Chapter XX
Prince Blücher had satisfied himself, by means of the reconnaissances made during the 29th, that very considerable pains had been taken by the Enemy to oppose a serious obstruction to the farther advance of troops marching against the north side of Paris.
He was now desirous of ascertaining Whether the disposition and spirit of the Enemy’s troops were at all commensurate with the extent of the Works which he saw before him: and, with this view, he directed Bülow to make an attack, in the night of the 29th, with part of his Corps d’Armée, upon Aubervilliers. He also desired Zieten to support this attack, by raising as much alarm as possible in the Villages of Bondy and Pontin.
Before the attack commenced, Blücher was joined by Wellington in person, who communicated to him the Proposals which had been made by the French Commissioners. Being already engaged in an important operation, he could not consent to suspend hostilities; and the two Commanders agreed in opinion that, as long as Napoleon remained in Paris, they could not arrest their operations without insisting upon his being delivered up to them. Accordingly, the Duke wrote a letter immediately to the Commissioners to this effect.
Blücher confided the attack upon Aubervilliers to General Sydow, with the Thirteenth Brigade (nine Battalions), together with one Battalion of the Fourteenth Brigade, and two Regiments of Cavalry. The remainder of the Fourth Corps d’Armée was held under arms, in readiness to follow up any acquired advantage. Four Battalions advanced in Column, under Colonel Lettow, supported by the remaining five Battalions. The arrangements, being made during the night, occupied some little time, so that twilight had set in when the attack commenced. Colonel Lettow penetrated the extensive Village on three sides, forced the barriers, and carried every thing before him with the bayonet. The place had been occupied by one thousand of the Enemy’s best troops; of whom two hundred were made prisoners, and the remainder pursued as far as the Canal of St Denis.
General Sydow, accompanied by Major Lützow of the Staff, immediately made a reconnaissance of the Canal; and soon discovered that its opposite bank was lined with Infantry in great force, and that the different points of passage were defended by Batteries. Nevertheless he made the attempt to advance; but the troops were received with a vigorous fire of both artillery and musketry; and it soon became evident, that the Enemy’s fortified position could not be taken except at a great sacrifice of both time and men. Sydow, therefore, limited his operations to the occupation of the captured Village.
A simultaneous advance towards the Canal was made, on the left of Aubervilliers, by the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Pomeranian Landwehr, and the 10th Regiment of Hussars; which maintained the communication with the First Corps. A sharp tiraillade took place, which terminated in the withdrawal of these troops to their former position.
By means of this reconnaissance it was made sufficiently manifest that the line of the Canal of St Denis could not be carried without a serious assault, preluded by a heavy cannonade. It then became a question with the Allied Commanders, who had thus, most fortunately, the opportunity of concerting measures in person, Whether it would not be advisable to endeavour to turn the Enemy’s strongly fortified lines of St Denis and Montmartre, by masking those lines with one Army, whilst the other should move off to the right, and cross to the left bank of the Seine, lower down the stream.
Although this movement would have the effect of extending and dividing the Allied forces, and consequently of augmenting the chances of success on the part of the Enemy: should the latter possess the disposition and the means, not only of acting determinedly on the defensive, but also of assuming the offensive, accordingly as circumstances might favour the attempt; still any defeat of this kind was fully counterbalanced by the advantages which the plan presented. It cut off the entire communication with Normandy, from which Paris derived its chief supplies; whilst the approach of the Bavarian Army towards the opposite side was gradually limiting the resources of the capital in that quarter. It enabled the Commanders to present their forces simultaneously at different points: and thus, by continuing that display of vigour which had characterised their advance, they were far more likely to impose upon the morale of both the defeated Army and the citizens, than by limiting their combined operations to the attack of the stronghold presented by the lines of St Denis; for to do this, would, in all probability, require time, and it was evident from the repeated Proposals made by the French Government for a Suspension of Hostilities, that time was their great object, whether for the purpose of facilitating the collection and organisation of their resources, or in the hope of obtaining more favourable terms from the Allies.
It had also been tolerably well ascertained that, although fortified works had been thrown up on the right bank of the Seine, the defence of the left bank had been comparatively neglected. A further inducement towards the adoption of this plan arose from a Report which was now received from Major Colomb, stating that although he had found the Bridge of Chatou, leading to Malmaison, destroyed: he had hastened to that of St Germain, on hearing that it had not been injured; and succeeded in gaining possession of it at the very moment the French were on the point of effecting its destruction. The Bridge of Maisons, still lower down the stream, was also taken and occupied.
No time was lost by the Prussian Commander in taking advantage of the captured Bridges across the Seine.
Lieutenant Colonel Sohr received an Order that night to move, with his Cavalry Brigade (the Brandenburg and Pomeranian Hussars), from the vicinity of Louvres, and to regulate his march so that he might cross the Seine at St Germain on the following morning. Thence he was to proceed so as to appear, with his Brigade, on the 1st of July, upon the Orleans road from Paris; where he was to interrupt this communication, and increase the confusion already produced in that quarter by the fugitives from the capital. Altogether, he was to act independently and discretionally; and, as far as practicable, to impede the supplies of provisions from the Western and Southern Provinces.
It was arranged that the Prussian Army should move to its right for the purpose of crossing the Seine; and, in order to mask the operation as much as possible, the Advanced Posts of the First and Fourth Corps d’Armée were to remain in their present position until the arrival of the Anglo-Allied Army, which was expected to take place on the evening of the 30th.
The Third Corps was directed to resume, at five o’clock in the morning of the 30th, its march upon Gonesse; and thence to proceed to St Germain: but in such a manner as to conceal its movements by means of the valley of Montmorency, and not to reach the more open ground about Argenteuil until darkness should have completely set in. From the latter point it would then complete its march to St Germain.
The First Corps was ordered to break up from its bivouac at ten o’clock in the evening, and march southward of Gonesse by Montmorency, Franconville, Cormeilles, and Maisons, at which latter point it was to cross the Seine, and immediately open a communication with the Third Corps.
The Fourth Corps d’Armée was directed to move, at daybreak of the 1st of July, by the right of St Denis, and to bombard this place during its march to Argenteuil; in which direction it was to effect a junction with the First and Third Corps. The Advanced Posts of the First and Fourth Corps were to remain until relieved by the British troops; and then, in like manner, to follow the rest of the Army.
These movements were punctually directed in the manner described.
As the First and Third Corps d’Armée moved off to the right, Count Bülow considered it necessary to strengthen the Outposts of the Fourth Corps, so as to be prepared to meet the Enemy should the latter debouch from St Denis. He therefore ordered Colonel Hiller to take post in observation of this point, with six Battalions, a Regiment of Cavalry, half of a six pounder Battery, and two pieces of Horse Artillery.
About three o’clock in the afternoon, the Prussian Outposts reported that French Columns were advancing from St Denis, and that the Vedettes were already driven in. Colonel Hiller immediately pushed forward the Sharpshooters of two Battalions, as also two Squadrons of Cavalry, with two pieces of Horse Artillery. At the same time, the troops at Stains got under arms, and were prepared to support. A very brisk tiraillade ensued, although there was no cover for the Skirmishers on the plain, except the trees along the great road and the high corn, which served to conceal their approach. The Enemy had also sent Detachments towards Epinay and Pierrefitte; but at these points, as also in advance of Stains, the French were compelled to give way and to retire, without having succeeded in their object of forcing back the Prussian Outposts.
The main body of the Fourth Corps d’Armée remained, during the 30th, in its position at Le Bourget; its Advanced Guard, under General Sydow, was detached to the right, towards Argenteuil, to communicate with the Third Corps d’Armée. As the former was to move off on the following morning, it became necessary to hold the Outposts strictly on the defensive. Aubervilliers was the most open to attack. Two Companies were posted at the outlets, towards the French side; and in rear of these, two other Companies were formed in support. Still further to the rear was the main position; on which these troops, if overpowered, were to fall back. It lay along the Villages of Chantourterelle, Courneuve, and Merville, connected together by a water course lined with bushes, and consisting of separate Country Houses and Châteaux, mostly within walls, which had been loopholed for Tirailleurs. Six Battalions, chiefly extended in skirmishing order, were considered sufficient to occupy the whole of this line, as far as the high road from Le Bourget. Partial skirmishing, at a distance, was kept up; though, on the side of the Prussians, it was more for the purpose of diverting the attention of the Enemy, and concealing from him the general movement to the right. Bivouac fires were maintained during the night on the ground vacated by the different Corps, in order to deceive the Enemy by their apparent indication of the continued presence of the Prussian Army in front of the lines of St Denis.
On this day, the Advanced Guard of the Anglo-Allied Army (Vivian’s Hussar Brigade) reached Vauderlan. The British Cavalry moved to Louvres.
Estorff’s Cavalry, attached to the Second Corps, crossed the Oise at Creil, and proceeded by Chantilly to Luzarches. The Infantry of this Corps marched from Clermont to Chantilly.
The First Corps moved from its camp near St Martin Longeau, crossed the Oise at Pont St Maxence, and advanced until the head of the Column reached La Capelle, and its rear rested upon Senlis.
The Reserve moved from its camp, near Gournay, by Pont St Maxence, the head of the Column reaching Fleurines on the road to Senlis, and the rear resting upon Pont St Maxence.
The following were the positions of the respective Armies on the evening of the 30th:—
The First Prussian Corps d’ Armée commenced its march, at half past ten o’clock in the evening, from Blancmesnil and Aulnay towards St Germain, passing, during the night, through Gonesse, Montmorency, and Le Mesnil, to Carrière au Mont, near St Germain—leaving its Outposts in the position they had hitherto occupied.
The Third Corps d’Armée marched, during the night, from Dammartin to St Germain, by Gonesse and Argenteuil; at which latter place, however, its Reserve Cavalry was halted.
The Fourth Corps d’Armée remained in its position at Le Bourget, to cover the march of the rest of the Army. Its Outposts continued at Stains, St Denis, and Aubervilliers. Lieutenant Colonel von Sohr, with the Brandenburg and Pomeranian Hussars, crossed the Seine at St Germain, and was advancing towards Versailles.
Major von Colomb, with the 8th Hussars, occupied the Bridge of St Germain.
The Head Quarters of Prince Blücher continued at Gonesse.
The Advanced Guard of the Anglo-Allied Army was at Vauderlan.
The British Cavalry was encamped on the plain about Louvres.
The Hanoverian Cavalry was at Luzarches.
The Second and Fourth Divisions, and the Nassau troops, were upon the high road between La Capelle and Senlis.
The Fifth and Sixth Divisions, the Brunswick troops, and the Reserve Artillery, were upon the high road between Fleurines and Pont St Maxence.
The Pontoon Train and Hawser Bridges were at Senlis.
The Duke of Wellington’s Head Quarters were at Louvres.
The French Army remained within the lines of Paris.
Since the departure of Napoleon, both the Army and the citizens looked upon the Parliament as the sole directing power; and, in full reliance upon its integrity, appeared willingly submissive to its dictates. Fouché, who had been in secret communication with the Allies, decided upon exercising, in accordance with their views, the great influence he had succeeded in acquiring over a very considerable portion of the Deputies. It was mainly by means of this influence that he contrived to remove the principal obstacle in the way of all negotiation—the presence of Napoleon. His next step was to prepare the Chamber for the return to power of the legitimate Monarch: a measure which he could only hope to accomplish by holding it forth as the sole alternative to the destruction of Paris by the vast and overwhelming force of the Allied Armies marching towards the capital from the north and east frontiers; and by combining with it the adoption of such modifications of the Charter as should satisfy the desires of the Constitutionalists and the moderately disposed of all Parties.
Aware that the Army was animated with a spirit of determined resistance towards the Allies; he plainly saw that, unless conciliated, the turbulent Buonapartists, with whom its ranks were filled, might speedily frustrate the accomplishment of his plans by which the peace of the capital was to be preserved, and ultimately prevent the attainment of that extended Constitutional Power for which the Deputies were contending. He, therefore, with his usual adroitness, addressed himself to its Chief, Marshal Davoust, Prince of Eckmühl; and by his skilful exposition of the political posture of affairs, he succeeded in gaining over the Marshal to his views. The latter wrote to him on the evening of the 29th, that he had overcome his prejudices; and had arrived at the conclusion that the only safe course to be pursued consisted in entering into an Armistice, and proclaiming Louis XVIII.
On the 30th, the Prince, as the Head of the French Army, addressed the following letter to both Wellington and Blücher:—
“Head Quarters, La Villette, June 30, 1815.
“My Lord,
“Your hostile movements continue, although, according to the Declarations of the Allied Sovereigns, the motives of the War which they make upon us no longer exist; since the Emperor Napoleon has abdicated.
“At the moment when blood is again on the point of flowing, I receive from Marshal the Duke of Albufera a telegraphic despatch, of which I transmit you a copy. My Lord, I guarantee this Armistice on my honour. All the reasons you might have had to continue hostilities are destroyed; because you can have no other instruction from your Government than that which the Austrian Generals had from theirs.
“I make the formal demand to your Excellency of ceasing all hostilities, and of our proceeding to agree to an Armistice, according to the decision of Congress. I cannot believe, my Lord, that my request will be ineffectual; you will take upon yourself a great responsibility in the eyes of your fellow countrymen.
“No other motive but that of putting an end to the effusion of blood, and the interests of my country, has dictated this letter.
“If I present myself on the Field of Battle, with the idea of your talents, I shall carry the conviction of there combating for the most sacred of causes—that of the defence and independence of my country; and, whatever may be the result, I shall merit your esteem.
“Accept, &c.,
“The Marshal Prince of Eckmühl,
“Minister at War.”
To this the Duke of Wellington replied in the following terms:—
“Head Quarters, July 1, 1815—10 A.M.
“Monsieur le Maréchal,
“I have just received your Excellency’s letter of the 30th June, in which your Excellency communicates to me the intelligence you have received of an Armistice having been concluded by General Frimont with Marshal the Duke of Albufera.
“I have already made known, in writing, to the French Commissioners sent to the Allied Powers, and verbally, to the Commissioners sent to me, the reasons which have prevented me from suspending my operations; which reasons, I have cause to believe, are fully adopted by the Allies of my Sovereign, and of those whose Armies I have the honour of commanding.
“I have every wish to prevent the further effusion of the blood of the brave troops under my command; but it must be upon the conditions which shall secure the re-establishment and the stability of the General Peace.
“I have the honour to be, &c.,
“Wellington.”
Prince Blücher, who entertained a great contempt for diplomacy, attributing as he did the cause of the renewal of the War to the ill concocted schemes to which that War had given birth, had hitherto refrained from either receiving in person, or noticing in writing, any communication addressed to him by the French authorities. He applied himself solely to the military solution of the Great Problem on which depended the Peace of Europe.
Upon this occasion, however, tempted probably by the opportunity which was offered to him of sharply retorting upon the Marshal, under whose government of Hamburg the greatest excesses had been committed upon his countrymen; he was induced to pen the following reply, couched in his rough native German, as if to evince both his disdain of the usual diplomatic mode of communication, and his dislike of even the very language of the country he so thoroughly detested:—
“To the French General Davoust.
“Head Quarters, July 1, 1815.
“Marshal,
“It is not conformable to truth that, because Napoleon has abdicated the throne, there exists no further motive for War between the Allied Powers and France. His abdication is conditional; that is, in favour of his son: but a Decree of the Allied Powers excludes not only Napoleon, but every member of his Family, from the Throne.
“If General Frimont has considered himself authorised to conclude an Armistice with your General opposed to him, that is no motive for us to do the same. We shall pursue our victory. GOD has given us strength and resolution to do so. Beware, Marshal, of what you do; and forbear devoting another city to destruction! for you know what liberties the exasperated soldiers would take, should your capital be carried by storm. Do you solicit the maledictions of Paris, in addition to those of Hamburg?
“We shall enter Paris to protect the respectable inhabitants against the mob, by whom they are threatened with pillage. An Armistice can be made with security nowhere but in Paris. This, our relative position towards your Nation, be pleased, Marshal, not to mistake!
“Let me finally observe to you, Marshal, if you mean to negotiate with us, it is matter of surprise that, in defiance of the Law of Nations, you detain our Officers dispatched with Letters and Orders.
“In the usual form of conventional civility, I have the honour to be,
“Marshal,
“Your obedient servant,
“Blücher.”
Whilst thus endeavouring to draw the Allied Generals into negotiation; Fouché and Davoust felt the necessity of carrying out their plans with the greatest caution, and in such a manner as to prevent any unfavourable construction being put upon their motives by the Army.
On the evening of the 30th of June, there was an assemblage of General Officers at the Head Quarters in Villette; at which it was proposed to send up an Address to the Chamber of Representatives expressive of the determined spirit of resistance which animated the troops, and of their hostility to the Bourbons. It was adopted by the majority; and Davoust, though secretly working with Fouché for the Restoration of Louis XVIII., did not hesitate to attach to it his signature. It was couched in the following terms:—
“Camp at Villette, 30th June.
“Representatives of the People!
“We are in presence of our Enemies. We swear before you and the world to defend, to our last breath, the cause of our independence and the national honour.
“It is wished to impose the Bourbons upon us, but these Princes are rejected by the immense majority of Frenchmen. If their return could be agreed to, recollect, Representatives, that you would sign the annihilation of the Army; which for twenty years has been the Palladium of French honour. There are in War, especially when it has been long conducted, successes and reverses. In our successes, we have appeared great and generous. If it is wished to humble us in our reverses, we shall know how to die.
“The Bourbons present no guarantee to the Nation. We received them with sentiments of the most generous confidence: we forgot all the calamities they had caused us in their rage to deprive us of our most sacred rights. Well! what return did they make for this confidence? They treated us as rebels and as vanquished. Representatives! these reflections are terrible, because they are true. History will one day relate what the Bourbons have done to replace themselves on the Throne of France; it will also narrate the conduct of the Army; of that Army essentially national; and posterity will judge which best deserved the esteem of the World.
“The Marshal Prince of Eckmühl, Minister at War,
“Count Pajol, commanding the First Corps of Cavalry,
“Count d’Erlon, commanding the Right Wing,
“Count Vandamme, General in Chief.”
(And fifteen other Generals.)
The Chambers being thus appealed to, felt it incumbent on them to issue a Proclamation explanatory of the political situation of France; and of their own intentions under all the critical circumstances in which it presented itself to their view. This document, cautiously drawn up by the Constitutionalists who formed the preponderating party in the State, and strongly marked by the policy which was pursued throughout by Fouché, was framed with great tact. Although it acknowledged the nomination of Napoleon’s son to the Empire, it manifested no hostility to the Bourbons: it expressed a desire to secure a Monarchical and Representative Government; but, at the same time, declared that the Head of the Government, whoever he might be, must enter into a solemn Compact and abide by the Constitutional Charter.
In short, its general tone was sufficiently independent to secure for it, if not the approbation, at least the acquiescence, of both the Liberals and the Buonapartists; whilst, on the other hand, it significantly indicated the terms upon which a Bourbon might re-ascend the throne, and rally round him the Friends of Constitutional Order and Civil Rights. With but few exceptions it admitted of being reconciled with the Proclamation published on the 28th of June by Louis XVIII. It ran thus:—
“Frenchmen!
“The Foreign Powers proclaimed, in the face of Europe, that they were only armed against Napoleon; and that they wished to respect our independence, and the right which belongs to every Nation to choose a Government suitable to its habits and its interests.
“Napoleon is no longer the Chief of the State. He has renounced the Throne, and his Abdication has been accepted by your Representatives. He is removed from us. His son is called to the Empire by the Constitution of the State. The coalesced Sovereigns are informed of this; and the War ought to be terminated, if the promises of Kings have any foundation in truth.
“While Plenipotentiaries have been sent to the Allied Powers to treat for peace in the name of France; the Generals of two of those Powers have refused any Suspension of Arms. Their troops have accelerated their marches under favour of a moment of hesitation and trouble. They are now at the very gates of the capital, and no communication has stated for what object the War is continued. Our Plenipotentiaries will soon declare whether we must renounce Peace. In the mean time, resistance is not only legitimate, but necessary: and humanity, in requiring an account of the blood uselessly shed, will not accuse those brave men who only combat to repel from their houses the scourges of war, murder, and pillage; and to defend with their lives the cause of Liberty, and of that Independence the imprescriptible right of which has been guaranteed to them even by the Manifestoes of their Enemies.
“Amidst these circumstances, your Representatives cannot forget that they were not chosen to stipulate for the interests of any individual Party, but for the whole Nation. Every act of weakness will dishonour them, and will only tend to endanger the future tranquillity of France. While the Government is employing all the means in its power to obtain a solid Peace; or, should that not be obtained without compromising our honour, to repel the Battalions of Foreigners: what more advantages to the Nation can be done than to collect and establish the fundamental rules of a Monarchical and Representative Government, destined to secure to all citizens the free enjoyment of those sacred rights which sacrifices so numerous and so great have purchased; and to rally for ever, under the National Colours, that great body of Frenchmen who have no other interest, and no other wish, than an honourable repose and a just independence.
“Meanwhile the Chambers conceive that their duty and their dignity require them to declare that they will never acknowledge, as legitimate Chief of the State, him who, on ascending the Throne, shall refuse to acknowledge the Rights of the Nation, and to consecrate them by a solemn Compact. The Constitutional Charter is drawn up; and if the force of arms should succeed in temporarily imposing upon us a Master—if the destinies of a great Nation are again to be delivered up to the caprice and arbitrary will of a small number of privileged persons—then, in yielding to force, the National Representation will protest in the face of the whole World against the oppression of the French People.
“Your Representatives will appeal to the energy of the present and future generations to renew their claim both to National Independence, and the Rights of Civil and Religious Liberty. For these Rights they now appeal to the reason and the justice of all civilized Nations.”
Notwithstanding the continued endeavours, on the part of the French Commissioners appointed by the Chambers, to induce the Allied Generals to enter upon an Armistice; the military operations were not for a moment interrupted.
On the morning of the 1st of July, Bülow’s Corps d’ Armée (the Fourth) moved off to its right, towards Argenteuil. During the movement, however; the Enemy, as if at length aware, or desirous of ascertaining the nature, of Blücher’s operation, attacked the Village of Aubervilliers in front, from the Canal of St Denis, and penetrated as far as the Church situated in the centre of the place. The French were here met by the Prussian Support; and two Battalions from the main position arriving immediately afterwards, they were prevented from making any further progress. Nevertheless, a prolonged tiraillade, as well as a howitzer fire, on the part of the French, were maintained; during which the march of Bülow’s Corps continued in operation, the Fourteenth Brigade being left in support to the Advanced Posts until the arrival of the Anglo-Allied troops.
In the afternoon, the Duke of Wellington’s Army reached Le Bourget; and took up the position vacated by Prince Blücher, whose Advanced Posts it immediately relieved. Three Companies of Light Infantry from Colville’s Division were thrown into Aubervilliers. The Prussians who had hitherto been stationed for the purpose of masking as much as possible the general movement of their Army to the right, had kept up a desultory fire from that portion of the Village which was in their possession; abstaining from making any direct attack, since this might have led to the advance of the French in great force at the moment the former were no longer supported by the main Army, and before the Anglo-Allied troops had arrived.
The British Light Companies, mentioned as having been thrown into Aubervilliers, were under no restraint of this kind; and Lieutenant Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, who commanded them, determined to push forward, and possess himself, if possible, of the entire Village. Having first gained two or three of the highest houses, he broke from the top of these into some that were lower; and thence forcing his way through the partition walls of others, without much firing, since the French did not appear disposed to make an obstinate resistance (being by that time probably aware of the Prussian movement to the right, and of the arrival of the Anglo-Allied Army), he succeeded in obtaining possession of one side of a whole street, and of the greater portion of the Village. The French Officer in command then proposed a truce; which was accepted, since the Post he occupied lay between the British and a Battery upon the Canal. The remaining Outposts were taken up from the Prussians without any molestation on the part of the Enemy; and the main Anglo-Allied Army occupied a position, having its Right upon the Height of Richebourg, and its Left upon the Wood of Bondy.
