direct road to Brussels, by Charleroi, that being the road, as before remarked, on which Wellington's Left, and Blücher's Right respectively rested, and which he designed to maintain by first overcoming the Prussian Army, which was the most advanced on that line, and then attacking the Anglo-Allied troops before they could be collected in sufficient strength to prevent his further progress; his grand object being to impede the junction of the two Armies; to vanquish them in detail; to establish himself in Brussels; to arouse the dense population in Belgium, of which a vast proportion secretly adhered to his cause; to reannex the country to the French Empire; to excite the desertion of the Belgian soldiery from the service of Holland; to prevent a check by these means to the operations of the invading Armies crossing the Rhine; perhaps also to enter into negotiations; and, at all events, to gain, what was to him of vital importance, time for the advance and co-operation of further reinforcements from France.
The necessary Orders were now despatched for the concentration of the Grand Army; and in order to mask its movements as much as possible, the whole line of the Belgian frontier was studded with numerous Detachments of the National Guards furnished by the garrisons of the fortresses, more especially along that part of the frontier which passes in advance of Valenciennes, Condé, Lille, and even as far as Dunkirk; all the debouchés of which line were strongly occupied, the Outposts tripled, and there was every apparent indication that either the principal attack, or at least a formidable diversion, was in course of preparation in that quarter.
These measures had the effect of strengthening the anticipations which Wellington had previously formed of offensive movements from the side of Lille and Valenciennes, and consequently of placing him still more upon his guard against any hasty and incautious junction of his forces with those of Blücher, until fully satisfied as to the true direction and object of Napoleon's main operations.
On the 12th of June, Lieutenant Colonel Wissell, whose Regiment, the 1st Hussars of the King's German Legion, formed an extensive line of Outposts in front of Tournai, reported to Major General Sir Hussey Vivian, to whose Brigade the Regiment belonged, that he had ascertained, from information on which he could rely, that the French Army had assembled on the frontier, and was prepared to attack. Vivian desired him to report upon the subject to Lord Hill, to whose Corps his Regiment was attached while employed on this particular service.
The next morning, Vivian repaired in person to the Outposts, and found that a French Cavalry Picquet which had previously been posted opposite to Tournai, had a short time before marched to join the main Army, and had been relieved by Douaniers. These, upon being spoken to by Vivian, did not hesitate to say that their Army was concentrating, and that if the Allies did not advance, their troops would attack. On returning to his Quarters, Vivian communicated what he had seen and heard both to Lord Hill and the Earl of Uxbridge, by whom the circumstances were made known to the Duke of Wellington. His Grace, however, for reasons before stated, did not think the proper moment had arrived for making any alteration in the disposition of his forces.
Gérard's Corps quitted Metz on the 6th of June, with Orders to reach Philippeville by the 14th. The Imperial Guard began its march from Paris on the 8th, and reached Avesnes on the 13th, as did also Lobau's Corps from Laon. D'Erlon's Corps from Lille, Reille's Corps from Valenciennes, and Vandamme's Corps from Mézières, likewise arrived at Maubeuge and Avesnes on the 13th. The four Corps of Reserve Cavalry concentrated upon the Upper Sambre.
The junction of the several Corps on the same day, and almost at the same hour (with the exception of the Fourth, which joined the next day), displayed the usual skill of Napoleon in the combination of movements. Their leaders congratulated themselves upon these auspicious preparations, and upon finding the "Grand Army" once more assembled in "all the pomp and circumstance of glorious war:" the appearance of the troops, though fatigued, was all that could be desired; and their enthusiasm was at the highest on hearing that the Emperor himself, who had quitted Paris at three o'clock on the morning of the 12th, and passed the night at Laon, had actually arrived amongst them.
Upon the following day, the French Army bivouacked on three different points.
The Left, consisting of d'Erlon's and Reille's Corps, and amounting to about 44,000 men, was posted on the right bank of the Sambre at Solre sur Sambre.
The Centre, consisting of Vandamme's and Lobau's Corps, of the Imperial Guard, and of the Cavalry Reserves, amounting altogether to about 60,000 men, was at Beaumont, which was made the Head Quarters.
The Right, composed of Gérard's Corps and of a Division of Heavy Cavalry, amounting altogether to about 16,000 men, was in front of Philippeville.
The bivouacs were established in rear of some slight eminences, with a view to conceal their fires from the observation of the Enemy.