It will be recollected that Lieutenant Colonel Sohr, of the Prussian Light Cavalry, was directed to pass the Bridge of St Germain on the morning of the 30th of June, and to show himself on the Orleans road upon the 1st of July. Starting at daybreak of the 30th, the Brigade passed through Montmorency and Argenteuil, towards St Germain; where it fell in with Major Colomb’s Detachment, consisting of the 8th Hussars and two Battalions of Infantry. It then moved on about a league further, to Marly, upon the Versailles road; which it reached at nightfall, and where it bivouacked. On the morning of the 1st of July, Lieutenant Colonel Sohr resumed his march, and took the direction of Versailles, which place, however, he did not reach until noon; much delay having occurred whilst passing through the intersected ground in that quarter, and in awaiting the Reports from the Detachments sent out in different directions to gain intelligence of the Enemy.
This bold and hazardous movement of Lieutenant Colonel Sohr’s Brigade, which was acting independently as a Free Corps for the time, did not escape the Enemy’s observation. General Excelmans, who commanded the French Cavalry on the south side of Paris, on receiving information that two Regiments of Prussian Hussars were advancing by Marly upon Versailles, resolved to attack them.
For this purpose he proceeded himself with the 5th, 15th, and 20th Dragoons, and the 6th Hussars, comprising a force of three thousand men, along the road from Montrouge towards Plessis Piquet, against the front of the Prussian Brigade. At the same time, the Light Cavalry Division of General Piré, together with the 33rd Regiment of Infantry, consisting of three Battalions, were detached against the flank and rear of the Prussian Brigade. The 5th and 6th Lancers marched by the Sèvres road upon Viroflay; the 6th Chasseurs proceeded to occupy the cross roads connecting Sèvres with the northern portion of Versailles; the 1st Chasseurs moved by Sèvres towards Rocquencourt, about three miles from Versailles, on the road to St Germain; in which direction the 33rd Infantry followed. Both the latter Regiments were destined to cut off the retreat of the Prussian Cavalry, should it be driven back by Excelmans. An exceedingly well planned ambush was now laid in and about Rocquencourt, and every precaution taken by the detaching of small parties on the look out.
It was late in the afternoon when Lieutenant Colonel Sohr received intelligence that the Enemy’s Cavalry was approaching, and that his Advanced Guard was attacked. He immediately advanced with both his Hussar Regiments, and drove back the Enemy upon Villa Coublai, in the Defile of which Village a sharp engagement ensued. In this attack the ranks of the Prussian Hussars had become disordered; and, as the latter retired, they were fallen upon by the 5th and 6th French Lancers of Piré’s Light Cavalry Brigade, before alluded to as having been posted in ambush. They then fell back upon Versailles, pursued by the French; who vainly endeavoured to force an entrance into the Town, at the Gate of which a gallant resistance was made by the Prussians. The short time that was gained by this resistance sufficed for collecting the main body of the Brigade on the open space at the outlet leading to St Germain, towards which point it might have retreated through the Park; but, having received information of the advance of Thielemann’s Corps, and expecting every moment to derive from it a Support, Lieutenant Colonel Sohr retired by the more direct road through Rocquencourt.
About seven o’clock in the evening, at which time the Hussars had collected their scattered force together, and were on the point of commencing their further retreat upon St Germain: Sohr received intelligence, upon which he could rely, that he had been turned by both Cavalry and Infantry; and that his line of retreat had been intercepted. His decision was instantly formed. He knew his men, their devotion, and their courage; and resolved upon cutting his way through the Enemy with the sword.
On quitting Versailles the Prussian Hussars were fired upon by the National Guard from the Barrier. They had not proceeded far when word was brought in, that Prussian and English Cavalry were approaching from the side of St Germain; but they were speedily undeceived. It was the 1st Regiment of French Chasseurs. In the next moment they were formed for attack, and advanced at a gallop. The Chasseurs came on in the same style; but they were completely overthrown, and their Commanding Officer lay stretched upon the ground by a pistol shot. As they were pursued by the Hussars, a fire was unexpectedly opened upon the latter by two Companies of the 3rd Battalion of the 33rd French Regiment, posted behind some hedges, near Le Chesnay; whereupon Sohr, with the greater part of his Hussars, struck into a field road to the right, in order to turn this Village, which was occupied by the Enemy. This, however, led them to a bridge, with adjacent houses, occupied by two more Companies of the above Battalion; from which they also received a sharp fire. Meeting with this new obstacle, and aware of the proximity of the great mass of Cavalry under Excelmans, in their rear; the diminished and disordered remnant of the two Prussian Regiments, about 150 Hussars, rallying upon their Chief, dashed across a meadow, with a determination to force a passage through the Village of Le Chesnay. Here the Chasseurs again opposed them, but were once more overthrown; and the Prussians now followed a road which conducted them through the Village, but which unfortunately led into a large court whence there was no other outlet. Not only was their further progress thus checked, but their whole body was suddenly assailed by a fire from Infantry, already posted in this quarter; whilst the pursuing Cavalry prevented every chance of escape. Their situation had become truly desperate; but their bravery, instead of succumbing, appeared incited to the highest pitch by the heroic example of Lieutenant Colonel Sohr: who rejected the offer of quarter, and fell, severely wounded by a pistol shot. Victory favoured the strongest: but it was a victory gained by immeasurably superior numbers over the dead and dying of a gallant band of warriors; who fought to the last, and did all that the most inflexible bravery could accomplish.
The losses incurred by this Brigade during the short Campaign had already reduced it, previously to this Affair, to between 600 and 700 men: and on the present occasion it suffered a still further loss of ten Officers, and from 400 to 500 men.
The detaching of these two Regiments so much in advance of the Prussian general movement to the right; and the Orders given to Lieutenant Colonel Sohr, to cross the Seine on the morning of the 30th of June, appear a questionable measure. It is true that this Officer was desired to consider himself as acting independently, and without reference to the troops that were to follow in the same direction; but then it must be recollected that he had to proceed along a very considerable portion of the circumference of a circle, from the centre of which the Enemy could detach superior force along radii far shorter than the distance between the Prussian Brigade and the main Army: so that, with a vigilant look out, the French possessed every facility of cutting off his retreat. His Orders were to interrupt the communication with Paris by the Orleans road, and to spread alarm and confusion on that side of the capital: but in issuing them the effect likely to be produced upon the morale of the citizens could have alone been contemplated; and, in all probability, it was at the same time conceived that, as no fortified works had been thrown up on the south side, the French troops intended to direct their attention mainly, if not wholly, towards the Armies in front of the northern portion of the capital. The effect thus sought to be produced might have been obtained in the case of a weak garrison; but that of Paris, comprising as it did about 50,000 troops of the Line, besides the National Guards, was not to be so lightly treated. In carrying into execution the Order to create alarm and confusion on the south side of Paris, these two Regiments of Hussars would naturally draw in that direction the attention of the French Commanders; and thus lead, as the result proved, not only to the cutting off of so comparatively weak a force, but also to the posting of a respectable body of troops at the threatened point, in anticipation of the Enemy’s following up the attack in greater force. Even previously to obtaining the insight thus afforded into a part of the plan of the Invaders, the movements of the latter had been more narrowly watched than was supposed: as may be readily inferred from the fact of Excelmans having been detached, on the 1st, towards Versailles, with a body of Cavalry; and of the position at Montrouge having been occupied in considerable force. All circumstances considered, the preferable course would have been, to have employed Sohr’s Brigade as an Advanced Guard only; having immediate support from the main Columns in its rear.
It so happened that the Advanced Guard of Thielemann’s Corps, consisting of the Ninth Infantry Brigade, under General Borcke, was on the march from St Germain (which it had left about seven o’clock in the evening) to take post at Marly; when it received intelligence of the two Cavalry Regiments, under Lieutenant Colonel Sohr, having been completely defeated. Borcke hastened forward, and it was not long before his Advance became engaged with the French Tirailleurs proceeding from Versailles. The Enemy was immediately attacked, and driven back upon Rocquencourt. As darkness was setting in, Borcke drew up his force with caution. He pushed forward the Fusilier Battalion of the 8th Regiment, supported by the 1st Battalion of the 30th Regiment; and held the remainder in Battalion Columns on the right and left of the road. The vigour of the attack made by the first named Battalion was such that the Enemy retired in all haste upon the nearest suburb of Paris; whilst Borcke bivouacked at Rocquencourt.
Besides the Cavalry under Excelmans, the remains of the Third and Fourth French Corps d’Armée were detached to the south of Paris; on which side Vandamme, who commanded, took up a position, having his Right upon the Seine, his Left by Montrouge, and his Centre in rear of Issy. He placed a portion of his troops in the villages of Vanves and Issy; the houses and walls of which appeared to offer great advantages for defence. His Advanced Guard occupied Chatillon, Clamord, Meudon, Sèvres, and St Cloud. In the evening he was joined by the Imperial Guard, which he posted in support.
The following were the positions of the respective Armies on the evening of the 1st of July:—
The Second Corps of the Anglo-Allied Army, under Lord Hill, comprising the Second and Fourth Divisions, the Nassau troops, and Estorff’s Hanoverian Cavalry Brigade, was in the position previously occupied by the Fourth Prussian Corps; having its Right upon the great road about Pierrefitte, its Left upon the great road of Senlis, and its Advanced Posts at Aubervilliers and in front of St Denis.
The First Corps, under Sir John Byng, comprising the First and Third Divisions, and the Dutch-Belgian troops, were in the position previously occupied by the First Prussian Corps; having its Right upon the great road behind Le Bourget; its Left upon the Forest of Bondy, and its Advanced Posts along the Ourcq Canal.
The Reserve, under Sir James Kempt, was encamped between Louvres and Vauderlan.
The Cavalry was encamped and cantoned about the villages of Groussainville, Vauderlan, and Roissy.
The Pontoon Train and the Hawser Bridges were at Sarcelles, on the Chantilly road to Paris.
The Head Quarters of the Duke of Wellington were at Gonesse.
The First Prussian Corps d’Armée was encamped between the villages of Le Mesnil and Carrière au Mont, on the left bank of the Seine, not far from St Germain.
The Third Corps was also on the left bank of the Seine, in the valley, and near St Germain. Its Advanced Guard (the Ninth Brigade) was at Rocquencourt.
The Fourth Corps was upon the march to St Germain.
Prince Blücher’s Head Quarters were at St Germain.
The Third and Fourth French Corps d’Armée and the Imperial Guard were on the south side of Paris, their Right upon the Seine, their Left by Montrouge; with the Advanced Guard at Chatillon, Clamord, Meudon, Sèvres, and St Cloud.
The remainder of the French Army continued within the capital.
The Prince of Eckmühl’s Head Quarters were at Villette.
At daybreak of the 2nd of July, Blücher put the whole Prussian Army in motion towards the south side of Paris, where he purposed taking possession of the advantageous position comprising the Heights of Meudon and Chatillon, and their immediate vicinity. Thielemann’s Advanced Guard (the Ninth Brigade) immediately proceeded to occupy Versailles. The Corps itself halted two hours at Rocquencourt to wait for the arrival of Zieten’s Corps. As the latter Corps advanced, it threw out a Detachment to its left, consisting of the 1st Battalion of the 1st West Prussian Regiment, two pieces of Horse Artillery, and a Squadron of Cavalry, under Captain Krensky: who was directed to proceed by Malmaison towards St Cloud, communicating with Major Colomb, who had already been detached, with the force before mentioned as being under his command, towards the Bridge of Neuilly; and to keep a look out to the left of the direct road to Paris. On Zieten’s Advanced Guard reaching Ville d’Avray, whence it drove off a French Picquet, information was obtained that the Enemy was restoring the Bridge of St Cloud, which he had previously destroyed; and that he occupied the Bois de Boulogne in considerable force. The Third Brigade was therefore ordered to proceed by its left towards St Cloud, and to oppose any movement which might be attempted against that Flank.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon when Zieten’s First Brigade, under Steinmetz, reached Sèvres. Here the French were strongly posted, occupying the place itself, the Heights of Bellevue; and having their Light Troops well disposed amongst the adjacent gardens and vineyards. The First Prussian Brigade was followed in support by the Second and Fourth Brigades; and, notwithstanding the very gallant defence that was made, these troops succeeded in forcing the French to abandon their stronghold, and fall back upon Moulineau. Here the French made another stand; but were again defeated by Steinmetz, who had closely pursued them. Whilst the First Brigade was thus gaining ground; the Second, together with the Reserve Artillery, advanced towards the Heights of Meudon. The Reserve Cavalry of the Corps followed the First Brigade, in support. The Fourth Brigade occupied Sèvres. Major General Jagow, who had been detached to the left with the Third Brigade, having ascertained that the Enemy was not likely to undertake any movement from the Bois de Boulogne, and that Captain Krensky’s Detachment was on the look out in that direction, proceeded to rejoin the Corps; and on reaching Sèvres, towards evening, he was directed by Zieten to take up a position with his Brigade to the right, on the Heights of Meudon.
In the evening, the French, after having reformed, and collected their defeated force at Issy, made an attempt to regain possession of Moulineau; but the attack failed, and they were driven back upon Issy. Here they were reinforced: fifteen Battalions were posted in and about Issy, supported by numerous guns and Cavalry: their Light Infantry occupying the vineyards in front of the Village. About half past ten o’clock in the night, however, the Prussians, who kept a sharp look out, heard these troops marching off; and perceived that their departure was conducted in rather a disorderly manner. Instant advantage was taken of this circumstance, and a part of the First and Second Prussian Brigades attacked the French; who fled back upon the suburb of Vaugirard in such confusion that Paris might have been entered at this moment, if more force had been at hand.
During the night, Zieten posted his Corps in the following manner:—His Right upon the Height of Clamord, his Centre upon that of Meudon, and his Left in Moulineau; Sèvres still occupied; the Advanced Guard in Issy, in the rear of which Village was the Reserve Cavalry in support.
Whilst Zieten’s Corps had been thus successfully effecting its movement against the south side of the capital; Thielemann’s, which formed the Right Column, proceeded towards Plessis Piquet, and pushed forward its Advanced Guard to the Heights of Chatillon, which it reached late in the evening. Bülow’s Corps, acting as a Reserve, occupied Versailles and its vicinity during the night.
During the whole of this day, the troops of the Anglo-Allied Army continued in position in front of the fortified lines on the north side of Paris. The Duke having established a Bridge at Argenteuil, Detachments were sent across the Seine: and these, having secured the Villages of Asnières, Courbevoie, and Suresnes on the left bank of the Seine, opened a communication with the Prussians.
The Allied Commanders had thus succeeded in shutting up the French forces within their lines. Wellington was perfectly prepared to attack the north side of Paris, if circumstances should render such a step necessary; or if a favourable opportunity should present itself: whilst Blücher, having secured a strong position in front of the south side, which was mostly open and defenceless, was equally ready to storm the capital with his collected force. The effect of this well conceived and successfully executed plan of operation was to divide the Enemy’s attention between two opposite points of the town. Should he attempt to assail the one Army with his principal force, he would immediately find himself attacked by the other Army; without possessing the means wherewith to carry on the contest with both simultaneously. On the other hand, should a general and formidable assault be made by those Armies, on the opposite points, at the same time; the necessary division of his forces, in arranging his plan of defence, would render his situation still more desperate.
The Provisional Government, fully alive to this state of things, and duly aware of the approach of the Bavarian, Russian, and Austrian Armies, clearly saw the inutility of further resistance to the Allies, and instructed the Commissioners to wait upon the Duke of Wellington, and report to his Grace the fact of Napoleon having quitted Paris on the 29th to embark for the United States, and to press the point of a Suspension of Hostilities.
To this representation the Duke replied that the great obstacle to the Armistice having thus been removed, there remained only the question as to the terms; which he thought should be the halting of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian Armies in their present positions, the withdrawal of the French Army from Paris across the Loire, and the placing of the capital in the keeping of the National Guards until the King should order otherwise. He offered, if they agreed to these terms, to endeavour to prevail on Prince Blücher to halt his troops, and send an Officer to settle the details; but, at the same time, he told them distinctly that he would not consent to suspend hostilities so long as a French soldier remained in Paris.
Having received this explicit declaration on the part of his Grace, the Commissioners withdrew.
The following were the positions of the respective Armies during the night of the 2nd of July:—
The troops of the Anglo-Allied Army continued in position in front of the lines of St Denis. Detachments were at Asnières, Courbevoie, and Suresnes, on the left hank of the Seine.
The First Prussian Corps d’Armée had its Right on the Height of Clamard, its Centre on that of Meudon, its Left at Moulineau, and its Advanced Guard at Issy; in rear of which point was the Reserve Cavalry of the Corps.
Of the Third Corps, the Ninth Brigade was at Chatillon, the Tenth and Eleventh Brigades were in front of Vélizy, the Twelfth Brigade was at Chatenay and Sceaux. The Reserve Cavalry of the Corps bivouacked about Plessis Piquet.
Of the Fourth Corps, the Sixteenth Brigade was at Montreail, in advance of Versailles; the Thirteenth Brigade bivouacked near Viroflay; the Fourteenth Brigade bivouacked at Le Chesnay Bel Air, not far from Rocquencourt. The Reserve Cavalry of the Corps was partly in front of Versailles, and partly on the left of Montreail.
The troops composing the Right Wing of the French Army occupied the lines on the right bank of the Seine, whence they were watching the British. Some troops were posted in the Bois de Boulogne, and several Posts were established along both banks of the river.
The Left Wing extended from the Seine as far as the Orleans road. It held Vaugirard strongly occupied, the main body was posted between the Barrières de l’Ecole Militaire and de l’Enfer.
At three o’clock on the morning of the 3rd of July, Vandamme advanced in two Columns from Vaugirard to the attack of Issy. Between Vaugirard and the Seine, he had a considerable force of Cavalry, the front of which was flanked by a Battery advantageously posted near Auteuil on the right bank of the river. The action commenced with a brisk cannonade: the French having brought twenty pieces of cannon against the front of the Village, which was then vigorously assailed by his Infantry. The Prussians had constructed some barricades, and other defences, during the night; but these did not protect them from the sharp fire of case shot which was poured upon them by the French Batteries, the guns of which enfiladed the streets. The 12th and 24th Prussian Regiments, and the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr, supported by a half Battery of twelve pounders, fought with great bravery. There was much loss on both sides. At length the French withdrew; but only to advance again, considerably reinforced.
The Second Prussian Brigade was immediately ordered to join the First, and the whole of the troops of the First Corps stood to their arms. Zieten sent a request to Prince Blücher for the support of two Brigades of Bülow’s Corps; and, at the same time, begged Thielemann to advance (in conformity with instructions conveyed to him from Head Quarters) from Chatillon, and threaten the Enemy’s Left Flank.
In the mean time, the French renewed their attack upon Issy; which, however, again proved unsuccessful. This was followed by a heavy cannonade and by further assaults, without any decided advantage having been gained over the defenders. The French did not appear disposed to venture upon a more general attack, which would have offered them a much greater chance of forcing back the Prussian Advanced Guard; probably considering that, if unsuccessful, it might end in the suburbs of Paris being easily carried by storm: and hence, after four hours’ continued but fruitless attempts upon Zieten’s Advanced Position, they fell back upon Paris; the Prussian Tirailleurs following them until they came within a very short distance of the Barriers.
At a Council of War, which had been held during the previous night in Paris, it was decided that the defence of the capital was not practicable against the Allied Armies. Nevertheless, Davoust was desirous that another attempt should be made on the Prussian Army: but now that this had failed in the manner described, that the two Allied Armies were in full communication with each other, and that a British Corps was likewise moving upon the left of the Seine towards Neuilly, a Capitulation was determined upon.
Accordingly, at seven o’clock in the morning, the fire on the part of the French suddenly ceased; and General Revest was deputed to pass over to Zieten’s Corps, which of all the Allied troops was the nearest to the capital, for the purpose of offering a Capitulation, and requesting an immediate Armistice. Blücher, however, required from Marshal Davoust, the Commander in Chief of the French Army, a negotiator possessing greater powers, before he would finally agree to a Suspension of Hostilities; and indicated the Palace of St Cloud as the place where the negotiations should be carried on, to which point he then removed his Head Quarters.
During the contest at Issy, the Detachments on the left of the First Prussian Corps, under Captain Krensky, were engaged rather sharply with the Enemy between St Cloud and Neuilly; which ended in the French being driven back upon the Bridge at the latter place, towards which point also a body of British troops was advancing. Thus Zieten’s Corps, the same that had opened the Campaign with the actions along the Sambre, had the honour of closing it with those at Issy and Neuilly on the Seine.
Officers, furnished with full powers by their respective Chiefs, soon met at St Cloud; whither the Duke of Wellington had already repaired in person to join Prince Blücher; and the result of their deliberations was the following:—
Military Convention.
This day, the 3rd of July 1815, the Commissioners named by the Commanders in Chief of the respective Armies; that is to say, the Baron Bignon, holding the Portfolio of Foreign Affairs; the Count Guilleminot, Chief of the General Staff of the French Army; the Count de Bondy, Prefect of the Department of the Seine; being furnished with the full powers of his Excellency the Marshal Prince of Eckmühl, Commander in Chief of the French Army, on one side: and Major General Baron Müffling, furnished with the full powers of his Highness the Field Marshal Prince Blücher, Commander in Chief of the Prussian Army; and Colonel Hervey, furnished with the full powers of his Excellency the Duke of Wellington, Commander in Chief of the English Army, on the other side, have agreed to the following Articles.
Article I. There shall be a Suspension of Arms between the Allied Armies commanded by his Highness the Prince Blücher and his Grace the Duke of Wellington, and the French Army under the walls of Paris.
Article II. The French Army shall put itself in march tomorrow, to take up a position beyond the Loire. Paris shall be completely evacuated in three days; and the movement behind the Loire shall be effected within eight days.
Article III. The French Army shall take with it all its matériel, Field Artillery, Military Chest, horses, and property of Regiments, without exception. All persons belonging to the Depôts shall also be removed, as well as those belonging to the different Branches of Administration which appertain to the Army.
Article IV. The Sick and Wounded, and the Medical Officers whom it may be necessary to leave with them, are placed under the special protection of the Commanders in Chief of the English and Prussian Armies.
Article V. The Military, and those holding employments to whom the foregoing Article relates, shall be at liberty, immediately after their recovery, to rejoin the Corps to which they belong.
Article VI. The wives and children of all individuals belonging to the French Army shall be at liberty to remain in Paris. The wives shall be allowed to quit Paris for the purpose of rejoining the Army, and to carry with them their property and that of their husbands.
Article VII. The Officers of the Line employed with the Fédérés, or with the Tirailleurs of the National Guard, may either join the Army, or return to their homes or the places of their birth.
Article VIII. Tomorrow, the 4th of July, at mid day, St Denis, St Ouen, Clichy, and Neuilly shall be given up. The day after tomorrow, the 5th, at the same hour, Montmartre shall be given up. The third day, the 6th, all the Barriers shall be given up.
Article IX. The duty of the City of Paris shall continue to be done by the National Guard, and by the Corps of the Municipal Gensd’armerie.
Article X. The Commanders in Chief of the English and Prussian Armies engage to respect, and to make those under their command respect, the actual authorities, so long as they shall exist.
Article XI. Public property, with the exception of that which relates to War, whether it belongs to the Government, or depends upon the Municipal Authority, shall be respected; and the Allied Powers will not interfere in any manner with its administration and management.
Article XII. Private persons and property shall be equally respected. The inhabitants, and in general all individuals who shall be in the capital, shall continue to enjoy their rights and liberties, without being disturbed or called to account, either as to the situations which they hold, or may have held, or as to their conduct or political opinions.
Article XIII. The foreign troops shall not interpose any obstacles to the provisioning of the capital; and will protect, on the contrary, the arrival and the free circulation of the articles which are destined for it.
Article XIV. The present Convention shall be observed, and shall serve to regulate the mutual relations until the conclusion of Peace. In case of rupture, it must be denounced in the usual forms at least ten days beforehand.
Article XV. If any difficulties arise in the execution of any one of the Articles of the present Convention, the interpretation of it shall be made in favour of the French Army and of the City of Paris.
Article XVI. The present Convention is declared common to all the Allied Armies, provided it be ratified by the Powers on which these Armies are dependant.
Article XVII. The Ratifications shall be exchanged tomorrow, the 4th of July, at six o’clock in the morning, at the Bridge of Neuilly.
Article XVIII. Commissioners shall be named by the respective parties in order to watch over the execution of the present Convention.