The Army, while thus assembled, on the eve of opening the Campaign, received through the medium of an Ordre du Jour the following spirit-stirring appeal from its Chief:—
"Napoleon, by the Grace of God, and the Constitutions of the Empire,
Emperor of the French, etc., to the Grand Army,
"At the Imperial Head Quarters,
Avesnes, June 14th, 1815.
"Soldiers! this day is the anniversary of Marengo and of Friedland, which twice decided the destiny of Europe. Then, as after Austerlitz, as after Wagram, we were too generous! We believed in the protestations and in the oaths of Princes, whom we left on their thrones. Now, however, leagued together, they aim at the independence, and the most sacred rights of France. They have commenced the most unjust of aggressions. Let us, then, march to meet them. Are they and we no longer the same men?
"Soldiers! at Jena, against these same Prussians, now so arrogant, you were one to three, and at Montmirail one to six!
"Let those among you who have been captives to the English, describe the nature of their prison ships, and the frightful miseries they endured.
"The Saxons, the Belgians, the Hanoverians, the soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine, lament that they are compelled to use their arms in the cause of the Princes, the enemies of justice and of the rights of all nations. They know that this Coalition is insatiable! After having devoured twelve millions of Poles, twelve millions of Italians, one million of Saxons, and six millions of Belgians, it now wishes to devour the States of the second rank in Germany.
"Madmen! one moment of prosperity has bewildered them. The oppression and the humiliation of the French people are beyond their power. If they enter France they will there find their grave.
"Soldiers! we have forced marches to make, battles to fight, dangers to encounter; but, with firmness, victory will be ours. The rights, the honour, and the happiness of the country will be recovered!
"To every Frenchman who has a heart, the moment is now arrived to conquer or to die!
"NAPOLEON."
"The Marshal Duke of Dalmatia,
Major General."
FOOTNOTES:
[6] In order to avoid the constant repetition of the prefix "von" to the names of the German Officers, I have omitted it altogether in the present edition; an omission, however, which I feel persuaded those Officers will not consider as involving any breach of courtesy or respect.
[7] Prussian General Officers bearing the same family name, are usually distinguished by the addition of the Roman numerals. General von Pirch I. is named on the next page.
CHAPTER IV.
NAPOLEON by his precautionary measures of strengthening his Advanced Posts, and of displaying along the whole line of the Belgian frontier an equal degree of vigilance and activity, had effectually concealed from his adversaries the combined movements of his several Corps d'Armée, and their concentration on the right bank of the Sambre.
During the night of the 13th, however, the light reflected upon the sky by the fires of the French bivouacs, did not escape the vigilant observation of Zieten's Outposts, whence it was communicated to the Rear that these fires appeared to be in the direction of Walcourt and of Beaumont, and also in the vicinity of Solre sur Sambre; further, that all reports received through spies and deserters concurred in representing that Napoleon was expected to join the French Army on that evening; that the Imperial Guard and the Second Corps had arrived at Avesnes and Maubeuge; also that, at one o'clock in the afternoon of that day, four French Battalions had crossed the river at Solre sur Sambre, and occupied Merbes le Château; that late in the night the Enemy had pushed forward a strong Detachment as far as Sart la Bussière; and lastly, that an attack by the French would certainly take place on the 14th or 15th.
On the 14th of June, the Dutch-Belgian General van Merlen, who was stationed at St. Symphorien, near Mons, and who commanded the Outposts between the latter place and Binche which formed the extreme Right of the Prussians, ascertained that the French troops had moved from Maubeuge and its vicinity by Beaumont towards Philippeville, that there was no longer any hostile force in his front, except a Picquet at Bettignies, and some National Guards in other villages. He forwarded this important information to the Prussian General Steinmetz, on his left, with whom he was in constant communication, and by whom it was despatched to General Zieten at Charleroi.
The Prussian General Pirch II., who was posted on the left of Steinmetz, also sent word to Zieten that he had received information through his Outposts that the French Army had concentrated in the vicinity of Beaumont and Merbes le Château; that their Army consisted of 150,000 men, and was commanded by General Vandamme, Jerome Buonaparte, and some other distinguished Officers; that since the previous day all crossing of the frontier had been forbidden by the French under pain of death; and that a Patrol of the Enemy had been observed that day near Biercée, not far from Thuin.
During the day, frequent accounts were brought to the troops of Zieten's Corps, generally corroborative of the above, by the country people who were bringing away, and seeking some place of safety for, their cattle. Intelligence was also obtained of the arrival of Napoleon, and of his brother, Prince Jerome.
Zieten immediately transmitted the substance of this information to Prince Blücher and to the Duke of Wellington; and it was perfectly consistent with that which the latter had received from Major General Dörnberg, who had been posted in observation at Mons, and from General van Merlen (through the Prince of Orange) who, as already mentioned, commanded the Outposts between that place and Binche. Nothing, however, was as yet positively known concerning the real point of concentration, the probable strength of the Enemy, or his intended offensive movements, and the Allied Commanders therefore refrained from making any alteration in their dispositions, and calmly awaited the arrival of reports of a more definite character concerning the Enemy's designs.
Zieten's troops were kept under arms during the night, and were collected by Battalions at their respective points of assembly.
Later in the day Zieten ascertained, through his Outposts, that strong French Columns, composed of all Arms, were assembling in his front, and that every thing portended an attack on the following morning.
Zieten's communication of this intelligence reached Blücher between nine and ten o'clock on the night of the 14th.
Simultaneous Orders were consequently despatched by eleven o'clock for the march of Pirch's Corps from Namur upon Sombref, and of Thielemann's Corps from Ciney to Namur. An Order had already, in the course of the day, been forwarded to Bülow at Liege, desiring him to make such a disposition of his Corps d'Armée as should admit of its concentration at Hannut in one march; and at midnight a further Order was despatched, requiring him to concentrate his troops in cantonment about Hannut.
Zieten was directed to await the advance of the Enemy in his position upon the Sambre; and, in the event of his being attacked by superior numbers, and compelled to retire, to effect his retreat as slowly as circumstances would permit, in the direction of Fleurus, so as to afford sufficient time for the concentration of the other three Corps in rear of the latter point.
The vigilance which was thus exercised along both the Anglo-Allied and Prussian line of Outposts, obtained for Wellington and Blücher the fullest extent of information which they could reasonably have calculated on receiving respecting the dispositions of the Enemy immediately previous to an attack. They had been put in possession of the fact that considerable masses of French troops had moved by their right, and assembled in front of Charleroi. Still, this baring of the frontier beyond Tournai, Mons, and Binche, of the troops which had previously occupied that line, and their concentration in front of Charleroi, might be designed to mask the real line of operation, to draw the Anglo-Allied troops towards Charleroi, upon which a feigned attack would be made, while the real attack was intended to be by Mons. Hence no alteration was made by the Duke in the disposition of his forces; but the Prussian Field Marshal immediately ordered the concentration of his own troops at a point where they would be at hand in case Charleroi should be the real line of attack, and whence they could far more readily move to the support of Wellington, should that attack be made by the Mons road.
Zieten's position, and his line of Advanced Posts, have already been described. His Right Brigade (the First), having its Head Quarters at Fontaine l'Evêque, held the ground between Binche and the Sambre; his Centre Brigade (the Second) lay along the Sambre, occupying Marchienne au Pont, Dampremy, La Roux, Charleroi, Châtelet, and Gilly; a portion of his Third Brigade occupied Farciennes and Tamines on the Sambre, while the remainder was posted in reserve between Fleurus and the Sambre; and his Left Brigade (the Fourth) was extended along this river nearly as far as Namur. The Reserve Cavalry of the First Corps had been brought more in advance, and was now cantoned in the vicinity of the Piéton, having Gosselies for its point of concentration.
In this position, Zieten, without making the slightest alteration, remained fully prepared for the expected attack on the morrow.
While Napoleon was occupied in prescribing his intended order of attack, he received a despatch from Count Gérard announcing that Lieutenant General de Bourmont, and Colonels Clouet and Villoutreys, attached to the Fourth Corps, had deserted to the Enemy—a circumstance which induced the Emperor to make some alteration in his dispositions.
The morning of the 15th had scarcely broken, when the French Army commenced its march towards the Sambre, in three Columns, from the three bivouacs already mentioned as having been taken up during the previous night. The Left Column advanced from Solre sur Sambre, by Thuin, upon Marchienne au Pont; the Centre from Beaumont, by Ham sur Heure, upon Charleroi; and the Right Column from Philippeville, by Gerpinnes, upon Châtelet.