Done and signed at St Cloud, in triplicate, by the Commissioners above named, the day and year before mentioned.
The Baron Bignon.
The Count Guilleminot.
The Count de Bondy.
The Baron de Müffling.
F.B. Hervey, Colonel.
Approved and ratified the present Suspension of Arms, at Paris, the 3rd of July 1815.
The Marshal Prince of Eckmühl.
Afterwards approved by Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington; and the Ratifications exchanged on the 4th of July.
The terms of the Convention were literally fulfilled.
On the 4th, the French Army, commanded by Marshal Davoust, quitted Paris; and proceeded on its march to the Loire: and the Anglo-Allied troops occupied St Denis, St Ouen, Clichy, and Neuilly. On the 5th, the latter took possession of Montmartre. On the 6th, they occupied the Barriers of Paris, upon the right of the Seine; and the Prussians those upon the left bank. On the 7th, the two Allied Armies entered Paris: the Chamber of Peers, having received from the Provisional Government a notification of the course of events, terminated its sittings; the Chamber of Deputies protested, but in vain. Their President (Lanjuinais) quitted his Chair; and on the following day, the doors were closed, and the approaches guarded by foreign troops.
On the 8th, the French King, Louis XVIII., made his public entry into his capital, amidst the acclamations of the people, and again occupied the palace of his ancestors.
It was also on the 8th that Napoleon Buonaparte embarked, at Rochefort, on board the French Frigate La Saale; and proceeded, accompanied by La Méduse, in which was his suite, to the roads of the Isle of Aix, with the intention of setting sail to America.
On the 10th, the wind became favourable: but a British Fleet made its appearance; and Napoleon, seeing the difficulty of eluding the vigilance of its Cruisers, resolved, after having previously communicated with Captain Maitland, upon placing himself under his protection on board the Bellerophon, which vessel he accordingly reached on the 15th. On the following day, Captain Maitland sailed for England; and arrived at Torbay, with his illustrious charge, on the 24th. The Ex-Emperor was not permitted to land; and the British Government having decided upon sending him to the Island of St Helena, he was removed to the Northumberland Man of War, under Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn, in which ship he sailed for that distant rock; the final abode on earth of the man whose extraordinary career marks the most stirring and eventful period in the history of Europe.
The Convention of Paris constituted a basis for the resumption of negotiations for the General Peace which, a few months before, had been so unexpectedly interrupted. The celebrated Statesmen of that remarkable period—Castlereagh, Nesselrode, Metternich, Hardenberg, and Talleyrand—aided by distinguished Representatives of the minor European States, now perceived the importance of establishing a more closely cemented Alliance; reconciling the clashing interests of emulative Governments, securing the rights of the legitimate Sovereign of France, and consolidating the re-established order of things in that country.
The mere engagement of the French Government to a Treaty of Peace and grateful amity was not considered a sufficient guarantee for the long desired repose of Europe. France, which dictated laws according to her own desires and interests to the entire Continent, was now, in her turn, to be subjected to the most severe conditions. In order to guarantee her compliance with the demands required of her by the wants and necessities of the nations panting for that peace which was to relieve their exhausted means, and to avert the dangers of internal dissensions; she was destined to witness the occupation of her Frontier Fortresses by a vast Army, comprising contingent forces from the Allied Powers, and requiring to be maintained upon a full War Establishment at her expense: whilst, at the same time, heavy contributions were laid upon her for the purpose of indemnifying the Sovereigns who had been compelled again to take up arms against her.
But, notwithstanding these reverses and indemnities, France herself is, perhaps, the country that has most benefited by that General Peace which was established on the ruins of her Empire. The rational form of Government which was secured to her by an enlarged Constitutional Charter has gradually introduced among her people the most salutary reforms, and the most liberal institutions; the stimulus given to her industry by the cessation of harassing wars, of persecuting conscriptions, and of vexatious imposts, rapidly obtained for her a commercial prosperity to which she had long been a stranger; whilst an unusual period of tranquillity has so completely renovated and invigorated her resources, both moral and physical, as to place her again in the rank of the highest Powers.
Now that the nation has completely recovered from the effects of the convulsive throes which attended its dissolution as an Empire, and has assumed the calm and dignified attitude of repose; in its resuscitated strength it contemplates the past in a more rational and philosophic spirit, balancing the evil with the good. If the public mind of France dwell for a time upon the tyrannical exercise of Napoleon’s power upon the people; the sadness of the reflection is palliated by his flattering, though personally ambitious, desire to render France the Arbitress of Europe: if it perceive the rights of the citizens subverted for the furtherance of his designs, the impression thus produced vanishes at the contemplation of the Code Napoleon: if it appear shocked by the general perversion of labour from its natural sphere to purely military purposes; it is again soothed by the grandeur in design, and utility in effect, of mighty enterprises, conferring employment on myriads of artists and artisans: if it be disposed to disapprove of the spoliation authorized in foreign States; it is speedily flattered by the grand idea of rendering Paris the centre of civilization and of the arts: and finally, if it feel pained and subdued by a contemplation of the disasters of Moscow, Vittoria, Leipzic, and Waterloo; it revives and rejoices in recounting the glorious triumphs of Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, and Wagram.
If one country more than any other required a lasting Peace to enable her to recover from the effects of the immense sacrifices she had made, in life and treasure—sacrifices which proved, beyond doubt, the Salvation of Europe—that country was Great Britain. Through the intelligence of her Statesmen, the freedom of her Constitution, the enterprise of her merchants, the industry of her artisans, and the bravery of her naval and military defenders; she continues to maintain her lofty position in the scale of nations, and even to extend her Empire and her sway to the furthermost points of the earth. But to whom is she mainly indebted for this proud pre-eminence, this unparalleled grandeur? To such a question every Briton, no matter what may be the direction of his political feelings or party prejudices, will unhesitatingly reply—to the rare talent, the untiring zeal, and practised skill of her Chief who led, as also to the inflexible courage, extraordinary endurance, and the perfect discipline of her sons who fought, her last and ever memorable struggle on the Continent of Europe—the Battle of Waterloo. It was upon the solid foundation thus obtained that was raised that well cemented superstructure, the solemn Compact of Sovereigns and States, constituting the General Peace of 1815: and although, as time rolls on, symptoms of decay may be traced in some portions of the edifice, still it stands a monument of the downfall of an insatiable ambition aiming at universal dominion; and continues to this day the surest guarantee of the preservation of that equitable Balance of Power which can alone secure the permanence of the tranquillity and prosperity of Europe.
Supplement
The Battle of Waterloo, followed as it was by the advance of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian Armies upon Paris, was so decisive in its effects, and so comprehensive in its results, that the great object of the War—the destruction of the power of Napoleon and the restoration of the legitimate Sovereign—was attained while the Armies of the Upper Rhine and of Italy were but commencing their invasion of the French territory. Had the successes attendant upon the exertions of Wellington and Blücher assumed a less decisive character, and, more especially, had reverses taken the place of those successes; the operations of the Armies advancing from the Rhine and across the Alps would have acquired an immense importance in the history of the War: but the brilliant course of events in the north of France materially diminished the interest excited by the military transactions in other parts of the kingdom. Upon this ground it has been considered, that to enter into any very detailed account of the movements and dispositions of the Allies, on the eastern frontier, is unnecessary; and that the completion of the present Work will be sufficiently accomplished by the addition of a simple outline of the daily progress and attendant circumstances of the advance of each Army into the interior of the country.
Operations of the German Corps d’Armée.
This Corps, which was composed of contingent forces supplied by the petty Princes of North Germany, was assembled, in the middle of April, in the vicinity of Coblentz. It amounted to 26,200 men, divided into thirty Battalions, twelve Squadrons, and two and a half Batteries; and was placed under the command of General Count Kleist von Nollendorf. At a somewhat later period it crossed the Rhine at Coblentz and Neuwied, and took up a position on the Moselle and the Sarre; its Right communicating with the Third Prussian Corps d’Armée, and its Left with the Bavarian troops at Zweibrücken. Its Advanced Posts extended along the French frontier from Arlon to Mertzig. Its Head Quarters were at Trier, on the Moselle.
In this position it remained until the 16th of June, when its Commander, General von Engelhard (in the absence of Count Kleist, who was ill), advanced from Trier to Arlon; which it reached on the 19th. Here it continued until the 21st, when it received an Order from Prince Blücher to move into France by Bastogne and Neufchâteau; and to gain possession of the Fortresses of Sedan and Bouillon. On the 22nd, the Corps commenced its march, in two Columns: the one by Neufchâteau, upon Sedan; the other by Recogne, upon Bouillon. Sedan, after a few days’ bombardment, capitulated on the 25th of June. An attempt was made to take Bouillon by a coup de main; but its garrison was strong enough to frustrate this project. The place was not considered of sufficient importance to render a regular siege expedient, and it was therefore simply invested, from the 25th of June, until the 21st of August; when it was blockaded at all points by troops of the Netherlands, under Prince Frederick of Orange.
On the 28th of June, Lieutenant General von Hacke, who had been appointed to the command of the German Corps, directed the Advanced Guard to move upon Charleville, which lies under the guns of the Fortress of Mézières, and to carry the place by storm. The capture was successfully made by some Hessian Battalions, and tended greatly to facilitate the siege of Mézières. Moveable Columns were detached to observe the Fortresses of Montmédy, Laon, and Rheims. The last named place was taken by capitulation on the 8th of July; and the garrison, amounting to 4,000 men, retired behind the Loire.
Lieutenant General von Hacke finding that, notwithstanding his vigorous bombardment of Mézières, which he commenced on the 27th of June, his summons to surrender was unheeded by the Commandant, General Lemoine, undertook a regular siege of the place, and opened trenches on the 2nd of August. On the 13th, the French garrison gave up the Town and retired into the Citadel, which surrendered on the 1st of September.
The efforts of the Corps were now directed upon Montmédy, around which Fortress it had succeeded in placing twelve Batteries in position by the 13th of September. After an obstinate resistance, the garrison concluded a convention on the 20th of September; by which it was to retire, with arms and baggage, behind the Loire.
After the capture of Montmédy, the German Corps d’Armée went into cantonments in the Department of the Ardennes; whence it returned home in the month of November.
Operations of the Army of the Upper Rhine, under the command of Field Marshal His Highness Prince Schwartzenberg.
This Army consisted of four Corps d’Armée, and Reserves; composed of troops of Austria, Bavaria, Würtemberg, Saxony, of Hesse Darmstadt, and of the petty Princes.
Its strength was as follows:—
| Battalions. | Squadrons. | Batteries. | |||
| First Corps d’Armée | 24,400 | men, in | 26 | 16 | 8 |
| Second ″ | 34,350 | ″ | 36 | 26 | 11 |
| Third ″ | 43,814 | ″ | 44 | 32 | 9 |
| Fourth ″ | 57,040 | ″ | 46 | 66 | 15 |
| Austrian Reserve Corps | 44,800 | ″ | 38 | 86 | 10 |
| Blockade Corps | 33,314 | ″ | 38 | 8 | 6 |
| Saxon Corps d’Armée | 16,774 | ″ | 18 | 10 | 6 |
| ———— | ———— | ———— | ———— | ———— | |
| Total | 254,492 | men, in | 246 | 244 | 65 |
According to the general plan of operations projected by Prince Schwartzenberg, this Army was to cross the Rhine in two Columns. The Right Column, consisting of the Third Corps, under Field Marshal the Crown Prince of Würtemberg; and of the Fourth Corps, or the Bavarian Army, under Field Marshal Prince Wrède, was to cross the Rhine between Germersheim and Mannheim. The Left Column, consisting of the First Corps, under the Master General of the Ordnance, Count Colloredo, and of the Second Corps, under General Prince Hohenzollern Heckingen, together with the Austrian Reserve Corps; the whole being commanded by General the Archduke Ferdinand, was to cross the Rhine between Basle and Rheinfelden. The Column formed by the Right Wing was to be supported by the Russian Army, under Field Marshal Count Barclay de Tolly, which was expected to be collected at Kaiserslautern by the 1st of July. The object of the operations, in the first instance, was the concentration of the Army of the Upper Rhine and the Russian Army at Nancy.
As soon as Prince Schwartzenberg was made acquainted with the commencement of hostilities in Belgium, he gave his Orders for the advance of his Army. The Fourth, or Bavarian, Corps d’Armée was directed immediately to cross the Sarre: and, by turning the Vosgian Mountains, to cut off the French Corps under General Rapp, collected in the environs of Strasburg, from its base of operations; and to intercept its communications with the interior of France.
A Russian Corps, under General Count Lambert, forming the Advance of the Army of Count Barclay de Tolly, was united to the Corps d’Armée of Prince Wrède; who was to employ it principally in keeping up the communication with the North German Corps d’Armée, under Lieutenant General von Hacke.
Fourth Corps d’Armée, Prince Wrède.
On the 19th of June, the Bavarian Army crossed the Rhine at Mannheim and Oppenheim, and advanced towards the Sarre. On the 20th, some trifling affairs of Advanced Posts occurred near Landau and Dahn. On the 23rd, the Army having approached the Sarre, proceeded, in two Columns, to take possession of the passages across the River at Saarbrück and Saargemünd.
The Right Column, under Lieutenant General Count Beckers, attacked Saarbrück; where it was opposed by the French General Meriage. The Bavarians carried the suburb and the Bridge, and penetrated into the Town along with the retiring French; of whom they made four Officers and seventy men prisoners, and killed and wounded one hundred men: suffering a loss, on their own part, of three Officers and from fifty to sixty men killed and wounded. Count Beckers occupied the Town, posted his Division on the Heights towards Forbach: and detached Patrols along the road to Metz, as far as St Avold; and to the right along the Sarre, as far as Saarlouis.
The Left Column, consisting of the First Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron von Ragliovich, and of the First Cavalry Division, under His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bavaria, advanced against Saargemünd; at which point the French had constructed a tête de pont on the right bank of the river. After some resistance, this was taken possession of by the Bavarians; whereupon Baron von Ragliovich marched through the Town, and took up a position on the opposite Heights, commanding the roads leading to Bouquenom and Lüneville.
The Fourth Infantry Division, under Lieutenant General Baron Zollern, advanced towards the Fortress of Bitsch; which, however, the French Commandant, General Kreutzer, refused to surrender.
The Russian Corps, under Count Lambert, attached to the Right Wing of Prince Wrède’s Army, advanced as far as Ottweiler and Ramstein.
On the 24th, Prince Wrède occupied Bouquenom; and detached the Cavalry Division under Prince Charles towards Pfalzburg, to observe this place. His Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions, and the Reserve, were collected at Saargemünd. The Russian troops under Count Lambert occupied Saarbrück; having previously detached the Cavalry, under Lieutenant General Czernitscheff, as far as St Avold.
On the 26th, Prince Wrède’s Head Quarters were at Morhenge; and, on the 27th, his Advanced Posts penetrated as far as Nancy, where he established his Head Quarters on the 28th. From St Dieuze the Prince detached to the left, in order to discover the march of General Rapp; who, however, was still on the Rhine, and whose retreat had thus become cut off by the occupation of Nancy.
Prince Wrède halted at Nancy, to await the arrival of the Austrian and Russian Corps d’Armée. Upon his right, Lieutenant General Czernitscheff crossed the Moselle, on the 29th, within sight of Metz; and carried by storm, on the 3rd of July, the Town of Chalons sur Marne. The garrison of this place had promised to make no resistance, and yet fired upon the Russian Advanced Guard; whereupon the Cavalry immediately dismounted, scaled the ramparts, broke open the gates, sabred a part of the garrison, made the remainder prisoners, including the French General Rigault, and pillaged the town.
After remaining four days in the vicinity of Nancy and Lüneville, Prince Wrède received an Order from Prince Schwartzenberg to move at once upon Paris, with the Fourth, or Bavarian Corps; which was destined to become the Advanced Guard of the Army of the Upper Rhine. This Order was given in consequence of the desire expressed by the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blücher, that the Army of the Upper Rhine should afford immediate support to their operations in front of Paris. On the 5th of July, the main body of the Bavarian Army reached Chalons; in the vicinity of which it remained during the 6th. On this day, its Advanced Posts communicated, by Epernay, with the Prussian Army. On the 7th, Prince Wrède received intelligence of the Convention of Paris; and, at the same time, directions to move towards the Loire. On the 8th, Lieutenant General Czernitscheff fell in with the Enemy between St Prix and Montmirail; and drove him across the Morin, towards the Seine. Previously to the arrival of the Corps at Château Thierry; the French garrison had abandoned the place, leaving behind it several pieces of cannon, with ammunition. On the 10th of July, the Bavarian Army took up a position between the Seine and the Marne; and Prince Wrède’s Head Quarters were at La Ferté sous Jouarre.
Third Corps d’Armée, Crown Prince of Würtemberg.
On the 22nd of June, a portion of the Third Corps d’Armée, under the Crown Prince of Würtemberg, took possession of the intrenchments of Germersheim, on the left bank of the Rhine. Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Wallmoden was posted, with ten Battalions and four Squadrons, in observation of the Fortress of Landau, and the line of the Queich. The main body of the Corps stood between Bruchsal and Philipsburg. On the 23d, the Corps crossed the Rhine at Germersheim, and passed the line of the Queich without opposition.
The Crown Prince was directed to proceed by Weissenburg and Hagenau, with a view to complete, in conjunction with the Fourth Corps d’Armée, the plan of intercepting the retreat of General Rapp.
On the 24th, the Corps advanced to Bergzabern and Nieder Ottersbach; at both of which points it fell in with the Enemy, and drove him back. Count Wallmoden left a small Detachment to observe Landau; and advanced, with the remainder of his force, as far as Rheinzabern. On the 25th, the Crown Prince ordered the advance towards the lines of Weissenburg, in two Columns. The first Column assembled at Bergzabern, and the second moved forward by Nieder Ottersbach. Count Wallmoden was directed to advance upon Lauterburg. The Crown Prince advanced his Corps still further along the Hagenau road. His Advanced Guard pushed on to Inglesheim, and the main body of the Corps reached the lines of Weissenburg; which the French abandoned in the night, and fell back upon the Forest of Hagenau, occupying the large Village of Surburg. On the 26th, the Crown Prince attacked and defeated the Enemy at the last mentioned place, with his Right Column; whilst the Left Column, under Count Wallmoden, was equally successful in an attack which it made upon the French General Rothenburg, posted, with 6,000 Infantry and a Regiment of Cavalry, at Selz. On the following day, General Rapp fell back upon the Defile of Brümath; but this he quitted in the night, and took up a favourable position in the rear of the Suffel, near Strasburg. His force comprised twenty four Battalions of Infantry, four Regiments of Cavalry, and a numerous Artillery, and amounted to nearly 24,000 men.
The Crown Prince of Würtemberg, whose force amounted altogether to more than 40,000 men, succeeded, on the 28th, after a smart action, in forcing General Rapp to retire within the Fortress of Strasburg. The loss of the Third Corps on this occasion amounted to 75 Officers, and 2,050 men, killed and wounded. That of the French was about 3,000 men.
Austrian Reserve Corps, Archduke Ferdinand.
The Third Corps remained in front of Strasburg until the 4th of July; when it was relieved by the arrival of the Second Austrian Corps, under Prince Hohenzollern, from the vicinity of Colmar. At this last point the Advanced Guard of the Austrian Reserve Corps, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Stutterheim, moved upon Remiremont, and the main body upon St Marie aux Mines. The Austrian Reserve Corps itself reached Raon l’Etape; whence it subsequently moved (on the 10th) to Neufchâteau. The Third Corps, under the Crown Prince of Würtemberg, marched into the vicinity of Molsheim.
On the 7th of July, the Crown Prince reached Lüneville; but instead of proceeding to Nancy, according to its original destination, the Corps, on the 9th, took the road to Neufchâteau. The advance was in two Columns; the one upon Bayon, and the other upon Rembervillers. These two Columns moved respectively, the one, by Vaucouleurs, Joinville, Brienne le Château, Troyes, and Auxonne; and the other, by Neufchâteau, Chaumont, Bar sur Aube, Vendoeuvres, Bar sur Seine, and Chatillon: at which points (Auxonne and Chatillon) they halted on the 18th. On the 21st, the Corps entered into cantonments between Montbard and Tonnerre.
First and Second Corps—Count Colloredo and Prince von Hohenzollern.—Reserve Corps, Archduke Ferdinand.
The First and Second Austrian Corps d’Armée and the Reserve Corps, forming the Left Wing of the Army of the Upper Rhine, crossed this river at Rheinfelden and Basle in the night of the 25th of June. On the 26th, the First, under Count Colloredo, was directed upon Belfort and Montbelliard; and, on the same day, the Austrians invested the Fortress of Huningen. The Advanced Guard of the First Corps had an affair with a French Detachment of 3,000 men belonging to the Corps of General Lecourbe, and repulsed it as far as Donnemarie. On the 28th, the First Corps fell in with the Enemy near Chabannes, between Donnemarie and Belfort, when the French force, amounting to 8,000 Infantry and 500 Cavalry, was driven back upon Belfort. Major General von Scheither of the First Corps was detached against Montbelliard, a town fortified and defended by a citadel. After having maintained a most destructive fire against the place, the Austrian troops carried it by storm; with a loss, however, of 25 Officers and 1,000 men, killed and wounded.
With the exception of a few sorties of little consequence, General Rapp remained very quiet in the Fortress of Strasburg. The news of the capture of Paris by the British and Prussian troops led to a Suspension of Hostilities; which was concluded on the 24th of July, and extended to the Fortress of Strasburg, Landau, Lutzelstein, Huningen, Schlettstadt, Lichtenberg, Pfalzburg, Neuf Brisac, and Belfort.
The Russian Army.
The main body of the Russian Army, commanded by Field Marshal Count Barclay de Tolly, and amounting to 167,950 men, crossed the Rhine at Mannheim, on the 25th of June; and followed the Army of the Upper Rhine. The greater portion of it reached Paris and its vicinity by the middle of July.
Operations of the Army of Italy.
The Army of Italy, composed of Austrian and Sardinian troops, and amounting to 60,000 men, was under the command of General Baron Frimont. It was destined to act against the Army of the Alps, under Marshal Suchet, posted in the vicinity of Chambery and Grenoble. It is uncertain what was the amount of force under Suchet, it having been estimated from 13,000 to 20,000 men; but the Corps of Observation on the Var, in the vicinity of Antibes and Toulon, under Marshal Brune, amounted to 10,000, and was not occupied with any Enemy in its front.
Baron Frimont’s Army was divided into two Corps: the one under Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich, was to advance by the Valais towards Lyons; and the other, which was in Piedmont, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Count Bubna, was to penetrate into the south of France, through Savoy.
Marshal Suchet had received Orders from Napoleon to commence operations on the 14th of June; and by rapid marches to secure the mountain Passes in the Valais and in Savoy, and close them against the Austrians. On the 15th, his troops advanced at all points for the purpose of gaining the frontier from Montmeilian, as far as Geneva; which he invested. Thence he purposed to obtain possession of the important Passes of Meillerie and St Maurice; and in this way to check the advance of the Austrian Columns from the Valais. At Meillerie the French were met and driven back by the Advanced Guard of the Austrian Right Column, on the 21st of June. By means of forced marches the whole of this Column, which Baron Frimont himself accompanied, reached the Arve on the 27th of June.
The Left Column, under Count Bubna, crossed Mount Cenis on the 24th and 25th of June. On the 28th, it was sharply opposed by the French at Conflans; of which place, however, the Austrians succeeded in gaining possession.
In order to secure the passage of the Arve the Advanced Guard of the Right Column detached, on the 27th, to Bonneville, on its left; but the French, who had already fortified this place, maintained a stout resistance. In the mean time, however, the Austrians gained possession of the passage at Carrouge; by which means the French were placed under the necessity of evacuating Bonneville, and abandoning the Valley of the Arve. The Column now passed Geneva, and drove the Enemy from the Heights of Grand Saconex and from St Genix. On the 29th, this part of the Army moved towards the Jura; and, on the 1st July, it made its dispositions for attacking the redoubts and intrenchments which the French had thrown up to defend the Passes. The most vigorous assault was made upon the Pass of Les Rousses; but the Austrians were driven back. Reserves were then brought up; and the French having quitted their intrenchments to meet the latter, and a good opportunity having offered for a flank attack upon them with Cavalry and Artillery, the Pass was captured by the Austrians: and the French were compelled to abandon both it and the other Passes of the Jura. The Austrian Advanced Guard pursued the Enemy, and reached, in the evening, St Claude, on the road leading to the left from Gex; and St Laurent, in the original direction of the attack, beyond Les Rousses.
In the mean time, the Austrian Reserve Corps, under Lieutenant Field Marshal Meerville, was directed to advance, and to throw back the French upon the Rhone. The latter, in retreating, destroyed the Bridge of Seyselle; and, by holding the Fort of l’Ecluse, closed the road from Geneva to Lyons. A redoubt had been constructed in front of the Fort, and completely commanded the approach. It was gallantly stormed and carried by the Regiment of Esterhazy. The Fort itself was now turned by the Reserve Corps along the left bank of the Rhone, with the design of forcing the passage at the Perte du Rhone. Here the French had constructed a tête de pont; which, however, they were forced to abandon in consequence of a movement made by the First Corps under Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich. On retiring, they destroyed the very beautiful stone bridge then existing; and thus rendered it necessary for the Austrians to construct temporary bridges over the extremely narrow space between the rocks which confine the stream at this remarkable spot. The Advanced Guard of the Reserve Corps, under General Count Hardegg, first crossed the Rhone, and found the Enemy posted at Charix, in rear of Chatillon, on the road to Nantua. Count Hardegg immediately attacked him; and, after encountering an obstinate resistance, forced him to retire.
The troops of the First Austrian Corps, which, in the mean time, were left in front of the Fort l’Ecluse, had commenced a bombardment; and this, after twenty six hours’ duration, considerably damaged the Fort. A powder magazine exploded, which caused a general conflagration; to escape which the garrison rushed out, and surrendered at discretion to the Austrians: and thus, in three days, the high road from Geneva to Lyons was opened to the Army of Italy.
On the 3rd July, General Bogdan, with the Advanced Guard of the First Austrian Corps, having been reinforced by Lieutenant Field Marshal Radivojevich, attacked the Enemy with much impetuosity at Ojanax, beyond St Claude; where the French General Maransin had taken up a favourable position, with 2,000 men. The Austrians turned his Left Flank, and forced him to retire. The Corps reached Bourg en Bresse on the 9th July.
On the 10th July, a Detachment, under Major General von Pflüger, was pushed on to Maçon on the Saône; and gained possession of the tête de pont constructed there, and of the place itself.
On the 7th July, the Second Corps, under Count Bubna, reached Echelles. A Detachment, consisting principally of Sardinian troops, under Lieutenant General Count Latour, had been directed to observe Grenoble; in front of which its Advanced Guard arrived on the 4th July. On the 6th, the suburbs were attacked; and the communication between this place and Lyons was cut off. The garrison, consisting of eight Battalions of the National Guard, offered to capitulate on the 9th, on the condition of being permitted to return to their homes. That a vigorous defence might have been maintained was evident from the fact of the Austrians having found in the place fifty four guns and eight mortars, and large quantities of provisions.
Count Bubna’s Corps and the Reserve Corps, by simultaneous movements, assembled together in front of Lyons on the 9th. An Armistice was solicited by the garrison on the 11th July, and granted upon condition that Lyons and the Intrenched Camp should be evacuated; and that Marshal Suchet should retire with his Corps behind the Loire, keeping his Advanced Posts within a stipulated line of demarcation.
Having secured possession of the line of the Rhone as far down as its junction with the Isère, as also of that part of the Saône between Maçon and Lyons; the Army of Italy now proceeded towards the upper line of the latter river, leaving the Second Corps, under Count Bubna, at Lyons, in front of Marshal Suchet. The First Corps marched upon Chalons sur Saône, in order to gain the tête de pont at that point. At this time, the Fourth Division of the Army, under the French General Lecourbe, was at Salins, between Dôle and Pontarlier: and as Besançon had not yet been invested, Baron Frimont detached a part of the Reserve Corps, under General Hecht, to Salins; whilst General Fölseis, detached from the First Corps towards Dôle. The Advanced Guard of the First Corps had arrived in front of the tête de pont at Chalons, and had completed its dispositions for attack; when the place surrendered. By the advance, at the same time, of Hecht upon Salins, and of Fölseis from Dôle upon Besançon; the retreat of the French General Laplane was completely cut off. This led to a Convention which stipulated the dissolution of the National Guards, the surrender of all the Officers, and the abandonment of one of the Forts of Salins to the Austrians.
On the 20th, the First Corps d’Armée advanced from Chalons sur Saône as far as Autun; and Besançon having in the mean time been occupied by the Austrian troops of the Army of the Upper Rhine, a junction was effected with the latter by the Army of Italy by Dijon.
The Sardinian General d’Osasca, who had been detached to Nice, concluded on the 9th of July an Armistice with Marshal Brune, who commanded the Army of the Var, in front of the Maritime Alps; and thus terminated all hostilities on that side of France.
The foregoing Outline will suffice to show the nature, extent, and interconnection of the operations of the Allied Armies which invaded France along her eastern and south-eastern frontier; and at the same time afford a clear proof that amongst the more immediate consequences of the decisive Battle of Waterloo and speedy capture of Paris must be ranked that of their having been the means of averting the more general and protracted warfare which would probably have taken place, had a different result in Belgium emboldened the French to act with vigour and effect in other parts of the country.
The reduction of the Fortresses left in rear of the British and Prussian Armies, adjoining their main line of operations, and which was confided to Prince Augustus of Prussia, with the Second Prussian Corps d’Armée, assisted by the British Battering Train, was effected in the following manner:—
| Maubeuge— | siege commenced | 8th July, | capitulated | 12th July. |
| Landrecies | do. | 19th do., | do. | 21st do. |
| Marienberg | do. | 27th do., | do. | 28th do. |
| Philippeville | do. | 7th August, | do. | 8th August. |
| Rocroy | do. | 15th do., | do. | 16th do. |
Prince Augustus had made every preparation for commencing the siege of Charlemont and its connecting Forts, the two Givets and the Mont d’Hours, on the 8th of September, when the Commandant, General Burcke, foreseeing that the occupation of the detached Forts would divide his force too much, entered into negotiations, and surrendered those works on the 10th, withdrawing his troops into Charlemont; the bombardment of which was to have opened on the 23rd of September: but, on the 20th, Prince Augustus received information from Paris that hostilities were to cease throughout the whole of France.
Appendix
[Captain Siborne also included in this Appendix a number of State Papers, Military Orders, and Statistical Returns, in French and English; of which a List will be found at pages 42 to 44. These are omitted in this Fourth Edition, simply from want of space.—E.A.]
VI
Effective Strength and Composition of the Anglo-Allied Army under the Command of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington.
| First Corps.—His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange. | ||||
| First Division, Major General Cooke. | ||||
| Men. | ||||
| First British Brigade, | {2nd Battalion 1st Guards | 976 | ||
| Major General Maitland. | {3rd do. do. | 1021 | ||
| Second British Brigade, | {2nd do. Coldstream Guards | 1003 | ||
| Major General Sir John Byng. | {2nd do. 3rd Guards. | 1061 | ||
| ——— | ||||
| 4061 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Captain Sandham’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Adye. | {Major Kuhlmann’s Horse Battery, K.G. Legion. | |||
| Third Division, Lieutenant General Sir Charles Alten. | ||||
| {2nd Battalion 30th Regiment | 615 | |||
| Fifth British Brigade, | {33rd Regiment. | 561 | ||
| Major General Sir Colin Halkett. | {2nd Battalion 69th Regiment | 516 | ||
| {2nd do. 73rd do. | 562 | |||
| {1st Light Battalion. | 423 | |||
| Second Brigade K.G. Legion, | {2nd do. do. | 337 | ||
| Colonel von Ompteda. | {5th Line do. | 379 | ||
| {8th do. do. | 388 | |||
| {Field Battalion Bremen | 512 | |||
| {Do. do. Verden | 533 | |||
| First Hanoverian Brigade, | {Do. do. York. | 607 | ||
| Major General Count Kielmansegge. | {Do. do. Lüneburg. | 595 | ||
| {Do. do. Grubenhagen | 621 | |||
| {Do. Jäger Corps | 321 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 6,970 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Major Lloyd’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Williamson. | {Captain Cleeves’s Foot Battery, K.G. Legion | |||
| Second Dutch-Belgian Division, Lieutenant General Baron de Perponcher | ||||
| {7th Regiment of the Line | 701 | |||
| {27th Jäger Battalion | 809 | |||
| First Brigade, | {5th Militia Battalion | 482 | ||
| Major General Count de Bylandt. | {7th do. do. | 875 | ||
| {8th do. do. | 566 | |||
| Second Brigade, | {2nd Regiment of Nassau, 3 Battalions | 2709 | ||
| H.S.H. The Prince Bernhard of Saxe Weimar. | {Regiment of Orange Nassau, 2 do. | 1591 | ||
| ——— | ||||
| 7,533 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Captain Byleveld’s Horse Battery. | |||
| Major van Opstal. | {Captain Stievenaar’s Foot Battery. | |||
| Third Dutch-Belgian Division, Lieutenant General Baron Chassé. | ||||
| {2nd Regiment of the Line | 471 | |||
| {35th Jäger Battalion | 605 | |||
| First Brigade, | {4th Militia Battalion | 519 | ||
| Major General Ditmers. | {6th do. do. | 492 | ||
| {17th do. do. | 534 | |||
| {19th do. do. | 467 | |||
| {3rd Regiment of the Line | 629 | |||
| {12th do. do. | 431 | |||
| Second Brigade, | {13th do. do. | 664 | ||
| Major General d’Aubremé. | {36th Jäger Battalion | 633 | ||
| {3rd Militia Battalion | 592 | |||
| {10th do. do. | 632 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 6,669 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Captain Krahmer’s Horse Battery. | |||
| Major van der Smissen. | {Captain Lux’s Foot Battery. | |||
| ——— | ||||
| Total First Corps, men | 25,233 | |||
| and guns | 56 | |||
| Second Corps.—Lieutenant General Lord Hill | ||||
| Second Division, Lieutenant General Sir H. Clinton. | ||||
| {1st Battalion 52nd Regiment | 1038 | |||
| Third British Brigade, | {1st do. 71st do. | 810 | ||
| Major General Adam. | {2nd do. 95th do. | 585 | ||
| {3rd do. 95th do. | 188 | |||
| {1st Line Battalion | 411 | |||
| First Brigade K.G. Legion, | {2nd do. do. | 437 | ||
| Colonel du Plat. | {3rd do. do. | 494 | ||
| {4th do. do. | 416 | |||
| {Landwehr Battalion Bremervörde | 632 | |||
| Third Hanoverian Brigade, | { Do. do. Osnabrück | 612 | ||
| Colonel Halkett. | { Do. do. Quackenbrück | 588 | ||
| { Do. do. Salzgitter | 622 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 6,833 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Captain Bolton’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Gold. | {Major Sympher’s Horse Battery, K.G. Legion. | |||
| Fourth Division, Lieutenant General Sir Charles Colville. | ||||
| {3rd Battalion 14th Regiment | 571 | |||
| Fourth British Brigade, | {1st do. 23rd do. | 647 | ||
| Colonel Mitchell. | {51st Regiment | 549 | ||
| {2nd Battalion 35th Regiment | 570 | |||
| Sixth British Brigade, | {1st do. 54th do. | 541 | ||
| Major General Johnstone. | {2nd do. 59th do. | 461 | ||
| {1st do. 91st do. | 824 | |||
| {Field Battalion Lauenburg | 553 | |||
| { do. do. Calenberg | 634 | |||
| Sixth Hanoverian Brigade, | {Landwehr Battalion Nienburg | 625 | ||
| Major General Sir James Lyon. | { do. do. Hoya | 629 | ||
| { do. do. Bentheim | 688 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 7,212 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Major Brome’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Hawker. | {Captain von Rettberg’s Hanoverian Foot Battery. | |||
| First Dutch-Belgian Division, Lieutenant General Stedmann. | ||||
| {4th Regiment of the Line | ||||
| {6th do. do. | ||||
| First Brigade, | {16th Jäger Battalion | |||
| Major General Hauw. | {9th Militia do. | |||
| {14th do. do. | ||||
| {15th do. do. | ||||
| } | {6,389 | |||
| {1st Regiment of the Line | ||||
| {18th Jäger Battalion | ||||
| Second Brigade, | {1st Militia do. | |||
| Major General Eerens. | {2nd do. do. | |||
| {18th do. do. | ||||
| Artillery, | Captain Wynands’s Foot Battery. | |||
| {5th Regiment, 2 Battalions | ||||
| Dutch-Belgian Indian Brigade, | {Flankers | |||
| Lieutenant General Anthing. | {10th Jäger Battalion | |||
| {3,583 | ||||
| {11th do. do. | ||||
| Artillery, | Captain Riesz’s Foot Battery. | |||
| Detachments from 6th and 7th Line Battalions of the K.G. Legion, distributed among the other Battalions, and 2 Orderlies from Foreign Battalions | 16 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| Total Second Corps, men | 24,033 | |||
| and guns | 40 | |||
| Reserve. | ||||
| Fifth Division, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton. | ||||
| {1st Battalion 28th Regiment | 557 | |||
| Eighth British Brigade, | {1st do. 32nd do. | 662 | ||
| Major General Sir James Kempt. | {1st do. 79th do. | 703 | ||
| {1st do. 95th do. | 549 | |||
| {3rd do. 1st do. | 604 | |||
| Ninth British Brigade, | {1st do. 42nd do. | 526 | ||
| Major General Sir Denis Pack. | {2nd do. 44th do. | 455 | ||
| {1st do. 92nd do. | 588 | |||
| {Landwehr Battalion Hameln | 669 | |||
| Fifth Hanoverian Brigade, | { do. do. Gifhorn | 617 | ||
| Colonel von Vincke. | { Do. do. Hildesheim | 617 | ||
| { do. do. Peine | 611 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 7,158 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Major Rogers’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Major Heisse | {Captain Braun’s Hanoverian Foot Battery. | |||
| Sixth Division, Lieutenant General Hon. Sir L. Cole. | ||||
| {1st Battalion 4th Regiment | 669 | |||
| Tenth British Brigade, | {1st do. 27th do. | 698 | ||
| Major General Sir John Lambert. | {1st do. 40th do. | 761 | ||
| {2nd do. 81st do. | 439 | |||
| {Landwehr Battalion Verden | 621 | |||
| Fourth Hanoverian Brigade, | { do. do. Lüneburg | 624 | ||
| Colonel Best. | { do. do. Osterode | 677 | ||
| { do. do. Münden | 660 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 5,149 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Major Unett’s British Foot Battery. | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Brückmann. | {Captain Sinclair’s do. do. | |||
| {Lieutenant Colonel Sir Hew Ross’s Horse Battery. | ||||
| British Reserve Artillery, | {Major Beane’s Horse Battery. | |||
| Major Drummond. | {Major Morisson’s Foot Battery. | |||
| {Captain Hutchesson’s Foot Battery. | ||||
| {Captain Ilbert’s do. do. | ||||
| Seventh Division. | ||||
| {2nd Battalion 25th Regiment | 388 | |||
| Seventh British Brigade. | {2nd do. 37th do. | 491 | ||
| {2nd do. 78th do. | 337 | |||
| {13th Veteran Battalion | 683 | |||
| British Garrison Troops. | {1st Foreign do. | 595 | ||
| {2nd Garrison do. | 739 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| 3,233 | ||||
| Brunswick Corps, H.S.H. The Duke of Brunswick. | ||||
| Major von Rauschenplatt. | Advanced Guard Battalion | 672 | ||
| {Guard Battalion | 672 | |||
| Light Brigade, | {1st Light Battalion | 672 | ||
| Lieutenant Colonel von Buttlar. | {2nd do. do. | 672 | ||
| {3rd do. do. | 672 | |||
| {1st Line do. | 672 | |||
| Line Brigade, | {2nd do. do. | 672 | ||
| Lieutenant Colonel von Specht. | {3rd do. do. | 672 | ||
| ——— | ||||
| 5,376 | ||||
| Artillery, | {Captain Heinemann’s Horse Battery. | |||
| Major Mahn. | {Major Moll’s Foot Battery. | |||
| Hanoverian Reserve Corps, Lieutenant General von der Decken. | ||||
| First Brigade, | {Field Battalion Hoya | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel von Bennigsen. | {Landwehr Battalion Mölln | |||
| { do. do. Bremerlehe | ||||
| {Landwehr Battalion Nordheim | ||||
| Second Brigade, | { do. do. Ahlefeldt | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel von Beaulieu. | { do. do. Springe | |||
| {Landwehr Battalion Otterndorf | ||||
| Third Brigade, | { do. do. Zelle | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Bodecker. | { do. do. Ratzeburg | |||
| {Landwehr Battalion Hanover | ||||
| Fourth Brigade, | { do. do. Uelzen | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel Wissel. | { do. do. Neustadt | |||
| { do. do. Diepholz | ||||
| ——— | ||||
| 9,000 | ||||
| Nassau Contingent, General von Kruse. | ||||
| 1st Regiment—3 Battalions | 2,880 | |||
| ——— | ||||
| Total Reserve, men | 32,796 | |||
| and guns | 64 | |||
| Cavalry. | ||||
| British, and King’s German Legion. | ||||
| {1st Life Guards | 228 | |||
| First Brigade, | {2nd do. | 231 | ||
| Major General Lord E. Somerset. | {Royal Horse Guards (Blue) | 237 | ||
| {1st Dragoon Guards. | 530 | |||
| {1st, or Royal, Dragoons | 394 | |||
| Second Brigade, | {2nd Dragoons (Scots Greys) | 391 | ||
| Major General Sir W. Ponsonby. | {6th (or Inniskilling) Dragoons. | 396 | ||
| {1st Light Dragoons, K.G. Legion | 462 | |||
| Third Brigade, | {2nd do. do. do. | 419 | ||
| Major General Sir W. Dörnberg. | {23rd Light Dragoons. | 387 | ||
| {11th do. do. | 390 | |||
| Fourth Brigade, | {12th do. do. | 388 | ||
| Major General Sir J. Vandeleur. | {16th do. do. | 393 | ||
| {2nd Hussars, K.G. Legion | 564 | |||
| Fifth Brigade, | {7th do. | 380 | ||
| Major General Sir Colq. Grant. | {15th do. | 392 | ||
| {1st do. K.G. Legion. | 493 | |||
| Sixth Brigade, | {10th do. | 390 | ||
| Major General Sir H. Vivian. | {18th do. | 396 | ||
| Seventh Brigade, | {3rd do. K.G. Legion | 622 | ||
| Colonel Sir F.V. Arentsschildt. | {13th Light Dragoons. | 390 | ||
| {1. Major Bull’s (Howitzers). | ||||
| {2. Lieutenant Colonel Webber Smith’s. | ||||
| British Horse Batteries, | {3. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Robert Gardiner’s. | |||
| attached to the Cavalry. | {4. Captain Whinyates’s (with Rockets). | |||
| {5. Captain Mercer’s. | ||||
| {6. Captain Ramsay’s. | ||||
| Hanoverian. | ||||
| {Prince Regent’s Hussars | 596 | |||
| First Brigade, | {Bremen and Verden Hussars | 589 | ||
| Colonel von Estorff. | {Cumberland Hussars. | 497 | ||
| Brunswick Cavalry. | {Regiment of Hussars. | 690 | ||
| {Squadron of Uhlans. | 232 | |||
| Dutch-Belgian. | ||||
| {1st Dutch Carabiniers | 446 | |||
| First Brigade, | {2nd Belgian do. | 399 | ||
| Major General Trip. | {3rd Dutch do. | 392 | ||
| Second Brigade, | {4th Dutch Light Dragoons. | 647 | ||
| Major General de Ghigny. | {8th Belgian Hussars. | 439 | ||
| Third Brigade, | {5th do. Light Dragoons | 441 | ||
| Major General van Merlen. | {6th Dutch Hussars. | 641 | ||
| Artillery, | {Captain Petter’s Half Horse Battery. | |||
| {Captain Gey’s Half Horse Battery. | ||||
| ——— | ||||
| men | 14,482 | |||
| and guns | 44 | |||
| Artillery. | ||||
| Guns. | Men. | |||
| British. | ||||
| 7 Foot Batteries of 6 guns each | 42} | |||
| 3 do, do. 4 do. (18 prs) | 12} | 3,630 | ||
| 8 Horse do. 6 do. | 48 | 1,400 | ||
| King’s German Legion. | ||||
| 1 Foot Battery of 6 guns | 6} | |||
| 2 Horse Batteries of 6 guns each | 12} | 526 | ||
| Hanoverian. | ||||
| 2 Foot Batteries of 6 guns each | 12 | 465 | ||
| Brunswick. | ||||
| 1 Foot Battery of 8 guns | 8} | |||
| 1 Horse do. 8 do. | 8} | 510 | ||
| Dutch-Belgian. | ||||
| 4 Foot Batteries of 8 guns each | 32 | 968 | ||
| 3 Horse do. 8 do. | 24 | 667 | ||
| —— | ——— | |||
| 204 | 8,166 | |||
| Engineers, Sappers and Miners, Waggon Train, and Staff Corps | 1,240 | |||
Total Strength.
| Infantry | 82,062 |
| Cavalry | 14,482 |
| Artillery | 8,166 |
| Engineers, Waggon Train, &c. | 1,240 |
| ——— | |
| Grand Total. men | 105,950 |
| and guns | 204 |
VIII
Effective Strength and Composition of the Prussian Army under the Command of Field Marshal Prince Blücher von Wahlstadt.