As early as half past three o'clock in the morning, the head of the Left Column came in contact with the Prussian troops in front of Lobbes, firing upon, and driving in, the Picquets of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Regiment of Westphalian Landwehr, commanded by Captain Gillhausen. This Officer who was well aware that the French troops that had assembled, the night before, in great force in his front, intended to attack him in the morning, had posted his Battalion so as to afford it every advantage to be derived from the hilly and intersected ground it occupied. The French, however, inclined more to their right, and joined other troops advancing along the road to Thuin, which lay on his left. Shortly after, they drove back an advanced Cavalry Picquet; and, at half past four, commenced a fire from four guns upon the Outpost of Maladrie, about a mile in front of Thuin.
This cannonade, which announced the opening of the Campaign by the French, was heard by the Prussian troops forming the Left Wing of Steinmetz's Brigade; but the atmosphere, which was extremely thick and heavy, was most unfavourable for the conveyance of sound; so much so, that the greater portion of the Right Wing of the Brigade remained for a considerable time in ignorance of the Enemy's advance.
The firing, however, was distinctly heard at Charleroi; and Zieten, who, by the reports which he forwarded on the 14th to Wellington and Blücher, had fully prepared these Commanders to expect an attack, lost no time in communicating to them the important fact, that hostilities had actually commenced.
Shortly before five o'clock, he despatched Courier Jägers to their respective Head Quarters, Brussels and Namur, with letters containing the information that since half past four o'clock, he had heard several cannon shots fired in his front, and at the time he was writing, the fire of musketry also, but that he had not yet received any report from his Outposts. To Blücher he at the same time intimated that he should direct the whole Corps to fall back into position; and, should it become absolutely necessary, to concentrate at Fleurus. His report to the Duke of Wellington arrived in Brussels at nine o'clock in the morning; that to Prince Blücher reached Namur between eight and nine o'clock. The former, while it placed the British Commander on the qui vive, did not induce him to adopt any particular measure—he awaited further and more definite information; but the latter satisfied the Prussian Field Marshal that he had taken a wise precaution in having already ordered the concentration of his several Corps in the position of Sombref.
The Prussian troops at Maladrie checked, for a time, the advance of the French upon Thuin, and maintained their ground for more than an hour, with the greatest bravery. They were overpowered, and driven back upon Thuin. This place was occupied by the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr, under Major Monsterberg, who, after an obstinate and gallant resistance, during which the Battalion suffered an immense loss, was forced to retire, about seven o'clock, upon Montigny, where he found Lieutenant Colonel Woisky, with two Squadrons of the 1st West Prussian Dragoons.
The French succeeded in taking this village, and the retreat was then continued in good order, under the protection of Woisky's Dragoons, towards Marchienne au Pont; but before reaching this place, the latter were attacked, and completely overthrown by the French Cavalry; and the Infantry getting into disorder at the same moment were partly cut down, and many were taken prisoners. Indeed so severe was the loss which the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr suffered in this retreat, that the mere handful of men which remained could not possibly be looked upon as constituting a Battalion in the proper meaning of the term. It was reduced to a mere skeleton. Lieutenant Colonel Woisky was wounded on this occasion; but continued, nevertheless, at the head of his Dragoons.
Captain Gillhausen, who, as before stated, commanded the Prussian Battalion posted at Lobbes, as soon as he had satisfied himself that Thuin was taken, saw the necessity of effecting his own retreat, which he did, after the lapse of half an hour, drawing in his Picquets, and occupying the Bridge over the Sambre with one Company. He then fell back, and occupied the Wood of Sar de Lobbes, where he received an Order, as soon as the Post of Hoarbes was also taken by the Enemy, to continue his retreat, taking a direction between Fontaine l'Evêque and Anderlues.
The Post at Abbaye d'Alnes, occupied by the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Westphalian Landwehr, under the temporary command of Captain Grollmann, also fell into the hands of the French, between eight and nine o'clock.
As soon as the Commander of the First Prussian Brigade—General Steinmetz—was made acquainted with the attack upon his most Advanced Posts along the Sambre, he despatched an Officer of his Staff—Major Arnauld—to the Dutch-Belgian General van Merlen at St. Symphorien, situated on the road between Binche and Mons, to make him fully acquainted with what had taken place, and with the fact that his Brigade was falling back into position. On his way, Major Arnauld directed Major Engelhardt, who commanded the Outposts on the right, to lose not a moment in withdrawing the chain of Picquets; and on arriving at Binche, he spread the alarm that the French had attacked, and that the Left of the Brigade was warmly engaged, which rendered it necessary that the Right should retire with the utmost expedition. Until this Officer's arrival, the Prussian troops in this quarter were wholly ignorant of the attack; the state of the atmosphere, to which allusion has already been made, having prevented their hearing the slightest sound of any firing. They had a much greater extent of ground to pass over in retreat than the rest of the Brigade, and yet, by the above unfortunate circumstance, they were the last to retire.