| First Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General von Zieten. | ||||||
| First Brigade, General von Steinmetz. | Batts. | Men. | ||||
| 12th and 24th Regiments of the Line. | } | |||||
| 1st Westphalian Landwehr Regiment. | } | 9½ | 8,647 | |||
| 1st and 3rd Silesian Rifle Companies | } | |||||
| Second Brigade, General von Pirch II. | ||||||
| 6th and 28th Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 2nd Westphalian Landwehr Regiment. | } | 9 | 7,666 | |||
| Third Brigade, General von Jagow. | ||||||
| 7th and 29th Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 3rd Westphalian Landwehr Regiment. | } | 9½ | 6,853 | |||
| 2nd and 4th Silesian Rifle Companies. | } | |||||
| Fourth Brigade, General von Henkel. | ||||||
| 19th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 4th Westphalian Landwehr Regiment | } | 6 | 4,721 | |||
| ——— | ||||||
| 27,887 | ||||||
| Reserve Cavalry of the First Corps.—Lieutenant General von Röder. | ||||||
| Brigade of General von Treskow. | Squad. | |||||
| Brandenburg Dragoons (No. 5) | 4 | } | ||||
| 1st West Prussian Dragoons (No. 2) | 4 | } | ||||
| Brandenburg Uhlans | 4 | } | ||||
| } | 1,925 | |||||
| Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel von Lützow. | } | |||||
| 6th Uhlans | 4 | } | ||||
| 1st and 2nd Kurmark Landwehr Regiments. | 8 | } | ||||
| 1st Silesian Hussars | 4 | } | ||||
| 1st Westphalian Landwehr Regiment. | 4 | } | ||||
| Reserve Artillery of the First Corps.—Colonel von Lehmann. | ||||||
| 12 pounder Foot Batteries Nos. 2, 6, and 9 | } | |||||
| 6 do. do. Nos. 1, 3, 7, 8, and 15 | } | |||||
| Howitzer Battery No. 1 | } | 1,019 | ||||
| Horse Batteries Nos. 2, 7, and 10 | } | |||||
| ——— | ||||||
| Total—34 Battalions, 32 Squadrons, 12 Batteries | men | 30,831 | ||||
| and guns | 96 | |||||
| Second Corps d’Armée.—General von Pirch I. | ||||||
| Fifth Brigade, General von Tippelskirchen. | Batts. | Men. | ||||
| 2nd and 25th Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 5th Westphalian Landwehr Regiment | } | 9 | 6,851 | |||
| Sixth Brigade, General von Krafft. | ||||||
| 9th and 26th Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 1st Elbe Landwehr Regiment | } | 9 | 6,469 | |||
| Seventh Brigade, General von Brause. | ||||||
| 14th and 22nd Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 2nd Elbe Landwehr Regiment | } | 9 | 6,224 | |||
| Eighth Brigade, Colonel von Langen. | } | |||||
| 21st and 23rd Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 3rd Elbe Landwehr Regiment | } | 9 | 6,292 | |||
| ——— | ||||||
| 25,836 | ||||||
| Reserve Cavalry of the Second Corps.—General von Jürgass. | ||||||
| Brigade of Colonel von Thümen. | Squad. | |||||
| Silesian Uhlans | 4 | } | ||||
| 6th Neumark Dragoons | 4 | } | ||||
| 11th Hussars | 4 | } | ||||
| Brigade of Colonel Count Schulenburg. | } | |||||
| 1st Queen’s Dragoons | 4 | } | ||||
| 4th Kurmark Landwehr Regiment | 4 | } | ||||
| } | 4,468 | |||||
| Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel von Sohr | } | |||||
| 3rd Brandenburg Hussars | 4 | } | ||||
| 5th Pomeranian Hussars | 4 | } | ||||
| 5th Kurmark Landwehr Regiment | 4 | } | ||||
| Elbe Landwehr Regiment | 4 | } | ||||
| Reserve Artillery of the Second Corps.—Colonel von Röhl. | ||||||
| 12 pounder Foot Batteries Nos. 4 and 8 | } | |||||
| 6 do. do. Nos. 5,10,12,34 and 37 | } | 1,454 | ||||
| Horse Batteries No. 5, 6, and 14 | } | |||||
| ——— | ||||||
| Total—36 Battalions, 36 Squadrons, 10 Batteries | men | 31,758 | ||||
| and guns | 80 | |||||
| Third Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General von Thielemann. | ||||||
| Ninth Brigade, General von Borcke. | Batts. | Men. | ||||
| 8th and 36th Regiments of the Line | } | |||||
| 1st Kurmark Landwehr Regiment | } | 9 | 6,752 | |||
| Tenth Brigade, Colonel von Kämpfen. | ||||||
| 27th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 2nd Kurmark Landwehr Regiment | } | 6 | 4,045 | |||
| Eleventh Brigade, Colonel von Luck. | ||||||
| 3rd and 4th Kurmark Landwehr Regiments. | } | 6 | 3,634 | |||
| Twelfth Brigade, Colonel von Stülpnagel. | ||||||
| 31st Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 5th and 6th Kurmark Landwehr Regiments | } | 9 | 6,180 | |||
| ——— | ||||||
| 20,611 | ||||||
| Reserve Cavalry of the Third Corps.—General von Hobe. | ||||||
| Brigade of Colonel von der Marwitz. | Squad. | |||||
| 7th Uhlans | 3 | } | ||||
| 8th do. | 4 | } | ||||
| 9th Hussars | 3 | } | ||||
| } | 2,405 | |||||
| Brigade of Colonel Count Lottum. | } | |||||
| 5th Uhlans | 3 | } | ||||
| 7th Dragoons | 5 | } | ||||
| 3rd Kurmark Landwehr Regiment | 4 | } | ||||
| 6th do. do. do. | 4 | } | ||||
| Reserve Artillery of the Third Corps.—Colonel von Mohnhaupt. | ||||||
| 12 pounder Foot Battery No. 7 | } | |||||
| 6 do. do. Nos. 18 and 35 | } | 964 | ||||
| Horse Batteries Nos. 18, 19, and 20 | } | |||||
| ——— | ||||||
| Total—30 Battalions, 24 Squadrons, 6 Batteries | men | 23,980 | ||||
| and guns | 48 | |||||
| Fourth Corps d’Armée.—General Count Bülow von Dennewitz. | ||||||
| Thirteenth Brigade, Lieutenant General von Hacke. | Batts. | Men. | ||||
| 10th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 2nd and 3rd Neumark Landwehr Regiments. | } | 9 | 6,385 | |||
| Fourteenth Brigade, General von Ryssel. | ||||||
| 11th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 1st and 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr Regiments | } | 9 | 6,953 | |||
| Fifteenth Brigade, General von Losthin. | ||||||
| 18th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 3rd and 4th Silesian Landwehr Regiments | } | 9 | 5,881 | |||
| Sixteenth Brigade, Colonel von Hiller. | ||||||
| 15th Regiment of the Line | } | |||||
| 1st and 2nd Silesian Landwehr Regiments | } | 9 | 6,162 | |||
| ——— | ||||||
| 25,381 | ||||||
| Reserve Cavalry of the Fourth Corps.—General, Prince William of Prussia. | ||||||
| Brigade of General von Sydow. | Squad. | |||||
| 1st West Prussian Uhlans | 4 | } | ||||
| 2nd Silesian Hussars | 4 | } | ||||
| 8th Hussars | 3 | } | ||||
| Brigade of Colonel Count Schwerin. | } | |||||
| 10th Hussars | 4 | } | 3,081 | |||
| 1st and 2nd Neumark Landwehr Regiments | 8 | } | ||||
| 1st and 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr Regiments | 8 | } | ||||
| Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel von Watzdorf. | } | |||||
| 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Silesian Landwehr Regiments | 12 | } | ||||
| Reserve Artillery of the Fourth Corps.—Lieutenant Colonel von Bardeleben. | ||||||
| 12 pounder Foot Batteries Nos. 3, 5, and 13 | } | |||||
| 6 do. do. Nos. 2, 11, 13, 14, & 21 | } | 1,866 | ||||
| Horse Batteries Nos. 1, 11, and 12 | } | |||||
| ——— | ||||||
| Total—36 Battalions, 43 Squadrons, 11 Batteries | men | 30,328 | ||||
| and guns | 88 | |||||
| Total Strength. | |||||||
| Infantry. | Cavalry. | Artillery. | Guns. | ||||
| First Corps d’Armée | 27,817 | 1,925 | 1,019 | 96 | |||
| Second do. | 25,836 | 4,468 | 1,454 | 80 | |||
| Third do. | 20,611 | 2,405 | 964 | 48 | |||
| Fourth do. | 25,381 | 3,081 | 1,866 | 88 | |||
| ——— | ——— | ——— | ——— | ||||
| 99,715 | 11,879 | 5,303 | 312 | ||||
Grand Total—116,897 men and 312 guns.
IX
Effective Strength and Composition of the French Army, under the Command of Napoleon Buonaparte.
| Imperial Guard.—Marshal Mortier, Duke of Treviso. | |||||
| (On the 16th June.) | Batt. | Men. | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Friant. | |||||
| 1st and 2nd Regiments of Grenadiers | 4 | 2,294 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Roguet. | |||||
| 3rd and 4th Regiments of Grenadiers | 3 | 1,623 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Morand. | |||||
| 1st and 2nd Regiments of Chasseurs | 4 | 2,402 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Michel. | |||||
| 3rd and 4th Regiments of Chasseurs | 4 | 2,069 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Duhesme. | |||||
| 1st and 3rd Regiments of Tirailleurs | 4 | 2,043 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Barrois. | |||||
| 1st and 3rd Regiments of Voltigeurs | 4 | 2,123 | |||
| Lieutenant General Lefèbvre Desnouettes. | Squad. | ||||
| Lancers and Chasseurs à Cheval | 19 | 1,971 | |||
| Lieutenant General Count Guyot. | |||||
| Dragoons and Grenadiers à Cheval | 13 | 1,517 | |||
| Gendarmerie d’élite | 102 | ||||
| Lieutenant General Desvaux de St Maurice. | |||||
| 9 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 4 Horse do | } | 2,995 | |||
| Marines (104) | } | ||||
| Engineers | 109 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—23 Battalions 32 Squadrons, 13 Batteries | men | 19,428 | |||
| and guns | 96 | ||||
| First Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General Count d’Erlon. | |||||
| (On the 10th June.) | Batt. | Men | |||
| First Division, Lieuyenant General Alix | } | ||||
| 54th, 55th, 28th, and 105th Regiments of the Line | 8} | ||||
| Second Division, Lieutenant General Baron Donzelot | } | ||||
| 13th (Light), 17th, 19th, and 51st Regiments of the Line | 9} | ||||
| Third Division, Lieutenant General Baron Marcognet. | } | 16,200 | |||
| 21st, 46th, 25th, and 45th Regiments of the Line. | 8} | ||||
| Fourth Division, Lieutenant General Count Durutte. | } | ||||
| 8th, 29th, 85th, and 95th Regiments of the Line. | 8} | ||||
| First Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Jaquinot. | Squad. | ||||
| 3rd and 7th Chasseurs | 6} | ||||
| 3rd and 4th Lancers | 5} | 1,400 | |||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 5 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 1 Horse Battery | } | 1,066 | |||
| Engineers | 330 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—33 Battalions, 11 Squadrons, 6 Batteries | men | 18,996 | |||
| and guns | 46 | ||||
| Second Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General Count Reille. | |||||
| (On the 10th June.) | Batt. | Men | |||
| Fifth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Bachelu. | } | ||||
| 2nd (Light), 61st, 72nd, and 108th Regiments of the Line | 11} | ||||
| Sixth Division, Prince Jerome Napoleon. | } | ||||
| 1st (Light), 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of the Line | 11} | ||||
| Seventh Division, Lieutenant General Count Girard. | } | 19,750 | |||
| 11th (Light) and 82nd Regiments of the Line, and 12th Light Infantry | 8} | ||||
| Ninth Division, Lieutenant General Count Foy. | } | ||||
| 4th (Light), 92nd, 93rd, and 100th Regiments of the Line | 10} | ||||
| Second Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Piré. | Squad. | ||||
| 1st and 6th Chasseurs | 8} | ||||
| 5th and 6th Lancers | 7} | 1,729 | |||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 5 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 1 Horse Battery | } | 1,385 | |||
| Engineers | 409 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—40 Battalions, 15 Squadrons, 6 Batteries | men | 23,273 | |||
| and guns | 46 | ||||
| Third Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General Count Vandamme. | |||||
| (On the 10th June.) | Batt. | Men | |||
| Eighth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Lefol. | } | ||||
| 15th (Light), 23rd, 37th, and 64th Regiments of the Line | 11} | ||||
| Tenth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Habert. | } | ||||
| 34th, 88th, 22nd, and 70th Regiments of the Line | 12} | 14,508 | |||
| Eleventh Division, Lieutenant General Berthezene. | } | ||||
| 12th, 56th, 33rd, and 86th Regiments of the Line | 8} | ||||
| Third Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Domon. | Squad. | ||||
| 4th and 9th Chasseurs | 5} | ||||
| 12th Chasseurs | 4} | 932 | |||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 4 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 1 Horse Battery | } | 936 | |||
| Engineers | 146 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—31 Battalions, 9 Squadrons, 5 Batteries | men | 16,522 | |||
| and guns | 38 | ||||
| Fourth Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General Count Gérard. | |||||
| (On the 31st May.) | Batt. | Men | |||
| Twelfth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Pecheux. | } | ||||
| 30th, 96th, and 63rd Regiments of the Line. | 10} | ||||
| Thirteenth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Vichery. | } | ||||
| 59th, 76th, 48th, and 69th Regiments of the Line | 8} | 12,589 | |||
| Fourteenth Division, Lieutenant General Hulot. | } | ||||
| 9th (Light), 111th, 44th, and 50th Regiments of the Line | 8} | ||||
| Seventh Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Maurin. | Squad. | ||||
| 6th Hussars | 3} | ||||
| 8th Chasseurs | 3} | 758 | |||
| Reserve Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Jaquinot. | |||||
| 6th, 11th, 15th, and 16th Dragoons | 16 | 1,608 | |||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 4 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 1 Horse Battery | } | 1,538 | |||
| Engineers | 201 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—26 Battalions, 22 Squadrons, 5 Batteries | men | 16,694 | |||
| and guns | 38 | ||||
| Sixth Corps d’Armée.—Lieutenant General Count Lobau. | |||||
| (On the 10th June.) | Batt. | Men | |||
| Nineteenth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Simmer. | } | ||||
| 5th, 11th, 27th, and 84th Regiments of the Line | 9} | ||||
| Twentieth Division, Lieutenant General Baron Jeannin. | } | ||||
| 5th (Light), 16th, 47th, and 107th Regiments of the Line | 6} | 8,152 | |||
| Twenty First Division, Lieutenant General Baron Teste. | } | ||||
| 8th (Light), 40th, 65th, and 75th Regiments of the Line | 5} | ||||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 4 Foot Batteries | } | ||||
| 1 Horse Battery | } | 743 | |||
| Engineers | 891 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—20 Battalions, 5 Batteries | men | 9,084 | |||
| and guns | 38 | ||||
| Reserve Cavalry.—Marshal Grouchy. | |||||
| First Corps—Lieutenant General Count Pajol. | |||||
| (In June.) | Squad. | Men | |||
| Fourth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Soult | } | ||||
| 1st, 4th, and 5th Hussars | 12} | ||||
| Fifth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Subervie. | } | 2,324 | |||
| 1st and 2nd Lancers | 8} | ||||
| 11th Chasseurs | 4} | ||||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 2 Horse Batteries | 317 | ||||
| Second Corps-Lieutenant General Count Excelmans. | |||||
| (In June.) | Squad. | Men | |||
| Ninth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Strolz. | } | ||||
| 5th, 13th, 15th, and 20th Dragoons | 16} | ||||
| Tenth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Chastel. | } | 2,817 | |||
| 4th, 12th, 14th, and 17th Dragoons | 15} | ||||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 2 Horse Batteries | 246 | ||||
| Third Corps—Lieutenant General Kellermann (Count de Valmy). | |||||
| (In June.) | Squad. | Men | |||
| Eleventh Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron L’Heritier. | } | ||||
| 2nd and 7th Dragoons | 7} | ||||
| 8th and 11th Cuirassiers | 5} | ||||
| Twelfth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Roussel d’Hurbal. | } | 3,245 | |||
| 1st and 2nd Carabiniers | 6} | ||||
| 2nd and 3rd Cuirassiers | 6} | ||||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 2 Horse Batteries | 309 | ||||
| Fourth Corps—Lieutenant General Count Milhaud | |||||
| (On the 9th June) | Squad. | Men | |||
| Thirteenth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Wathier. | } | ||||
| 1st, 4th, 7th, and 12th Cuirassiers | 11} | ||||
| Fourteenth Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Delort. | } | 2,556 | |||
| 5th, 6th, 9th, and 10th Cuirassiers | 13} | ||||
| Artillery. | |||||
| 2 Horse Batteries | 313 | ||||
| ——— | |||||
| Total—103 Squadrons, 8 Batteries | men | 12,127 | |||
| and guns | 48 | ||||
| Total Strength. | ||||||||||
| Infantry. | Cavalry. | Artillery. | Engineers, &c. | Guns. | ||||||
| Imperial Guard | 12,554 | 3,590 | 3,175 | 109 | 96 | |||||
| First Corps d’Armée | 16,200 | 11,400 | 1,066 | 330 | 46 | |||||
| Second do. do. | 19,750 | 1,729 | 1,385 | 409 | 46 | |||||
| Third do. do. | 14,508 | 932 | 936 | 146 | 38 | |||||
| Fourth do. do. | 12,589 | 2,366 | 1,538 | 201 | 38 | |||||
| Sixth do. do. | 8,152 | — | 743 | 189 | 38 | |||||
| Four Corps of Reserve Cavalry | — | 10,942 | 1,185 | — | 48 | |||||
| ——— | ——— | ——— | —— | —— | ||||||
| 83,753 | 20,959 | 10,028 | 1,384 | 350 | ||||||
Grand Total—116,124 men and 350 guns.
XXXII
List of Officers of the King’s German Legion who were present at the Defence of La Haye Sainte.
2nd Light Battalion. Majors—G. Baring; A. Bösewiel, killed. Captains—E. Holtzermann, taken prisoner; W. Schaumann, killed. Lieutenants—F. Kessler, wounded; C. Meyer; O. Lindam, wounded; B. Riefkugel, wounded; A. Tobin, taken prisoner; T. Carey, wounded; E. Biedermann; D. Græme, wounded; S. Earl. Ensigns—F. von Robertson, killed; G. Frank, wounded; W. Smith; L. Baring. Lieutenant and Adjutant—W. Timmann, wounded. Surgeon—G. Heise.
1st Light Battalion. Captains—von Gilsa, wounded; von Marschalck, killed. Lieutenant—Kuntze. Ensign—Baumgarten.
Skirmishers of 5th Line Battalion. Captain—von Wurmb, killed. Lieutenants—Witte, wounded; Schläger. Ensign—Walther, wounded.
XXXV
List of British Officers who were present at the Defence of Hougomont.
2nd Battalion of Coldstream, or 2nd, Regiment of Foot Guards. Major—A.G. Woodford, Colonel. Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—J. Macdonell, wounded; D. Mackinnon, wounded; Hon. J. Walpole; H. Dawkins; Hon. E. Acheson; H. Wyndham, wounded. Lieutenants and Captains—G. Bowles; T. Sowerby; W.L. Walton; W.G. Baynes; C.A.F. Bentinck, Adjutant; J.S. Cowell; E. Sumner, wounded; J.L. Blackman, killed; B. Lord Hotham; Hon. R. Moore, wounded; T. Chaplin. Ensigns—Hon. J. Forbes; H. Gooch; A. Cuyler; M. Beaufoy; H.F. Griffiths, wounded; J. Montague, wounded; G.R. Buckley; J. Hervey; H. Vane; F.J. Douglass; R. Bowen; A. Gordon; Hon. W. Forbes; C. Short. Adjutant—C.A.F. Bentinck. Quarter Master—B. Selway. Surgeon—W. Whymper. Assistant Surgeons—G. Smith; W. Hunter.
2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards. Major—F. Hepburn. Lieutenant Colonel. Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—H.W. Rooke; W.C. Master; D. Mercer; C. Dashwood, wounded; F. Home; E. Bowater, wounded; C. West, wounded. Lieutenants and Captains—W. Stothert, Adjutant; W. Drummond; R.B. Hesketh, wounded; H. Hawkins; R.H. Wigston; Hon. J.B. Rodney; C.J. Barnet; J.W. Moorhouse; E.B. Fairfield; G. Evelyn, wounded; Hon. H. Forbes, killed; J. Elrington; H.B. Montgomerie, wounded; T. Crawford, killed; J. Ashton, killed. Ensigns—C. Lake, wounded; Hon. E. Stopford; B. Drummond; G.D. Standen; D. Baird, wounded; W. James; W.F. Hamilton; Hon. G. Anson; T. Wedgewood; W. Butler; A.C. Cochrane; J. Prendergast; C. Simpson, wounded; H.S. Blane; H. Montague. Adjutant—W. Stothert, Captain, wounded. Quarter Master—J. Skuce. Surgeon—S. Good. Assistant Surgeons—J.R. Warde; F. G. Hanrott.
1st Regiment of Foot Guards. Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—Lord Saltoun; C.P. Ellis, wounded.13
XLI
List of Officers of the British Army who were present in the Actions on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of June 1815, including those posted near Hal on the 18th; and distinguishing such as were Killed, Wounded or Missing.14
Staff.
Commander in Chief—Field Marshal His Grace the Duke of Wellington, K.G., G.C.B., &c.
Military Secretary—Lieutenant Colonel Lord FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Foot Guards, w.
Aides de Camp—Lieutenant Colonels, J. Fremantle, 2nd Foot Guards; C.F. Canning, 3rd Foot Guards, k.; Hon. Sir Alex. Gordon, 3rd Foot Guards, k.; Lieutenant Lord George Lennox, 9th Light Dragoons; Hereditary Prince of Nassau Usingen. Extra Aides de Camp—Lieutenant Colonel Hon. Henry Percy, 14th Light Dragoons; Captain Lord Arthur Hill, half pay; Lieutenant Hon. George Cathcart, 6th Dragoon Guards.
General H.R.H. The Prince of Orange, w. Aides de Camp—Lieutenant Colonel Tripp, 60th Foot; Captains, Lord John Somerset, half pay; Hon. Francis Russell, half pay. Extra Aides de Camp—Captain Earl of March, 52nd Foot; Lieutenant H. Webster, 9th Light Dragoons.
Lieutenant General the Earl of Uxbridge, G.C.B., w.; Aides de Camp—Major W. Thornhill, 7th Hussars, w.; Captain H. Seymour, 60th Foot, w. Extra Aides de Camp—Captains T. Wildman, 7th Hussars, w.; J. Fraser, 7th Hussars, w.
Lieutenant General Lord Hill, G.C.B. Aides de Camp—Major R. Egerton, 34th Foot; Lieutenant Colonel C. Hill, Royal Horse Guards, w.;
Major C.H. Churchill, 1st Foot Guards; Captain D. Mackworth, 7th Foot. Extra Aide de Camp—Captain Hon. O. Bridgeman, 1st Foot Guards, w.
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, G.C.B., k.; Aides de Camp—Captains, J. Tyler, 93rd Foot, w.; N. Chambers, 1st Foot Guards, k. Extra Aide de Camp—Captain B. Price, half pay.
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, G.C.B. Aide de Camp—Captain F. Dawkins, 1st Foot Guards.
Lieutenant General C. Count Alten, K.C.B., w. Aide de Camp—Lieutenant W. Havelock, 43rd Foot, w.; Major Ch. Heise, 2nd Battalion King’s German Legion.
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B. Aides de Camp—Captain J. Jackson, 37th Foot; Lieutenant F.W. Frankland, 2nd Foot. Extra Aide de Camp—Captain Lord James Hay, 1st Foot Guards.
Major General V. Count Alten. Aide de Camp—Lieutenant Baron Estorff, 2nd Dragoons, King’s German Legion.
Major General Sir John Vandeleur, K.C.B. Aide de Camp—Captain W. Armstrong, 19th Light Dragoons. Major of Brigade—Major M. Childers, 11th Light Dragoons.
Major General Cooke, w.; Aide de Camp—Captain G. Desbrowe, 1st Foot Guards. Extra Aide de Camp—Ensign A. Cuyler, 2nd Foot Guards.
Major General Sir James Kempt, K.C.B., w.; Aide de Camp-Captain Hon. Charles Gore, half pay. Major of Brigade—Captain C. Eeles, 95th Foot.
Major General Hon. Sir W. Ponsonby, K.C.B., k.; Aide de Camp—Lieutenant B. Christie, 5th Dragoon Guards. Extra Aide de Camp—Major D. Evans, 5th West India Regiment. Major of Brigade—Major Reignolds, 2nd Dragoons, k.
Major General Sir John Byng, K.C.B. Aide de Camp—Captain H. Dumaresq, 9th Foot, w. Major of Brigade—Captain W. Stothert, 3rd Foot Guards, w.
Major General Sir Denis Pack, K.C.B., w.; Aide de Camp—Major E. L’Estrange, 71st Foot, k. Major of Brigade—Captain C. Smith, 93rd Foot, k.
Major General Lord E. Somerset, K.C.B. Aide de Camp—Lieutenant H. Somerset, 18th Hussars. Major of Brigade—Major H. G. Smith, 25th Foot, k.
Major General Sir Colquhoun Grant, K.C.B., w.; Aide de Camp—Lieutenant R. Mansfield, 15th. Hussars, w. Extra Aide de Camp—Captain W. Moray, 17th Light Dragoons, w. Major of Brigade—Captain Jones, half pay.
Major General Sir James Lyon, K.C.B. Aide de Camp—Lieutenant J. M’Glashan, 2nd Light Battalion, King’s German Legion. Major of Brigade—Captain Richter, 1st Ceylon Regiment.
Major General P. Maitland, Aide de Camp—Ensign Lord Hay, 1st Foot Guards, k. Extra Aide de Camp—Cornet Lord William P. Lennox, Royal Horse Guards. Major of Brigade—Captain J. Gunthorpe, 1st Foot Guards.
Major General G. Johnstone, Aide de Camp—Captain C.G. Gray, 25th Foot. Major of Brigade—Captain S. Holmes, 78th Foot.
Major General F. Adam, w.; Aide de Camp—Lieutenant R.P. Campbell, 7th Foot. Extra Aide de Camp—Captain C. Yorke, 52nd Foot. Major of Brigade—Major Hunter Blair, 91st Foot, w.
Major General Sir Colin Halkett, K.C.B. w.; Aides de Camp—Captains, H. Marschalk, 1st Light Battalion, King’s German Legion, k.; A. Holme, 2nd Light Battalion, King’s German Legion. Major of Brigade—Captain W. Crofton, 54th Foot, k.