Zieten, having ascertained, about eight o'clock, that the 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 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, 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[8] 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 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 Lützow, 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 Lützow 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 Lefèbvre-Desnouettes, 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 Lefèbvre-Desnouettes. The 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. 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, Gérard's Corps not having as yet arrived at that point. He posted the Fusilier Battalion of the 6th Regiment in a small Wood which lay in advance on the exterior slope of the ridge; four guns on the right, upon an eminence commanding the valley in front; two guns between this point and the Fleurus road, as also two guns on the right of the road, to impede as much as possible the advance of any Columns towards Gilly. The Sharp Shooters of the Fusilier Battalion of the 6th Regiment, by lining some adjacent hedges, afforded protection to the Artillery. The 2nd Battalion of the 28th Regiment was stationed beyond the Fleurus road, near the Abbey of Soleilmont, in such a manner as to be concealed from the Enemy. The 1st Battalion of this Regiment stood across the road leading to Lambusart; and its Fusilier Battalion was posted more to the left, towards Châtelet. The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr was posted in support of the Battery in rear of Gilly. The 1st Battalion of this Regiment, previously mentioned as on the march from Dampremy to Fleurus, passed through Lodelinsart and Soleilmont, and rejoined the Brigade in rear of Gilly, before the affair had terminated. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th Regiment formed the Reserve. The 1st West Prussian Dragoons were posted on the declivity of the ridge towards Châtelet: they furnished the Advanced Posts, and patrolled the valley of the Sambre, maintaining the communication with the Detachment at Farciennes, belonging to the Third Brigade.
General Pirch, foreseeing that in the event of the Enemy succeeding in turning his Right, a rapid advance along the Fleurus road would be the means of greatly molesting, if not of seriously endangering, his retreat upon Lambusart, took the precaution of having this road blocked up by an abatis in the Wood through which it led.
Vandammme did not reach Charleroi until three o'clock in the afternoon, when he received Orders to pursue the Prussians, in conjunction with Grouchy, along the Fleurus road. It was, however, a considerable time before any advance was made. In the first place, the whole of Vandamme's Corps had to cross the Sambre by a single Bridge; secondly, both Generals were deceived by exaggerated reports concerning the strength of the Prussians in rear of the Fleurus Woods; and Grouchy who had gone forward to reconnoitre, returned to the Emperor with a request for further instructions. Upon this, Napoleon undertook a reconnaissance in person, accompanied by the four Squadrons de Service; and having formed an opinion that the amount of force in question did not exceed 18, or 20,000 men, he gave his Orders for the attack of General Pirch's Brigade.
The French Generals having directed their preparatory dispositions from the Windmill near the Farm of Grand Drieu, opened the engagement about six o'clock in the evening, with a fire from two Batteries. Three Columns of Infantry advanced in echelon from the right, the first directing its course towards the little Wood occupied by the Fusilier Battalion of the 6th Prussian Regiment; the second passing to the right of Gilly; and the third winding round the left of this Village. The attack was supported by two Brigades of General Excelmans' Cavalry Corps, namely, those of Generals Bourthe and Bonnemain; of which one was directed towards Châtelet, thus menacing the Prussian Left Flank, and the other advanced along the Fleurus road.
The Battery attached to the Second Prussian Brigade was in the act of replying with great spirit to the superior fire from the French Artillery, and the Light Troops were already engaged, when General Pirch received Zieten's Orders to avoid an action against superior numbers, and to retire by Lambusart upon Fleurus.
Perceiving the formidable advance and overwhelming force of the Enemy, he did not hesitate a moment in carrying those Orders into effect, and made his dispositions accordingly; but the retreat had scarcely commenced when his Battalions were vigorously assailed by the French Cavalry. Napoleon, in the hope of profiting by this retrograde movement, sent against the retreating Columns the four Squadrons de Service of the Guard, under General Letort, a distinguished Cavalry Officer attached to his Staff. The Prussian Infantry withstood the repeated attacks of the French Cavalry with undaunted bravery, and aided by the gallant exertions of Lieutenant Colonel Woisky, who boldly met the Enemy with the 1st West Prussian Dragoons, and checked his progress, the greater part of it succeeded in gaining the Wood of Fleurus. The Fusilier Battalion of the 28th Regiment (of which it will be recollected, one Company had previously been captured on the right bank of the Sambre) was the only Column broken on this occasion. It had been ordered to retire into the Wood by Rondchamp, but before it could complete the movement, it was overtaken by the Enemy's Cavalry, by which it was furiously assailed, and suffered a loss of two thirds of its number.