Major General Sir Hussey Vivian, K.C.B. Aide de Camp—Captain E. Keane, 7th Hussars. Extra Aide de Camp—Lieutenant C. A. Fitzroy, Royal Horse Guards. Major of Brigade—Captain T.N. Harris, half pay, w.
Adjutant General—Major General Sir Edward Barnes, K.C.B., w. Aide de Camp—Major A. Hamilton, 4th West India Regiment, w. Departmental Adjutant General—Colonel Sir John Elley, K.C.B., Royal Horse Guards, w.
Assistant Adjutants General—Lieutenant Colonels, S. Waters, Unattached, w.; Sir George H. Berkeley, K.C.B., 35th Foot, w.; Sir Guy Campbell, Bart., 6th Foot; Sir Noel Hill, K.C.B., 1st Foot Guards; D. Barclay, 1st Foot Guards; H. Rooke, 3rd Foot Guards; E. Currie, 90th Foot, k.; Majors, A. Wylly, 7th Foot; G. Evatt, 55th Foot; W. Darling, half pay; F. Breymann, 2nd Light Battalion, King’s German Legion.
Deputy Assistant Adjutants General—Captains, Hon. E.S. Erskine, 60th Foot, w.; Lord Charles Fitzroy, 1st Foot Guards; C. Bentinck, 2nd Foot Guards; L. Grant, 78th Foot; H. Blanckley, 23rd Foot; Hon. W. Curzon, 69th Foot, k. Lieutenants, J. Hamilton, 46th Foot, w.; J. Harford, 7th Royal Veteran Battalion; E. Gerstlacher, 3rd Hussars, King’s German Legion; J. Rooke, half pay.
Deputy Judge Advocate—Lieutenant Colonel S. Goodman, half pay.
Deputy Quarter Master General—Colonel Sir William Delancey, K.C.B., k.
Assistant Quarter Masters General—Colonels, Hon. A. Abercromby, 2nd Foot Guards, w.; F.B. Hervey, 14th Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonels, R. Torrens, 1st West India Regiment; Sir Charles Broke, K.C.B., Permanent; Sir Jeremiah Dickson, K.C.B., Permanent; Lord Greenock, Permanent; J. Woodford, 1st Foot Guards; C. Grant, 11th Foot; Sir William Gomm, K.C.B., 2nd Foot Guards; Sir Henry Bradford, K.C.B., 1st Foot Guards, w.; Sir George Scovell, K.C.B., half pay; D. Kelly, 73rd Foot. Majors, W. Campbell, 23rd Foot; Hon. George L. Dawson, 1st Dragoon Guards, w.; E. Beckwith, 95th Foot, w.; J. Shaw, 43rd Foot; J. Jessop, 43rd Foot, w.
Deputy Assistant Quarter Masters General—Captains, E. Fitzgerald, 25th Foot, w.; T. Wright, Royal Staff Corps, w.; H. McLeod, 35th Foot, w.; J. Mitchell, 25th Foot, w.; W. Moore, 1st Foot Guards; G. Hillier, 74th Foot; J. Fraser, 90th Foot; W. Cameron, 1st Foot Guards; F. Read, Royal Staff Corps. Lieutenants, P. Barrailler, 33rd Foot; B. Jackson, Royal Staff Corps; A. Brauns, Royal Staff Corps.
Commandant at Head Quarters—Colonel Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., 2nd Foot Guards.
Cavalry.
1st Life Guards. Major—S. Ferrier, Lieutenant Colonel, k. Captains—J. Whale, w.; M. Lind, k.; E. Kelly, w.; J. Berger, Major. Lieutenants—G. Randall; W. Mayne; H. Wyatt. Sub Lieutenants—W. S. Kichardson, w.; S. Cox, w.; W. Wombwell; G. Storey. Surgeon—R. Gough. Assistant Surgeon—J.H. James. Veterinary Surgeon—F. Dalton.
2nd Life Guards. Major—Hon. E.P. Lygon, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—W. Boyce, Major; R. Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Colonel, k.; Hon. H.E. Irby; J.P.M. Kenyon. Lieutenants—R. Meares; W. Elliott; S. Waymouth, w. and m.; C. Barton. Sub Lieutenants—A. Kenyon; T. Martin; A. M’Innes; J. Clues, Adjutant. Surgeon—S. Broughton. Assistant Surgeon—T. Drinkwater. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Field.
Royal Horse Guards, Blue. Lieutenant Colonels—Sir John Elley, Colonel, w.; Sir R.C. Hill, w. Major—R.C. Packe, k. Captains—J. Thoyts; W.R. Clayton; C. Hill, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; W.T. Drake. Lieutenants—J.B. Riddlesden; W.C. Shawe, w.; E.W. Bouverie, w.; H.E. Boates; T.B. Tathwell; G. Smith; Hon. G.J. Watson. Cornets—J. K. Picard; J. Arnold. Surgeon—D. Slow. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Seddall. Troop Quarter Masters—T. Varley, w.; P. Watmough; T. Hardy; J. Varley, w.; T. Troy.
1st (or King’s) Dragoon Guards. Lieutenant Colonel—W. Fuller, Colonel, k. Captains—H. Graham, Major, k.; M. Turner, w.; J.F. Naylor, w.; W. Elton; J.D. Brughurst, Major, k.; J.P. Sweeny, w.; R. Wallace; T.N. Quicke; G.E. Battersby, k. Lieutenants—J. Leatham; W. Sterling; R. Babington; F. Brooke, k.; R.T. Hamley; T.C. Brander; T. Shelver, Adjutant, k.; E. Hamill; W.D.A. Irvine, w.; J.E. Greaves; J.N. Hibbert. Cornets—G. Quicke; J.F. Middleton; Hon. H.B. Bernard, k.; W.W. Huntley. Paymaster—J. Webster. Surgeon—J. Going. Assistant Surgeons—W. M’Auley; Robert Pearson.
1st Royal Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—A.B. Clifton. Major—P. Dorville, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—C.E. Radclyffe, Major, w.; A.K. Clark, w.; P. Phipps; R. Heathcote; E.C. Windsor, k.; C. L. Methuin; C. Foster, k. Lieutenants—H.R. Carden; G. Gunning, w.; T.R. Keily, w.; S. Trafford, w.; S. Windawe, w.; C. Bridges; C. Ommaney, w.; C. Blois, w.; S. Goodenough, w.; R. Magniac, k. Cornets—W. Sturges; J.C. Sykes, k. Adjutant Cornet—T. Shipley, k. Quarter Master—W. Waddel. Surgeon—G. Steed. Assistant Surgeon—T. Prosser.
2nd, or Royal North British, Dragoons (Scots Greys). Lieutenant Colonel—J.J. Hamilton, Colonel, k. Major—J.B. Clarke, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; T.P. Hankin, Lieutenant Colonel, w. Captains—E. Cheney, Major; J. Poole, w.; R. Vernon, Major, w.; T. Reignolds, k.; C.L. Barnard, k.; E. Payne. Lieutenants—John Mills, w.; F. Stupart, w.; G.H. Falconer; J Wemyss; J. Carruthers, w.; A. Hamilton; T. Truther, k.; J. Gape; C. Wyndham, w.; J.R.T. Graham; H. M’Millan. Cornets—E. Westby, k.; F.C. Kinchant, k.; L. Shuldam, k.; W. Crawford. Paymaster—W. Dawson. Quarter Master—J. Lennox. Surgeon—R. Dunn. Assistant Surgeon—J. Alexander. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Trigg.
6th, or Inniskilling, Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—J. Muter, Colonel, w. Majors—F.S. Miller, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; H. Madox. Captains—W.F. Browne, w.; W.F. Hadden; Hon. S. Douglass, w.; E. Holbech; T. Mackay. Lieutenants—T. Biddulph; A.S. Willett; J. Linton; H.W. Petre; A. Hassard, w.; F. Johnson; R. Down; B. Barry; P. Ruffo, m.; M. Dames. Cornet—J.D. Allingham. Adjutant—M. M’Cluskey, k. Regimental Quarter Master—J. Kerr. Surgeon—J. Bolton. Assistant Surgeons—W.H. Rickatts; W. Campbell. Veterinary Surgeon—R. Vincent. Paymaster—W. Armstrong.
7th Light Dragoons. Colonel—Earl of Uxbridge, Lieutenant General, w. Lieutenant Colonel—Sir Edward Kerrison, Colonel. Majors—Edward Hodge, k.; W. Thornhill, w.; Captains—W. Verner, w.; T. W. Robbins, w.; E. Keane; P.A. Heyliger, w.; T. Wildman; J.J. Frazer, w.; J.D. Elphinstone, w.; E. Wildman, w. Lieutenants—S. O’Grady; W. Shirley; W. Grenfell; R. Douglass, w.; R. Uniacke; J. R. Gordon, w.; Henry Lord Paget; J. Daniel; E.J. Peters, w.; J. Wildman; F. Beatty, w.; S. Rice; F. Towers. Paymaster—T. Feltom. Lieutenant Adjutant—A. Meyers, w.; Quarter Master—J. Greenwood. Surgeon—D. Irwin. Assistant Surgeons—R.A. Chermside; J. Moffat. Veterinary Surgeon—R. Dorville.
10th Hussars. Lieutenant Colonels—George Quentin, Colonel, w.; Lord Robert Manners. Major—Hon. F. Howard, k.; Captains—T. W. Taylor, Major; H.C. Stapleton; J. Grey, w.; J. Gurwood, w.; C. Wood, w.; H. Floyd; A. Shakespeare. Lieutenants—J.W. Parsons; C. Gunning, k.; W.S. Smith; H.J. Burn; R. Arnold, w.; W. Cartwright; J.C. Wallington; E. Hodgson; W.C. Hamilton; A. Bacon, w.; W.H.B. Lindsey. Paymaster—J. Tallon. Lieutenant and Adjutant—J. Hardman. Assistant Surgeon—G.S. Jenks. Veterinary Surgeon—H.C. Sannerman.
11th Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—J.W. Sleigh. Major—A. Money, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—J. Bouchier; B. Lutyens, Major; M. Childers, Major; J.A. Schreiber; J. Jenkins; T. Binney; J. Duberley. Lieutenants—G. Sicker; F. Wood, w.; W. Smith; R. Coles, w.; B. Lye; E. Phelips, k.; J.R. Rotton; J.S. Moore, w.; B. Des Voeux; R. Millingan, w. Cornets—B.P. Browne; H. Orme; G. Schreiber, w.; H.R. Bullock; P.H. James. Paymaster—D. Lutyens Adjutant—G. Sicker. Quarter Master—J. Hall. Surgeon—J. O’Meally. Assistant Surgeon—H. Steel.
12th, or Prince of Wales’s, Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—Hon. F.C. Ponsonby, Colonel, w.; Major—J.P. Bridger. Captains—S. Stawell; G.F. Erskine; E.W.T. Sandys, w.; H. Wallace; A. Barton; H. Andrews. Lieutenants—W. Heydon; J. Chatterton; J. Vandeleur; W. Hay; W.H. Dowbiggen, w.; A. Goldsmid; J.D. Calderwood; L.J. Bertie, k.; T. Reed. Cornets—J.E. Lockhart k.; J.H. Slade. Adjutant—J. Griffiths.
13th Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—P. Doherty, Colonel. Major—S. Boyse, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Captains—B. Lawrence, Major; J. Doherty, w.; J. Macalister, Major; M. Bowers; J. Gubbins, k.; C. Gregorie; F. Goulbourn; J. Moss; G. Doherty, w.; J.H. Drought; C.R. Bowers, w.; A.T. Maclean; J. Geale, w.; R. Nesbitt; G. Pym, w.; W. Turner; J. Mill, w.; G.H. Pack, w.; H. Acton; J. Wallace; J.E. Irving, w.; J. Wakefield. Paymaster—A. Strange. Quarter Master—W. Minchin. Surgeon—T.G. Logan. Assistant Surgeon—A. Armstrong. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Coustant.
15th Hussars. Lieutenant Colonel—L.C. Dalrymple, w.; Major—E. Griffith, k.; Captains—J. Thackwell, w.; S. Hancox; J. Whiteford, w.; P. Wodehouse; F.C. Philips; W. Booth; J. Buckley, w.; J. Carr. Lieutenants—E. Barrett; J. Sherwood, k.; W. Bellairs; H. Lane; W. Byam, w.; E. Byam, w.; G.A.F. Dawkins, w.; H. Dixon; J.J. Douglass; W. Stewart. Paymaster—J.C. Cocksedge. Lieutenant and Adjutant—J. Griffith. Surgeon—T. Cartan. Assistant Surgeons—S. Jeyes; W. Gibney. Veterinary Surgeon—C. Dalwig.
16th Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—James Hay, w.; Majors—Hon. H.B. Lygon; G.H. Murray. Captains—J.H. Belli, Major; C. Swetenham; R. Weyland, w.; W. Persse; J.P. Buchanan, k.; W. Tomkinson; C. King. Lieutenants—J. Barra; W. Osten, w.; T. Wheeler; G. Baker; R. Beauchamp; N.D. Crichton, w.; E.B. Lloyd; W. Nepean; J.A. Richardson; J. Luard; W. Harris; Hon. C.T. Monckton. Cornets—W. Beckwith; W. Polhill; G. Nugent. Paymaster—G. Neyland. Lieutenant and Adjutant—J. Barra. Quarter Master—J. Harrison. Surgeon—J. Robinson. Assistant Surgeon—J.M. Mallock. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Jones.
18th Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—Hon. H. Murray. Captains—A. Kennedy; R. Croker; R. Ellis; J. Grant, Major; G. Luard; J.R.L. Lloyd. Lieutenants—C. Heste, w.; T. Dunkin; J. Waldie; G. Woodberry; Hon. L.C. Dawson; M. French; T. Prior; R. Coote; J.T. Macbell; D. M’Duffie; H. Somerset; W.H. Rowlls; J.R. Gordon; C.C. Moller; W. Monins. Paymaster—W. Deane. Lieutenant and Adjutant—H. Duperier, w.; Surgeon—W. Chambers. Assistant Surgeons—L. Pulsford; J. Quincey. Veterinary Surgeon—D. Pilcher.
23rd Light Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel—Earl of Portarlington, Colonel. Majors—J.M. Sutcliffe, w.; P.A. Latour. Captains—C.W. Dance, w.; P.Z. Cox; J. Martin; T. Gerrard, Major, w.; R. M’Neil; H. Grove, Major; J.M. Wallace. Lieutenants—G. Dodwell; A. Bolton; S. Coxen, k.; C. Tudor; J. Banner; J. Lewis; C. Bacon; B. Disney, w.; R. Johnson; T.B. Wall, w.; G.W. Blathwayte. Cornet—W. Hemmings. Paymaster—T. Dillow. Lieutenant and Adjutant—H. Hill; Quarter Master—J. Grouchley. Surgeon—S. Steele. Assistant Surgeon—H. Cowen. Veterinary Surgeon—J. Ship.
Infantry.
1st Regiment Foot Guards (2nd and 3rd Battalions). Majors—H. Askew, Colonel, w.; Hon. W. Stuart, w.; Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—Hon. H. Townsend, w.; R.H. Cooke, w.; E. Stables, k.; Sir F. D’Oyly, K.C.B., k.; L.G. Jones; H. D’Oyly, w.; G. Fead, w.; C. Thomas, k.; Lord Saltoun; J. Reeve; W. Miller, w.; Hon. J. Stanhope; J.G. Woodford; C. Colquett; W.H. Milnes, w.; Sir H.W. Bradford, K.C.B., w.; Sir T.N. Hill, K.C.B.; Sir D. Barclay, K.C.B.; Sir U. Burgh, K.C.B.; Lord F. Somerset, K.C.B. Lieutenants and Captains—R. Adair, w.; T. Streatfield, w.; J.H. Davis; Lord James Hay, k.; E. Grose, k.; J. Gunthorpe, Adjutant; Hon. R. Clements, w.; Lord C. Fitzroy; J.H. Hutchinson; R. Ellison; H.W. Powell; George Desbrowe; W.G. Cameron; Lonsdale Boldero; R.W. Phillimore; C.P. Ellis, w.; J. Simpson, w.; A.F. Viscount Bury; E. Clive; W.F. Johnstone; E.F. Luttrell, w.; T. Brown, k.; E.P. Buckley; F. Dawkins; J. Nixon; C.F.R. Lascelles, w.; W.G. Moore; S.W. Burgess, w. Ensigns—R. Batty, w.; R. Master; W. Barton, w.; Hon. H.S.V. Vernon; E. Pardoe, k.; J. Butler; T.R. Swinburne; C. J. Vyner; F.D. Swan; J.P. Dirom, Lieutenant; J.F.M. Erskine; R. Bruce, w.; Hon. T.S. Bathurst; Hon. E.A. Edgcumbe; G. Fludyer, w.; W.F. Tinling; A. Greville; G.T. Jacob; D. Cameron; L. Hurd; F. Norton; H. Lascelles; G. Mure; G. Allen; T.E. Croft, w.; Hon. S.S.P. Barrington, k.; J. St. John; D. Tighe; J. Talbot. Adjutant—C: Allix, Captain. Quarter Master—R. Colquhoun. Surgeons—W. Curtis; W. Watson. Assistant Surgeons—J. Harrison; A. Armstrong; J. Gardner; F. Gilder.
Coldstream, or 2nd Regiment, Foot Guards (2nd Battalion). Major—A. G. Woodford, Colonel. Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—J. Macdonell, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; D. MacKinnon, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Hon. J. Walpole; H. Dawkins; H.A. Abercromby, k.; Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B.; Hon. E. Acheson; Sir W. Gomm, K.C.B.; H. Wyndham, w. Lieutenants and Captains—G. Bowles; T. Sowerby; J. Fremantle, Lieutenant Colonel; W.L. Walton; W.G. Baynes; C. A.F. Bentinck, Adjutant; J.S. Cowell; E. Sumner, w.; J.L. Blackman, k.; Lord Hotham; Hon. R. Moore, w.; T. Chaplin. Ensigns—Hon. J. Forbes; H. Gooch; A. Cuyler; M. Beaufoy; H.F. Griffiths, w.; John Montagu, w.; G.R. Buckley; J. Hervey; H. Vane; F.J. Douglas; R. Bowen; A. Gordon; Hon. W. Forbes; C. Short. Adjutant—C.A.F. Bentinck, Captain. Quarter Master—B. Selway. Surgeon—W. Whymper. Assistant Surgeons—G. Smith; W. Hunter.
3rd Foot Guards (2nd Battalion). Major—F. Hepburn, Colonel. Captains and Lieutenant Colonels—H.W. Rooke; D. Mercer; Hon. Sir A. Gordon, k.; C. Dashwood, w.; F. Home; C.F. Canning, k.; E. Bowater, w.; C. West, w. Lieutenants and Captains—W. Stothert, Adjutant; W. Drummond; R.B. Hesketh, w.; H. Hawkins; R.H. Wigston; C.J. Barnet; J.W. Moorhouse; E.B. Fairfield; G. Evelyn, w.; Hon. H. Forbes, k.; J. Elrington; H.B. Montgomerie, w.; T. Crawford, k.; J. Ashton, k. Ensigns—C. Lake, w.; Hon. E. Stopford; B. Drummond; G.D. Standen; D. Baird, w.; W.F. Hamilton; W. James; Hon. G. Anson; T. Wedgewood; W. Butler; A.C. Cochrane; J. Prendergast; C. Simpson, w.; H.S. Blane; H. Montague. Adjutant—W. Stothert, Captain, w. Quarter Master—J. Skuce. Surgeon—S. Good. Assistant Surgeons—J.R. Warde; F.G. Hanrott.
1st Regiment Foot, or Royal Scots (3rd Battalion). Major—Colin Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Captains—L. Arquimbau, Major, w.; R. Macdonald, Major, w.; H. Massy, Major, w.; W. Buckley, k.; W. Gordon; R. Dudgeon, w. Lieutenants—A. Morrison, w.; J. Armstrong, k.; J.E.O. Neil, k.; W.J. Rea, w.; J. Ingram, w.; W. Clarke, w.; G.C. Johnstone; T. Gordon; A. Cameron, Adjutant, w.; J. Stoyte, w.; R.H. Scott, w.; G. Lane, w.; J. Symes, w.; J. Alstone, w.; W.G. Young, k.; J. Mann, w.; W. Dobbs, w.; J.F.W. Millar, w.; G. Stewart, w.; J.L. Black, w. Ensigns—A. Glen; C. Mudie; J.G. Kennedy, k.; C. Lewis; C. Graham, w.; T. Stephens, w.; J. MacKay, w.; A. Robertson, k.; W. Anderson, k.; L.M. Cooper, w.; W. Thomas. Paymaster—J.C. Thompson. Adjutant—A. Cameron, w.; Quarter Master—T. Griffith, w.; Surgeon—W. Galliers. Assistant Surgeons—W. Finnie; T. Bolton.
4th Regiment Foot (King’s Own). Lieutenant Colonel—F. Brooke. Captains—G.D. Wilson, Major, w.; C.J. Edgell, w.; W.L. Wood; J. W. Fletcher; H.T. Shaw; R. Erskine; D.S. Craig; E.S. Kirwan; J. Browne, w. Lieutenants—G. Vincent; B. Martin; G. Richardson, w.; P. Boulby; H. Boyd, w.; G.H. Hearne; B. Collins, w.; W. Squire, w.; J. Bushel; R. Mulholland; W. Lonsdale; E. Boulby; W. Clarke; W. Richardson, Adjutant; F. Field; W. Reddock; A. Gerard, w.; J. L. Fernandez; W. Blagrave; C. Levinge. Ensigns—W. Taylor; E. Newton; W.H. Matthews, w.; J.E.H. Holland; I. Beer. Paymaster—J. Lansdale. Quarter Master—T. Richards. Surgeon—F. Burton. Assistant Surgeons—W. Morrah; J. French.
14th Regiment Foot (3rd Battalion). Majors—F.S. Tidy, Lieutenant Colonel; J. Keightley. Captains—G. Marley, Major; T. Ramsay; W. Turnor; W. Ross; R. Adams; C. Wilson; J.L. White; W. Hewett. Lieutenants—W. Akenside; C.M. Brannan; L. Beachcroft; W. Buckle, Adjutant; G. Baldwin; J. Nickson; L. Westwood; D. Slocock; J.C. Hartley; H. Boldero. Ensigns—W. Reed; J. Mackenzie; F.R. Fane; R.B. Newenham; C. Frazer; A.T.E. Adamson; W. Keowen; J.M. Wood; A. Ormsby, w. (24th); J.R. Smith; A. Cooper, w.; J. Bowlby; J.P. Matthews; R.J. Stackpoole; R.B. Holmes; Hon. G.T. Keppel. Paymaster—R. Mitton. Quarter Master—A. Ross. Assistant Surgeons—A. Shannon; Henry Terry.
23rd Regiment Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers). Lieutenant Colonel—Sir H.W. Ellis, K.C.B., Colonel, w.; Majors—T. Dalmer, Lieutenant Colonel; J.H.E. Hill, Lieutenant Colonel, w. Captains—J. Hawtyn, Major, k.; P. Brown, Major; F. Dalmer, Major; H. Wynne; T. Strangeway; W. Campbell, Major; C. Jolliffe, k.; T. Farmer, k.; H. Johnson, w.; H.S. Blanckley. First Lieutenants—F. O’Flaherty; J. Milne; W. Walley; E.M. Brown; F.L.G. Cowel; G. Hensham, k.; R. Smith; H. Palmer; J.W. Harris; J. Enoch, Adjutant; G. Philips; J. Macdonald; G. Fielding; R.P. Holmes; C. Fryer; W.A. Griffiths, w.; J. Clyde, w.; A.A. Brice; A.D. Sidley w.; A. Clayhills; E. Methold. Second Lieutenants—T. Lilly; G. Dunn; G. Stainforth; G. FitzGibbon; W. Leebody, k. (24th); T. Towers; T. Allan. Paymaster—R. Julian. Lieutenant and Adjutant—J. Enoch. Quarter Master—G. Sidley. Surgeon—J. Dunn. Assistant Surgeons—T. Smith; J. Williams.