The Fusilier Battalion of the 6th Regiment was more fortunate. When about five hundred paces from the Wood, it was attacked by the Enemy's Cavalry on the plain, but forming Square, and reserving its fire until the French horsemen had approached within twenty or thirty paces, it gallantly repelled several charges. As the vigour with which these attacks were made began to slacken, the Battalion cleared its way with the bayonet through the Cavalry that continued hovering round it. One of its Companies immediately extended itself along the edge of the wood, and kept the French Cavalry at bay. The latter suffered severely on this occasion, and General Letort who led the attacks was mortally wounded.
The Brandenburg Dragoons had been detached by Zieten in support of Pirch's Brigade, and opportunely reaching the Field of Action, made several charges against the French Cavalry, which they repulsed and compelled to relinquish its pursuit.
Pirch's Brigade now took up a position in front of Lambusart, which was occupied by some Battalions of the Third Brigade, and General Röder joined it with his remaining three Regiments of Cavalry and a Battery of Horse Artillery. At this moment, the French Cavalry, which was formed up in position, opened a fire from three Batteries of Horse Artillery, and thus brought on a cannonade, with which, however, the affair terminated.
The First Prussian Brigade having safely executed its retreat from Heppignies, towards Fleurus, reached St. Amand about eleven o'clock at night.
The Detachments left by the Third Brigade at Farciennes and Tamines, had been previously called in, and effected their retreat without any molestation, as did also, subsequently, the Second Brigade from Lambusart, by Boulet, towards Fleurus, protected by the Reserve Cavalry.
Zieten's Corps, at three o'clock in the morning had possessed a line of Advanced Posts, from Dinant on the Meuse, crossing the Sambre at Thuin, and extending as far as Bonne Esperance, in advance of Binche; thus stretching along a space of from forty to fifty miles in length: its main force occupied the Sambre from Thuin as far as its confluence with the Meuse, an extent of, at least, thirty six miles, exclusive of the numerous windings throughout the whole course of the river between those two points. The men had, since daybreak, been constantly under arms, in motion, and almost as constantly engaged, pursued, and assailed upon all points by an overwhelming superiority of force, headed by the élite of the French Cavalry; and it was not until about eleven o'clock at night that the Corps effected its concentration in position between Ligny and St. Amand, at a distance varying from fourteen to twenty miles in rear of its original extended line of Outposts; after having successfully and gloriously fulfilled the arduous task imposed upon it of gaining sufficient time for the concentration, on the following day, of all the Prussian Corps, by stemming, as well as its scattered force would admit, the imposing advance of the whole French Army.
The loss of the First Prussian Corps d'Armée on the 15th of June, amounted to 1200 men. The Fusilier Battalions of the 28th Regiment and of the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr, reduced to mere skeletons, were united, and formed into one Battalion.
Before ten o'clock on the morning of the 15th, a further Order was despatched from the Prussian Head Quarters to the Third Corps d'Armée, to the effect that after resting during the night at Namur, it was to continue its march upon the morning of the 16th, towards Sombref.
At half past eleven o'clock in the forenoon a despatch was forwarded to Bülow, announcing the advance of the French, and requesting that the Corps after having rested at Hannut, should commence its march upon Gembloux by daybreak of the 16th, at the latest.
By three o'clock in the afternoon of the 15th, the Second Corps d'Armée had taken up the position assigned to it between Onoz and Mazy in the immediate vicinity of Sombref, with the exception, however, of the Seventh Brigade, which, having been stationed in the most remote of the Quarters occupied by the Corps, did not reach Namur until midnight. Here the latter found an Order for its continuance in Namur until the arrival of the Third Corps d'Armée; but as this had already taken place, the Brigade, after a few hours' rest, resumed its march, and joined its Corps at Sombref about ten o'clock in the morning of the 16th June.