27th (Inniskilling) Regiment Foot. Captains—J. Hare, Major, w.; J. Tucker, w.; G. Holmes, k. Lieutenants—G. Macdonald, w.; W. Henderson, w.; R. Handcock, w.; E.W. Drewe, w.; J. Betty; W.F. Fortescue, w.; W. Talbot; J. Millar, w.; C. Manley, w.; T. Craddock, w. Ensigns—W. Kater; T. Handcock, w.; T. Smith, w.; S. Ireland. k.; J. Ditmas, w. Quarter Master—T. Taylor. Assistant Surgeons—T. Mostyn; G. Fitz Gerald.
28th Regiment Foot. Lieutenant Colonels—Sir Charles Philip Belson, K.C.B., Colonel; B. Nixon, w.; Majors—W.P. Meacham, k.; W. Irving, w.; R. Llewellyn, w.; Captains—C. Cadell; R. Kelly, w.; J. Bowles, w.; T. English, w.; C. Teulon, w. Lieutenants—J.H. Crumner; J.F. Wilkinson, w.; M. Semple; R.P. Gilbert, w.; R.P. Eason, w.; W. Irwin, w.; H. Hilliard, w.; S. Moore; J. Coen, w.; C.B. Carruthers, w.; J.T. Clarke, w.; J.W. Shelton, w.; J. Deares, w.; E.E. Hill; G. Ingram, w.; T.W. Colleton; J. Parry. Ensigns—R. T. Stewart; W. Serjeantson; R. Martin; J. Simpkin; W. Mountsteven, w.; W. Lynam. Lieutenant and Adjutant—T. Bridgeland, w.; Paymaster—J. Dewes. Quarter Master—R. Reynolds. Assistant Surgeon—P.H. Lavens.
30th Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Lieutenant Colonel—A. Hamilton, w. Majors—N.W. Bailey, w.; C.A. Vigoureux, w.; T.W. Chambers, k.; Captains—A. M’Nab, k.; R. Howard; A. Gore, w.; M. Ryan; D. Sinclair-Finneane. Lieutenants—B.W. Nicholson; J. Gowan; R. Mayne; M. Andrews; R. Heaviside; R.C. Elliot, w.; A.W. Freear; J. Rumley, w.; R. Daniells, w.; P. Neville; J. Roe, w.; T.O. Halloran; R. Hughes, w.; P. Lockwood, w.; J. Pratt, w.; H. Beere, k.; E. Prendergast, k.; W.O. Warren, w.; T. Moneypenny, w.; R. Harrison; J. Roe; F. Tincombe. Ensigns—R.N. Rogers; J. James, k.; E. Macready; J. Bullen, k. Paymaster—H.B. Wray. Lieutenant and Adjutant—M. Andrews, w.; Quarter Master—Williamson. Surgeon—J.G. Elkington. Assistant Surgeons—J. Evans; P. Clarke.
32nd Regiment Foot. Majors—J. Hicks, Lieutenant Colonel; F. Calvert. Captains—C. Hames, Major; H.R. Lewen; W.H. Toole, Major, w.; J. Crowe, w.; J. Boyce, k.; T. Cassan, k.; E. Whitty, k.; H. Harrison, w.; C. Wallett, w.; S. Cane. Lieutenants—H.W. Brookes, w.; G. Barr, w.; M.W. Meighan, w.; S.H. Lawrence, w.; T. Butler; J. Boase, w.; T. Ross Lewin, w.; H. Butterworth, w.; J.S. M’Culloch; J.R. Colthurst, w.; B. Hill; J. Harvey; J. Robinson, w.; G. Brock; R.T. Belcher; J. Fitzgerald, w.; T.J. Horan, w.; E. Stephens, w.; H. Quill, w.; J. Jagoe, w.; G. Small; B.R. O’Connor; H. Newton; J. Peyton. Ensigns—J. Lucas; J. M’Conchy; H. Metcalf, w.; J. Birtwhistle, w.; A. Stuart, w.; G. Brown; W. Bennet, w.; C. Dallas, w.; Lieutenant and Adjutant—D. Davis, w.; Paymaster—T. Hart. Quarter Master—W. Stevens. Surgeon—W. Buchanan. Assistant Surgeons—R. Lawder; H. M’Clintock.
33rd Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Lieutenant Colonel—W.K. Elphinstone. Majors—G. Colclough; E. Parkinson, w.; Captains—W. M’Intyre, w.; C. Knight, w.; J. Haigh, k.; J.M. Harty, w.; R. Gore; J. Longden. Lieutenants—T. Reid, w.; G. Barrs; H.R. Buck, k.; A.H. Trevor; J. Boyce, k.; A. Gore, k.; J. Hart; J. Markland, w.; T.H. Patterson; R. Westmore, w.; T.D. Haigh, w.; G. Whannel; J.G. Ogle, w.; S.A. Pagan, w.; E. Clabon; J. Lynam; J. Archibald; J. Forlong, w.; J. Cameron, w. Ensigns—H. Bain, w.; J. Alderson, w.; J.A. Howard, w.; A. Watson; C. Smith; W. Hodson; G. Blackall; G. Drury, w.; W.H. Grote. Paymaster—E. Stoddart. Adjutant—W. Thain, w. Quarter Master—J. Fazakerly. Surgeon—R. Learer. Assistant Surgeons—W. Fry; D. Finlayson.
35th Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Majors—C. Macalister; J. Slessor, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—C.W. Wall; W. Rawson; H. Rutherford; T. M’Niell; R. Cameron; N. Dromgoole. Lieutenants—S. S. Scarfe; J.W. Amos; J. Osbourne; T. M’Donough; R. Thobourne; W. Farrant; A. Barnwell; J. Hildebrant; P. Murdock; J. Wilder; N.R. Tompkins; E. Shewell; W. Rainsford; G. Wilkins; J. Middleton. Ensigns—J.M. Bliss; W.L. Hedding; J. Hewetson; W. Macalister; J.B. Wyatt; Lord S. Ker; N. M’Donnell; R. Pottenger; A.D. Hamilton; J. Thomas. Paymaster—W. Bury. Adjutant—C. S. Brearey. Quarter Master—R. Foot. Surgeon—C.S. Doyle. Assistant Surgeons—W. Keoghoe; J. Purcell.
40th Regiment Foot. Majors—A.R. Heyland, k.; F. Browne. Captains—S. Stretton, Major; R. Turton; C. Ellis, w.; J.H. Barnet, w.; R. Philips; W. Fisher, k.; E.C. Bowen; P. Bishop; J.D. Franklyn; W. Kelly. Lieutenants—J. Thoreau; M. Chadwick; R. Moore, w.; W.O. Sandwith; J. Butler; H. Millar; J. Richardson; J. Anthony, w.; C. Gorman; J. Mill, w.;—Glynne; W. Neilly; R. Hudson; H. Wilkinson; J. Foulkes; T. Campbell, w.; H.B. Wray; R. Jones; Hon. M. Browne, w.; D. M’Donald; F. Fort; G. Hibbert; R. Rudd. Ensigns—H. Helmsley; J.L. Wall; W. Clerke; G. Atkinson; R. Thornhill; J. Murphy; W.J. M’Carthy. Paymaster—F.H. Durand. Adjutant—W. Manning, Lieutenant. Surgeon—W. James. Assistant Surgeons—W. Barry; G. Scott.
42nd Regiment Foot (Royal Highlanders). Lieutenant Colonels—Sir Robert Macara, k.; R.H. Dick, w.; Major—A. Menzies, w. Captains—J. Campbell, Lieutenant Colonel; G. Davidson, Major, w.; M. Macpherson, w.; D. M’Donald, w.; D. M’Intosh, w.; R. Boyle, w.; Lieutenants—D. Chisholm, w.; D. Stewart, w.; D. M’Kenzie, w.; H.A. Frazer, w.; J. Malcolm, w.; A. Dunbar, w.; J. Brander, w.; R. Gordon, k.; R. Stewart; J. Robertson; K. M’Dougall; D. M’Kay; A. Innes; J. Grant; J. Orr, w.; G.G. Munro, w. Ensigns—G. Gerard, k.; W. Fraser, w.; A.L. Fraser, w.; A. Brown; A. Cumming. Adjutant—J. Young, w., Quarter Master—D. M’Intosh, w.; Surgeon—S. M’Leod. Assistant Surgeons—D. M’Pherson; J. Stewart.
44th Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Lieutenant Colonel—J.M. Hamerton, w. Major—G. O’Malley, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—A. Brugh, w.; D. Power, w.; W. Burney, w.; M. Fane, w. Lieutenants—R. Russell, w.; R.J. Twinberrow; R. Grier, w.; W. Tomkins, k.; W.B. Strong, w.; J. Campbell, w.; N.T. Kingsley; J. Burke, w.; H. Martin; W.M. Hern, w.; A Reddock. Ensigns—Christie, w.; B. Whitney, w.; G. Dunlevie; P. Cooke, k.; T. M’Cann, w.; J.C. Webster, w.; A. Wilson, w. Paymaster—J. Williams. Ensign and Adjutant—T. M’Cann, w.; Quarter Master—H. Jones. Surgeon—O. Halpin. Assistant Surgeons—J. Collins; W. Newton.
51st Foot. Lieutenant Colonel—H.H. Mitchell, Colonel. Major—S. Rice, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—J.T. Keyt, Major; J. Campbell; W. Thwaits, Major; R. Storer; J.H. Phelps; James Ross; J. Ross; S. Beardsley, w.; E. Frederick. Lieutenants—T. Brook; B.B. Hawley; F. Minchin; W. Mahon; W.H. Hare; O. Ainsworth; H. Read; F. Kennedy; J. Dyas; J.J. Flaman, k.; W.H. Elliott; W.D. Simpson; F. Mainwaring; C.W. Tyndall, w.; H. Martin; H.H. Roberts; E. Isaacson; E.J. Taylor; T. Troward; J. Lintott. Ensigns—G.F.B. St John; F. Percy; W.K. Krause; R.B. Walton; W. Johnstone; A. Fraser; J. Blair; H. Lock. Paymaster—J. Gibbs. Lieutenant and Adjutant—W. Jones. Quarter Master—T. Askey. Surgeon—R. Webster. Assistant Surgeons—J.F. Clarke; P. Fitzpatrick.
52nd Foot. Lieutenant Colonel—Sir John Colborne, K.C.B., Colonel. Major—C. Rowan, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Captains—P. Campbell, Major; W. Chalmers, Major; W. Rowan, Major, w.; J.F. Love, Major, w.; C. Earl of March, Major; C. Diggle, Major, w.; J. Shedden; G. Young; J. M’Nair; E. Langton; J. Cross; C. Yorke. Lieutenants—C. Dawson, w.; M. Anderson, w.; C. Kenny; G.H. Love; W. Ripley; J.C. Barrett; W.H. Clerke; G. Hall; W.R. Nixon; G. Gawler; G. Whichcote; W. Ogilvy; E.R. Northey; Hon. W. Browne; E. Scoones; G. Campbell, w.; W. Austin; J. Snodgrass; J.S. Cargill; W. Hunter; W.C. Yonge; T. Cottingham, w.; C. Holman; G. Moore; E. Mitchell; C. Shawe; J. Hart; G.E. Scott; H.T. Oakes; J.R. Griffith; J. Burnett; R. Steward; G. Robson; F.W. Love. Ensigns—J. Jackson; T. Massie; W. Nettles, k.; J. Macnab; J. Montagu; J.F. May; E. Monins; W. Leeke. Paymaster—J. Clarke. Lieutenant and Adjutant—J. Winterbottom, w. Quarter Master—B. Sweeten. Surgeon—J.B. Gibson. Assistant Surgeons—P. Jones; W. Macartney.
54th Regiment Foot. Lieutenant Colonel—J. Earl Waldegrave. Majors—Sir Neil Campbell, Colonel; A. Kelly. Captains—T.C. Kirby; R. Blakeman; W. Crofton, Brigade Major, k.; J. Leslie; G.J. Tappenden; G. Black, Brigade Major; T. Chartres. Lieutenants—G. Fraser; G. Bromhead; E.A. Evanson; J. Pillon; R. Woodgate; W. Claus; R. Kelly; J. Grey; P. Mandilhon; J.H. Potts; R. Seacroft; F. Taylor; E. Marcon; J. Reid; R. Stacpoole; F. Burgess; W. Pilkington; W. Persse; D. Denham; F. Hutchinson; M.S.H. Lloyd. Ensigns—E. Nugent; T. Fraser; C. Hill; J. Clark; C.W. Thomas; A. Mathewson; P. Clarke. Paymaster—H. Irwin. Adjutant—J. Dowdell. Quarter Master—W. Coates. Surgeon—G. Redmond. Assistant Surgeons—M.F. Finan; G. Leech.
59th Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Lieutenant Colonel—H. Austen. Majors—F.W. Hoysted, Lieutenant Colonel; C. Douglas. Captains—F. Fuller; J. Cockburn; A. Pilkington; J.A. Crawford; J. M’Gregor; J. Fawson. Lieutenants—R. Preedy; W.F. Mayne; A. Dent; J. Cowper; H. Brown; A. Macpherson; E. Duncan; N. Chadwick; L. Carmichael; H. Hartford; P. O’Hara; W. Veall; W. Pittman; W.H. Hill; G. Robinson; R. Scott. Ensigns—A.C. Ross; H.K. Bloomfield; R.F. Hill; C. Makepeace. Paymaster—C. Marr. Adjutant—A. Campbell, Lieutenant. Quarter Master—W. Baird. Surgeon—J. Hagan. Assistant Surgeons—P.K. Lambe; A. Calvin.
69th Regiment Foot (2nd Battalion). Colonel—C. Morice, k.; Major—G. Muttlebury, Lieutenant Colonel. Captains—J.L. Watson, Major, w.; H. Lindsay, Major, w.; G.S. Cotter; C. Cuyler; B. Hobhouse, k.; H.W. Curzon, k.; R. Blackwood, k.; G.W. Barlow. Lieutenants—W. Harrison; R. Franklyn; S. Parke; B. Pigot, w.; C. Busteed, w.; N. Ray; C.W. Ingle; J. Hill; H. Oldershaw, Adjutant; C.L. Dickson; E.M. Wrightwick, k.; H. Anderson, w.; J. Stewart, w.; Ensigns—E. Hodder, w.; W. Bartlett; C. Seward; H.D. Keith; G.S.H. Ainslie; Volunteer Clarke, w.; Paymaster—P. Vyvyan. Quarter Master—M. Stevens. Surgeon—C. Bancks, M.D. Assistant Surgeon—J. Bartlet.
71st Light Infantry (Glasgow Highlanders). Lieutenant Colonel—T. Reynell, Colonel, w.; Majors—A. Jones, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; L. Walker. Captains—S. Reed; J.T. Pidgeon; A. Armstrong; D. Campbell, w.; E. L’Estrange, Major, k.; W.A. Grant, w.; J. Henderson, w.; A.J. M’Intyre; C. Johnstone, Major, w.; A. Grant. Lieutenants—J. Baraillier, w.; L. Richards; J.R. Elwes, k.; C. Stewart; R. Baldwin; W.C. Hanson, w.; R. Lind, w.; J. Roberts, w.; J. Coates; J. Fraser; E. Gilborne; J. Whitney; W. Long; R. Lawe, w.; C.T. Cox; C. Lewin, w.; W. Woolcombe; W. Torriano; G.W. Horton; J. Coote, w.; C. Moorhead; D. Soutar; H. Mamro; N. Campbell. Ensigns—A. Moffit; W. Smith; H.W. Thompson; J. Todd, k.; J. Barnett; A. M. Henderson; J. Spalding; J. Impett; A. L’Estrange. Paymaster.—H. Mackenzie. Adjutant—W. Anderson, Lieutenant, w.; Quarter Master—W. Gavin. Surgeon—A. Stewart. Assistant Surgeons—J. Winterscale; L. Hill.
73rd Regimen Foot (2nd Battalion). Colonel—G. Harris, w.; Major—A. J. Maclean, w.; Captains—H. Coane, w.; A. Robertson, k.; W. Wharton, w.; J.M. Kennedy, k.; J. Garland, w. Lieutenants—R. Leyne; J.W.H. Strachan, k.; J.R. M’Connell, w.; M. Hollis, k.; J. Acres, w.; J. Dowling; T. Reynolds, w.; D. Browne, w.; J.Y. Lloyd, w.; R. Stewart. Ensigns—R.G. Hesilrige, w.; W. MacBean, w.; T. Deacon, w.; C.B. Eastwood, w.; G.D. Bridge, w.; G. Hughes; W.S. Lowe, k.; A. Blennerhasset; C. Page, k. Adjutant—J. Hay, w.; Paymaster—J. Williams. Surgeon—D. M’Dearmid. Assistant Surgeons—J. Riach; F.B. White.
79th Regiment Foot (Cameron Highlanders). Lieutenant Colonel—Neil Douglas, w.; Majors—A. Brown, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; D. Cameron, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Captains—T. Mylne, Major, w.; P. Innes; R. Mackay, k.; J. Campbell, w.; N. Campbell, w.; W. Marshall, w.; M. Fraser, w.; —— M’Kay, k.; W. Bruce, w.; J. Sinclair, w.; Lieutenants—A. Cameron, w.; D. Cameron, w.; T. Brown, w.; W. Maddocks, w.; W. Leaper, w.; J. Fraser, w.; D. M’Pherson, k.; D. M’Phee, w.; F. Robertson; E. Cameron, w.; A. Forbes, w.; C. M’Arthur, w.; K.J. Leslie; J. Powling, w.; J. Cameron; E. Kennedy, k.; W.A. Riach, w.; J. Thompson; G. Harrison. Ensigns—J. Mackenzie; C.J. Maclean; J. Nash, w.; J. Robertson, w.; A. Cameron; A.S. Crawford, w.; J. Campbell; Volunteer Cameron, w. Adjutant—J. Kynock, Lieutenant, k.; Paymaster—J. M’Arthur. Quarter Master—A. Cameron. Surgeon—G. Ridesdale. Assistant Surgeons—W.G. Burrell; D. Perston.
91st Regiment Foot. Lieutenant Colonel—Sir W. Douglas, K.C.B., Colonel. Captains—J. Walsh, Major; T.H. Blair, Major; W. Steuart; A. Campbell; D. Campbell; J.C. Murdoch; A.J. Collender, Major; A. Campbell; R. Anderson. Lieutenants—J. Campbell; J. Russell; A. Campbell; R. Stewart; A. M’Lochlan; C. Egan; A. Cathcart, w. (24th); J. M’Dougall; J. Hood; A. Smith; T.L. Hemmick; T. Murray; R.S. Knox; C. Stuart; J. M’Donald; E. Brown; A. Campbell; G. Scott, Adjutant; W. Smith; J. Black, w. (24th); A. Sword. Ensigns—N. Lamont; W. Trimmer; J. Paton; D. Ducat; A. Smith; L. Lind. Paymaster—D. Campbell. Adjutant—G. Scott, Lieutenant. Quarter Master—J. Stewart. Surgeon—R. Douglass. Assistant Surgeons—G. M’Lachlan; W.H. Young.
92nd Regiment Foot (Highlanders). Lieutenant Colonel—J. Cameron, k. Majors—J. Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; D. Macdonald. Captains—G.W. Holmes, w.; D. Campbell, w.; P. Wilkie, w.; W.C. Grant, k.; W. Little, k.; A. Ferrier, w.; Lieutenants—C. Alexander, Adjutant; J.J. Chisholm, k.; R. Winchester, w.; T. Hobbs, w.; T. Macintosh, w.; D. Macdonald, w.; A. Will; J.K. Ross, w.; R. Macdonald, w.; T. Gordon; H. Innes, w.; G. Logan, w.; E. Campbell; R. M’Donald; J. Mackinlay, w.; R. Peat; G. Mackie, k.; A. M’Pherson, w.; E. Ross, w.; J. Hope, w.; Ensigns—J. Branwell, w.; R. Logan, w.; J. Clarke; A. M’Donald, w.; A. Becher, k.; R. Hewit; R. M’Pherson, k.; J.M. M’Pherson. Paymaster—J. Gordon. Adjutant—C. Alexander, Lieutenant. Surgeon—G. Hicks. Assistant Surgeon—J. Stewart, w.
95th Regiment (Rifle Corps,—1st and 2nd Battalions, and two Companies 3rd Battalion). Lieutenant Colonel—Sir A.F. Barnard, K.C.B., Colonel, w.; Majors—A.G. Norcott, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; G. Wilkins, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; J. Ross, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; A. Cameron, Lieutenant Colonel, w.; Captains—J. Leach, Major; F. Glasse; G. Miller, Major, w.; C. Beckwith, Major; J. Logan; C.G. Gray; J. Fullerton, Major; H. Lee; H.G. Smith, Major; E. Chawner, w.; W. Johnston, w.; T. M’Namara; J.G. M’Cullock, w.; W. Eeles, Major; C. Eaton; C. Eeles, k.; F. Le Blanc; J.R. Budgen. First Lieutenants—W. Humbley, w.; J.C. Hope; T. Cochrane; J. Layton; J. Molloy, w.; T. Smith, Adjutant; J. Cox; F. Bennett; A. Stewart; F. Dixon; W. Chapman; C. Coxon, w.; R.B. Freer; J. Gardiner, w.; D. Cameron, w.; J. Kincaid, Adjutant; G. Simmons, w.; J. Stilwell; R. Cochran, w.; J.A. Ridgeway, w.; J. Fry, w.; J.P. Gardner, w.; W. Haggup; G. Vickers; T.T. Worsley, Adjutant; J.G. Fitzmaurice, w.; G. Drummond; E. Madden; V. Webb, w.; G.H. Shenley; C.C. Urquhart; J. Lynam, w.; O. Felix, w.; G. Drummond. Second Lieutenants—D. Macfarlane; A. Stewart; C. Rochfort; W. Wright; J. Church; R. Fowler; A. Milligan; T.B. Sheean; C. Probart; W. Shenley; R.C. Eyre, w.; J.P. Walsh, w., Paymasters—J. Mackenzie; A. M’Donald. Adjutants—T. Smith; J. Kincaid. Quarter Masters—D. Ross; J. Bagshaw. Surgeons—J. Burke; F. Scott. Assistant Surgeons—J. Robson; R.H. Hett; J. Armstrong; T.P. M’Cabe; R. Scott.
Artillery.
Staff. Colonel Sir George A. Wood, Knight, Commanding. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Augustus Frazer, K.C.B., commanding British Horse Artillery. Lieutenant Colonel A. Macdonald, commanding under Sir Augustus Frazer. Lieutenant Colonel Sir John May, K.C.B., Assistant Adjutant General. Captain H. Baynes, w., Brigade Major. Lieutenants—J. Bloomfield, G. Coles, F. Wells, Staff Adjutants to Sir George Wood. Lieutenant W. Bell, Staff Adjutant to Sir Augustus Frazer. Field Officers commanding two Batteries of Foot Artillery attached to each Division of the Army—Lieutenant Colonels—S. G. Adye, C. Gold, J.S. Williamson, J. Hawker. Field Officer commanding Reserve Artillery—Major P. Drummond. Commanding Battering Train—Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Dickson, K.C.B.
Troops of British Horse Artillery. 1. Major R. Bull, w. Captains—R. M. Cairnes, Major, k.; M. Louis. Lieutenants—W. Smith, w.; J. Townsend. (Heavy 5½ inch Howitzers).
2. Lieutenant Colonel Webber Smith. Captains—E.Y. Walcott; D. Crawford, w. Lieutenants—D.J. Edwards; H. Foster, w. (Light six pounders).
3. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Robert Gardiner, K.C.B. Captains—T. Dyneley, Major; R. Harding. Lieutenants—W. Swabey; W.B. Ingleby. (Light six pounders).
4. Captain E.C. Whinyates, Major, w.; Captains—C.C. Dansey, w.; A. Wright. Lieutenants—T. Strangways, w.; A. Ward; R.H. Ord. (Light six pounders and Rockets).
5. Captain A.C. Mercer; Captain R. Newland. Lieutenants—H. M. Leathers; J. Hincks; J. Breton. (Nine pounders).
6. Captain W.N. Ramsay, Major, k. Captains—A. Macdonald, Major; W. Brereton, w. Lieutenants—P. Sandilands; W. Robe, k. (Nine pounders).