Thielemann passed the night at Namur, which he occupied with the Tenth Brigade; the Ninth Brigade bivouacked on the right, and the Eleventh on the left, of Belgrade, a village at a short distance from the town, on the road to Sombref; the Twelfth Brigade in rear of the Ninth; the Reserve Cavalry at Flavinne, between that road and the Sambre; and the Reserve Artillery on the left of the road.
It has already been explained that on the 14th, Blücher sent off a despatch to Bülow desiring him to make such a disposition of his Corps as should enable his troops to reach Hannut in one march; and that at midnight of the 14th, a second despatch was forwarded, requiring him to concentrate the Fourth Corps at Hannut. The first of these despatches reached Bülow, at Liege, at five o'clock on the morning of the 15th; when he issued the necessary Orders with an instruction that they should be acted upon as soon as the troops had dined, and forwarded a report of this arrangement to Head Quarters. These Orders to his troops had been despatched some hours, and the consequent movements were for the most part in operation, when, towards noon, the second despatch arrived. Bülow, considering the effect which the change required by this new Order would have upon the troops, inasmuch as their reception was prepared in quarters to which, in this case, they would no longer proceed, and they would have nothing provided for them in the destined bivouac near Hannut, also as a great proportion of them could not receive the Orders for the change in the direction of their march until evening, decided upon deferring the new movement until daybreak of the 16th. The despatch, moreover, did not require him to establish his Head Quarters at Hannut, but merely suggested that the latter appeared the most suitable for the purpose. The General was, besides, perfectly unconscious of the commencement of hostilities, which, indeed, he had expected would be preceded by a Declaration of War; and he had also good grounds for an opinion which he had formed that it was in contemplation to assemble the whole Army at Hannut.
He made a report to Head Quarters of his reasons for deferring the execution of the Order, with the intimation that he would be at Hannut by midday of the 16th. Captain Below, on Bülow's Staff, who carried this despatch, arrived at nine o'clock in the evening of the 15th at Namur, where he discovered that the Head Quarters of the Army had been transferred to Sombref.
At half past eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 15th, another despatch was forwarded to Bülow from Namur, announcing the advance of the French, and requesting that the Fourth Corps, after having rested at Hannut, should commence its march upon Gembloux, by daybreak of the 16th at latest. The Orderly who carried it was directed to proceed to Hannut, the presumed Head Quarters of Bülow's Corps on that day. On reaching that place, the Orderly found the previous despatch lying in readiness for the General, and, mounting a fresh horse, he then went on with both despatches to Liege, where he arrived at sunrise. The Orders which they contained had now, however, become impracticable, in consequence of Bülow's not having immediately carried into effect the first Order to collect at Hannut; and thus by one of those mischances, which, in war, occasionally mar the best planned operations, the opportune arrival of the Fourth Prussian Corps at the Battle of Ligny, which would, in all probability, have changed the aspect of affairs, was rendered a matter of impossibility.
Late in the evening, and after Prince Blücher had established his Head Quarters at Sombref, Captain Below arrived with the before mentioned report from Count Bülow; on receiving which his Highness was made sensible that he could no longer calculate with certainty upon being joined by the Fourth Corps on the following day.
It was seven o'clock in the evening of the 15th, when Marshal Ney, who had just arrived, joined the Emperor near Charleroi, at the point where the road to Fleurus branches off from the one to Brussels. Having expressed the pleasure he felt at seeing him, Napoleon gave him the command of the First and Second Corps d'Armée; explaining at the same time that Reille was advancing with three Divisions upon Gosselies; that d'Erlon would pass the night at Marchienne au Pont; that he would find under his orders Piré's Light Cavalry Division; as also the two Regiments of Chasseurs and Lancers of the Guard, of which, however, he was not to make use except as a Reserve. "Tomorrow," added the Emperor, "you will be joined by the Reserve Corps of Heavy Cavalry under Kellermann. Go and drive back the Enemy."
It has already been shown in the preceding Chapter, that the extreme Left of the Duke of Wellington's Army, composed of de Perponcher's Second Dutch-Belgian Division, rested upon the Charleroi road to Brussels. The Second Brigade of this Division, under Colonel Gödecke, was thus located:—1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment of Nassau, at Hautain le Val; the 2nd Battalion, at Frasne and Villers Peruin; the 3rd Battalion, at Bezy, Sart à Mavelines, and Quatre Bras; both Battalions of the Regiment of Orange-Nassau, at Genappe. There was also at Frasne a Dutch Battery of Horse Artillery, under Captain Byleveld.