Troops in Reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Hew D. Ross, K.C.B. Captains—J.B. Parker, Major, w.; R. Hardinge. Lieutenants—J. Day, w.; F. Warde; P.V. Onslow. (Nine pounders).
Captain G. Beane, Major, k.; Captains—W. Webber, w.; J.E. Maunsell. Lieutenants—J.R. Bruce; M.T. Cromie, k.; (Light six pounders).
Batteries of British Foot Artillery. Captain C.F. Sandham; Captain W.H. Stopford. Lieutenants—G. Foot; G.M. Baynes; D. Jago. (Nine pounders). Captain S. Bolton, k.; Captain C. Napier, w.; Lieutenants—G. Pringle; W. Anderson; C. Spearman, k.; W. Sharpin; B. Cuppage. (Nine pounders). Captain W.I. Lloyd, Major, k.; Captain S. Rudyerd. Lieutenants—S. Phelps; W. Harvey, w.; (Nine pounders). Captain J. Brome, Major; Captain J.J.G. Parker. Lieutenants—R. J. Saunders; T.O. Cater; A.O. Molesworth. (Nine pounders). Captain G.W. Unett; Captain G. Browne. Lieutenants—D. Lawson; W. Montagu; C.G. Kett.
Battery in Reserve. Captain J. Sinclair; Captain F. Macbean. Lieutenants—J.A. Wilson; W.H. Poole, w.; R.B. Burnaby.
Subaltern Officers present but unattached. Lieutenants—W. Lemoine, E. Trevor, E.W. Wood, G.S. Maule, T. Watkis, G.T. Hume.
Attached to Captain Cleeves’s Foot Battery, King’s German Legion. Lieutenant R. Manners, k.
Royal Engineers.
Staff. Lieutenant Colonel J. Carmichael Smyth, Commanding Engineer. Major Sir George Hoste, Bart., K.F.M., Commanding Engineer to First Corps. Major J. Oldfield, Major of Brigade. Lieutenant J. Sperling, Adjutant. Captains—F. Stanway, A. Thomson, w.; (26th). Lieutenants—J.W. Pringle, w.; M.A. Waters; F.B. Head; F.Y. Gilbert; A.D. White.
Royal Staff Corps.
Lieutenant Colonel W. Nicolay, Colonel. Captains—T. Wright, w.; W. Staveley; F. Read. Lieutenants—G.D. Hall, w.; B. Jackson; A.C.G. Brauns. Ensigns—T.W. Colleton; J.S. Sedley; J. Milliken.
Royal Waggon Train.
Lieutenant Colonel—T. Aird. Captains—T. Pardoe, B. Jackson. Lieutenants—W. Aitkin, W. Smith, J. M’Dowall, H. O’Neill, W. Dean, R. Parkinson, C. Bott, R. Kerr. Cornets—T. Glendening, J. Fenn. Surgeon—T. Wynne. Veterinary Surgeon—F. Cherry.
Medical Staff.
Inspector—J.R. Grant, M.D. Deputy Inspectors—W. Taylor, J. Gunning (Surgeon in Chief), S. Woolriche, J.R. Hume, M.D. Physician—G. Denecke, M.D. Surgeons—H.G. Emery, M.D.; M.A. Burmeister, R. Grant, J. Maling, J.G. Van Millingen, S.B. Bruce. Assistant Surgeons—J. Dease, W. Twining. Apothecary—W. Lyons.
XLII
List of the Officers of the King’s German Legion, Killed, Wounded, and Missing, in the Actions on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of June 1815.
Killed.
Staff. Captain C. von Bobers, Brigade Major. (Attached to Seventh Brigade of Cavalry.)
Artillery. First Lieutenant C. von Schultzen. (Attached to 1st Battery of Hanoverian Artillery.)
1st Dragoons. Captain F. Peters. Lieutenants, F.C. von Levetzow, 0. Kuhlmann.
2nd Dragoons. Captain F. von Bülow. Cornet H. Drangmeister.
3rd Hussars. Lieutenant Colonel F.L. Meyer. Captains, A. von Kerssenbruch, G. Janssen. Lieutenant H. Brüggemann. Cornet W. Deichmann.
1st Light Battalion. Captains, P. Holtzermann, H. von Marschalk, A.A. von Goeben. Lieutenant A. Albert.
2nd Light Battalion. Major A. Bösewiel. Captains, F.M.W. Schaumann, H. Wiegmann (Acting Brigade Major to First Infantry Brigade, King’s German Legion). Ensign F. von Robertson.
1st Line Battalion. Captains, C. von Holle, A. von Saffe. Ensign H. von Lücken.
2nd Line Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel J.C. von Schröder. Captain G. Tilee.
3rd Line Battalion. Captain F. Didd. Lieutenants, F. von Jeinsen, F. Leschen.
4th Line Battalion. Colonel G.C.A. du Plat (Commanding First Infantry Brigade, King’s German Legion). Majors, G. Chüden, G. Lewis Leue. Captain G. Heise. Ensign E.T. von Cronhelm.
5th Line Battalion. Colonel C. von Ompteda (Commanding Second Infantry Brigade, King’s German Legion). Captain E.C.C. von Wurmb. Lieutenant J.L. Schuck.
8th Line Battalion. Captains, A.W. von Voigt, T. von Westernhagen. Lieutenant W. von Marenholtz.
Wounded.
Staff. Brigade Majors, Captain G. von Einem (Attached to Second Infantry Brigade, King’s German Legion); Captain M. von Cloudt (Attached to Third Cavalry Brigade).
Artillery. Major A. Sympher. Second Captains, W. Braun, F. Erythropel. First Lieutenants, W. von Goeben, H. Hartmann. Second Lieutenant L. Heise.
1st Dragoons. Major General Sir William von Dörnberg. Lieutenant Colonel J. von Bülow. Major A. von Reizenstein. Captains, P. von Sichart, G. von Hattorf, B. von Bothmer. Lieutenants, W. Mackenzie, W. Fricke, 0. von Hammerstein, H. Bosse. Comets, S.H. Nanne, E. Trittau.
2nd Dragoons. Lieutenant Colonels, C. de Jonquières, C. von. Maydell. Captains, C.T. von Harling, L. Lüderitz. Lieutenant H.H. Rittor. Cornet F. Lorentz.
1st Hussars. Lieutenant G. Baring.
3rd Hussars. Captains, Q. von Goeben, W. von Schnehen. Lieutenants, H. True, C. Oehlkers. Cornets, F. Hoyer, C. von Dassel, H. von Hodenberg.
1st Light Battalion. Major Hans von dem Bussche. Captains, F. von Gilsa, C. Wynecken. Lieutenants, A. Wahrendorff, C. Heise, H. Wollrabe, E.F. Koester, H. Leonhart, N. de Miniussir, E. Gibson. Ensigns, G. Best, A.A. von Gentzkow, C. Behne, A. Heise.
2nd Light Battalion. Captain E.A. Holtzermann. Lieutenants, G. Meyer, F.G.T. Kessler, O. Lindham, B. Riefkugel, M.T.H. Tobin, G. D. Græme, W. Timmann, T. Carey. Ensigns, G. Frank, A. Knop.
1st Line Battalion. Major W. von Robertson. Captain G. von Schlütter. Lieutenants, F. Schnath, A. Müller, D. von Einem, H. Wilding, jun. Ensign C.A. von. der Hellen.
2nd Line Battalion. Captain F. Purgold. Lieutenants, C. von der Decken, C. Fischer, F. la Roche, A.F. Ziel.
3rd Line Battalion. Major A. Boden. Lieutenants, A. Kuckuck, H.E. Kuckuck.
4th Line Batt. Capt. W. Heydenreich. Lieutenants, C. von Both, A. von Hartwig, W.L. de la Farque, A. von Langwerth. Ensign A. Appuhn.
5th Line Batt. Captain F. Sander. Lieutenants, C. Berger, G. Klingsöhr.
7th Line Battalion. Lieutenant G. Klingsöhr.
8th Line Battalion. Captain C.E.W. Rougemont. Lieutenants, F. Brinckmann, C. Sattler. Ensign W. von Moreau.
Missing.
2nd Light Batt. Capt. E.A. Holtzermann. Lieutenant M.T.H. Tobin.
XLIII
List of the Officers of the Hanoverian troops, Killed, Wounded and Missing in the Actions of the 16th, 17th, and 18th of June 1815.
Killed.
Cumberland Hussars. Captain F.S. von Winterstedt.
Field Battalion Bremen. Lieutenant Colonel W.L. von Langrehr.
Field Battalion Duke of York. Captain R. von Pawel. Ensign A.C. Müller.
Field Battalion Lüneburg. Captains, F. Bobart, C.T. Korfes. Ensign C.B. von Plato.
Field Battalion Grubenhagen. Lieutenant Colonel F.L.A. von Wurmb.
Landwehr Battalion Bremervörde. Lieutenant C.C. Löper. Ensign T. von Holt.
Landwehr Battalion Osnabrück. Captain C.H. Quentin. Lieutenant G.F. Uffel. Ensign H. Bergtroff.
Landwehr Battalion Quackenbrück. Major C.W. von dem Bussche Hünefeldt.
Landwehr Battalion Verden. Lieutenants, C.E. Wegener, C.E. von Hinüber.
Landwehr Battalion Osterode. Lieutenant T. Fenisch. Ensign C.A. Schanz.
Landwehr Battalion Gifhorn. Major G. von Hammerstein. Lieutenant H.C. Schmidt.
Wounded.
Staff. Colonel von Berger. Lieutenant and Aide de Camp Hanbury.
Rifle Corps. Captain von Reden. Lieutenants, Grote, Schutze.
Field Battalion Bremen. Major Müller. Captains, Bazoldo, von Lepel. Lieutenants, von Quistorp I., von Quistorp II., Welmer. Ensigns, Brüel, Meyer.
Field Battalion Verden. Major von Schkopp. Captain Jacoby. Lieutenants, Gehrhard, Brandis I., Brandis II., Selig, Suffenplan.
Field Battalion Duke of York. Major von Bülow. Lieutenants, Moll, von Mahrenholz. Ensign Rabius.
Field Battalion Lüneburg. Lieutenant Colonel von Klencke. Lieutenants, Völger, von Plato. Ensigns, Sachse, von Weyhe.
Field Battalion Grubenhagen. Captain Bauer. Lieutenants, Westphal, Marwedel. Ensigns, von Bülow, Ernst, Stieppel.
Landwehr Battalion Bremervörde. Lieutenants, Warnecke, Meyer. Ensigns, Hotthusen, Wilken.
Landwehr Battalion Osnabrück. Major Count Münster. Captain Gotthard. Lieutenants, Winkler, Richers. Ensigns, Nichenke, Meyer.
Landwehr Battalion Salzgitter. Captain von Hammerstein. Lieutenant von Spangenberg.
Landwehr Battalion Verden. Captain von Witzendorf. Lieutenants, H. Wynecken, Hurtzig. Ensign Siegener.
Landwehr Battalion Lüneburg. Captains, von Reiche, von Kemps. Lieutenant von Dassel. Ensigns, Dormauer, Meyer.
Landwehr Battalion Osterode. Major von Reden. Captains, von Ingersleben, Papet. Lieutenants, Greve, Laubrecht.
Landwehr Battalion Münden. Captain von Hanstein. Lieutenants, Wrisberg, Brenning, Schwenke II. Ensigns, Murray, Oppermaun.
Landwehr Battalion Hameln. Major von Strube. Captain Blankhard. Lieutenants, Krable, Kistner.
Landwehr Battalion Gifhorn. Captain Wiedenfeld. Lieutenant and Adjutant Schwake. Ensign Brüggemann.
Landwehr Battalion Hildesheim. Major von Rheden.
Landwehr Battalion Peine. Captain von Bertrap. Ensign Köhler.
Missing.
Field Battalion Lüneburg. Major von Dachenhausen.
Landwehr Battalion Bremervörde. Lieutenant Ehlers. Ensign Ress.
Landwehr Battalion Verden. Lieutenant von der Horst. Ensigns, Plati, Kotzebue.
XLIV
List of Officers of the Brunswick troops, Killed in the Actions of the 16th and 18 th of June 1815.
16th of June. His Serene Highness the Reigning Duke Frederick William; Major von Cramm, commanding the Regiment of Hussars; Captain von Pawel, of the Hussars; Ensign Hercher, of the 1st Line Battalion; Major von Strombeck, commanding 2nd Line Battalion; Captain von Bülow, of the 2nd Line Battalion.
18th of June. Lieutenant Colonel von Heinemann, of the Staff; Lieutenant Lambrecht, of the Hussars; Lieutenant Diedrich, of the Horse Artillery; Ensigns, Bruns and Sensemann, of the 2nd Line Battalion; Captain von Praun, of the 3rd Light Battalion; Ensign von Vechelde, of the 2nd Line Battalion.
XLVII
List of the Officers of the Prussian Army, Killed, Wounded, and Missing, at the Battle of Waterloo.
Killed.
Second Corps. 2nd Regiment of Infantry—First Lieutenant von Mirbach.
Fourth Corps. Thirteenth Brigade. 2nd Neumark Landwehr—First Lieutenant von Stoberts. 3rd Neumark Landwehr—Second Lieutenant von Norrmann.
Fourteenth Brigade. 11th Regiment of Infantry—Major von Aulok. Second Lieutenant von Dewette. 1st Pomeranian Landwehr—Second Lieutenants, von Lindner, von Kuhfass.
Fifteenth Brigade. 18th Regiment of Infantry—Second Lieutenants, von Schlemmer, von Wehlermann. 3rd Silesian Landwehr—First Lieutenants, von Treutter, von Teiminger, von Becker.
Sixteenth Brigade. 15th Regiment of Infantry—Captain von Seidlitz. Second Lieutenant von Quanstedt. 1st Silesian Landwehr—Major von Seidlitz. Captains, von Wittich, von Geisler. Second Lieutenants, von Hildebrandt, von Briesen, von Gregor. 2nd Silesian Landwehr—Second Lieutenant von Zimmermann.
Reserve Cavalry. Colonel and Brigadier Count von Schwerin. Lieutenant Colonel and Brigadier von Watzdorf.
Wounded.
First Corps. Brandenburg Dragoons—Captain von Puttkammer. Silesian Rifle Battalion—Lieutenant von Hotten. 12th Regiment of Infantry—Captain von Wenkstern. 24th Regiment of Infantry—Major von Lowenklau. Captain von Blankenstein. Lieutenants, von Maller, von der Golz, Lampresch.
Second Corps. 2nd Regiment of Infantry—Second Lieutenant von Stempel. 3rd Elbe Landwehr—Captain von Bülzingslöwen. Second Lieutenant von Scholmer.
Fourth Corps. Thirteenth Brigade. Colonel and Brigadier von Lettow. 10th Regiment of Infantry—Major von Marsigli. First Lieutenants, von Doringkowski, von Torzilowsky, von Nordhausen. Second Lieutenants, von Barth, von Kretschmer, von Marguardt, von Witzleben, von Bartke. 2nd Neumark Landwehr—Captain von Solta. Second Lieutenant von Liebich. 3rd Neumark Landwehr—Major von Osten. Captain von Zamori. Second Lieutenants, von Münchow, von Szandahelly, von Moritz, von Alter, von Achterberg.
Fourteenth Brigade. 11th Regiment of Infantry—Captains, von Niesemauschel, von Kuensberg, von Morgenstern. First Lieutenant von Aulock. Second Lieutenants, von Biederstein, von Ciriacy, von Rahden, von Podewil, von Bentivigni, von Egloffstein, von Koepke, von Bender, von Walter. 1st Pomeranian Landwehr—Lieutenant Colonel von Brandenstein. Majors, von Nettelhorst, von Toll. Captains, von Andrees, von Spalding, von Loeper, von Wolter. Second Lieutenants, von Zirkel, von Nehring, von Hoepfner, von Doebke. 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr—Majors, von Katt, von Stojenthin. Captains, von Steinwehr, von Pauly, von Wedell. Second Lieutenants, von Stricker, von Preussendorf, von Barth, von Ewald, von Dolist, von Hagemann, von Schmidt, von Ludwig, von Heinze.
Fifteenth Brigade. 18th Regiment of Infantry—Captains, von Pogursch, von Gluschinsky. First Lieutenants, von Wedelstädt, von Bursche, von Elsner, von Kurstein, von Wallenroth, von Taubenheim. Second Lieutenants, von Arnim, von Bath, von Lutermann, von Alberti, von Koeppen, von Bindemann, von Wiedermauth, von Broene, le Blanc, von Schömfeldt, von Kerzieg. 3rd Silesian Landwehr—Major von Zischwitz. Captains, von Austen, von Loepell. First Lieutenant von Krause. Second Lieutenants, von Pari, von Lützow, von Büttseher, von Pietsch, von Schreiber, von Wende, von Platius. 4th Silesian Landwehr—Captain von Schirche. First Lieutenant von Stemler. Second Lieutenants, von Wagner, von Liebich, von Schedelbach.
Sixteenth Brigade. 15th Regiment of Infantry—Major von Boek, commanding. Captains, von Jutrzenka, von Bionstierna, von Cawizinsky. First Lieutenant von Redeker. Second Lieutenants, von Preuss (and Adjutant), von Nadler, von Mousers, von Hering, von Frohreich, von Hassenstein, von Luck, von Hülsen, von Sinel, von Lindenhöfer, von Wittke, von Fittscherini, von Helm. 1st Silesian Landwehr—Captains, von Maistre, von Salisen, von Schrötter. First Lieutenants, von Herzberg, von Vogt, von Laubak. Second Lieutenants, von Louve, von Bemda, von Stürmer. 2nd Silesian Landwehr—Major von Schwemmler. Second Lieutenants, von Richter, von Brandt, von Krickmuth, von Arnim, von Beyer, von Sack.
Reserve Cavalry. Staff—Major von Drigalsky. 2nd Silesian Hussars—Captain von Wander. West Prussian Uhlans—Lieutenant von Knobelsdorf. 8th Regiment of Hussars—Captain von Erichson. Second Lieutenants, von Bauhöfen, von Möllendorf, von Plieth, von Dieringsfeldt, von Winterfeldt, von Genny. 2nd Neumark Landwehr Cavalry—Lieutenant Colonel von Hiller. Captains, von Goerz, von Preussendorf. Lieutenants, von Braun, von Oestreich. 2nd Silesian Landwehr Cavalry—Lieutenant von Schweinitz. 3rd Silesian Landwehr Cavalry—Captain von Altenstein. Horse Artillery—Captains, von Zinken, von Pfeil.
Missing.
Fourth Corps. 1st Silesian Landwehr—Second Lieutenant von Siegberg. 11th Regiment of Infantry—Captain von Riesemenschel. Second Lieutenant von Bieberstein. 2nd Silesian Landwehr—Second Lieutenant von Koeszegy. 2nd Silesian Hussars—N—— R.
XLVIII
Despatch from the Duke of Wellington to Earl Bathurst.
Waterloo, June 19, 1815.
My Lord,—Bonaparte having collected the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Sixth Corps of the French Army and the Imperial Guards, and nearly all the Cavalry, on the Sambre, and between that river and the Meuse, between the 10th and 14th of the month, advanced on the 15th, and attacked the Prussian Posts at Thuin and Lobez, on the Sambre, at daylight in the morning.
I did not hear of these events till the evening of the 15th, and I immediately ordered the troops to prepare to march; and afterwards to march to their left, as soon as I had intelligence from other quarters, to prove that the Enemy’s movement upon Charleroi was the real attack.
The Enemy drove the Prussian Posts from the Sambre on that day; and General Zieten, who commanded the Corps which had been at Charleroi, retired upon Fleurus; and Marshal Prince Blücher concentrated the Prussian Army upon Sombref, holding the Villages, in front of his position, of St Amand and Ligny.
The Enemy continued his march along the road from Charleroi towards Bruxelles, and on the same evening, the 15th, attacked a Brigade of the Army of the Netherlands, under the Prince de Weimar, posted at Frasne, and forced it back to the Farm House on the same road, called Les Quatre Bras.
The Prince of Orange immediately reinforced this Brigade with another of the same Division, under General Perponcher, and in the morning early regained part of the ground which had been lost, so as to have command of the communication leading from Nivelles and Bruxelles, with Marshal Blücher’s position.
In the mean time I had directed the whole Army to march upon Les Quatre Bras; and the Fifth Division, under Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, arrived about half past two in the day, followed by the Corps of troops under the Duke of Brunswick, and afterwards by the contingent of Nassau.
At this time the Enemy commenced an attack upon Prince Blücher with his whole force; excepting the First and Second Corps, and a Corps of Cavalry under General Kellermann, with which he attacked our Posts at Les Quatre Bras.
The Prussian Army maintained their position with their usual gallantry and perseverance, against a great disparity of numbers, as the Fourth Corps of their Army, under General Bülow, had not yet joined, and I was not able to assist them as I wished, as I was attacked myself, and the troops, the Cavalry in particular, which had a long distance to march, had not arrived.
We maintained our position also, and completely defeated and repulsed all the Enemy’s attempts to get possession of it. The Enemy repeatedly attacked us with a large body of Infantry and Cavalry, supported by a numerous and powerful Artillery; he made several charges with the Cavalry upon our Infantry, but all were repulsed in the steadiest manner. In this affair His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, the Duke of Brunswick, and Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, and Major General Sir James Kempt, and Sir Denis Pack, who were engaged from the commencement of the Enemy’s attack, highly distinguished themselves, as well as Lieutenant General Charles Baron Alten, Major General Sir C. Halkett, Lieutenant General Cooke, and Major Generals Maitland and Byng, as they successively arrived. The troops of the Fifth Division, and those of the Brunswick Corps were long and severely engaged, and conducted themselves with the utmost gallantry. I must particularly mention the 28th, 42nd, 79th, and 92nd Regiments, and the Battalions of Hanoverians.
Our loss was great, as your Lordship will perceive by the enclosed return; and I have particularly to regret His Serene Highness the Duke of Brunswick, who fell fighting gallantly at the head of his troops.
Although Marshal Blücher had maintained his position at Sombref, he still found himself much weakened by the severity of the contest in which he had been engaged; and as the Fourth Corps had not arrived, he determined to fall back, and concentrate his Army upon Wavre; and he marched in the night after the action was over.
This movement of the Marshal’s rendered necessary a corresponding one on my part; and I retired from the Farm of Quatre Bras upon Genappe, and thence upon Waterloo the next morning, the 17th, at ten o’clock.
The Enemy made no effort to pursue Marshal Blücher. On the contrary, a Patrol which I sent to Sombref in the morning, found all quiet, and the Enemy’s Videttes fell back as the Patrol advanced. Neither did he attempt to molest our march to the rear, although made in the middle of the day; excepting by following with a large body of Cavalry, brought from his Right, the Cavalry under the Earl of Uxbridge.
This gave Lord Uxbridge an opportunity of charging them with the 1st Life Guards, upon their debouch from the Village of Genappe; upon which occasion his Lordship has declared himself to be well satisfied with that Regiment.
The position which I took up in the front of Waterloo, crossed the high roads from Charleroi and Nivelle, and had its Right thrown back to a ravine near Merke Braine, which was occupied; and its Left extended to a Height above the Hamlet Ter la Haye, which was likewise occupied.—In front of the Right Centre, and near the Nivelle road, we occupied the House and Garden of Hougomont, which covered the return of that Flank; and in the front of the Left Centre we occupied the Farm of La Haye Sainte. By our left we communicated with Marshal Prince Blücher at Wavre through Ohaim; and the Marshal had promised me, that in case we should be attacked he would support me with one or more Corps, as might be necessary.
The Enemy collected his Army, with the exception of the Third Corps, which had been sent to observe Marshal Blücher, on a range of Heights in our front, in the course of the night of the 17th and yesterday morning: and at about ten o’clock he commenced a furious attack upon our Post at Hougomont. I had occupied that Post with a Detachment from General Byng’s Brigade of Guards, which was in position in its rear; and it was for some time under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Macdonel, and afterwards of Colonel Home; and I am happy to add, that it was maintained throughout the day with the utmost gallantry by these brave troops, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of large bodies of the Enemy to obtain possession of it.
This attack upon the Right of our Centre was accompanied by a very heavy cannonade upon our whole Line, which was destined to support the repeated attacks of Cavalry and Infantry occasionally mixed, but sometimes separate, which were made upon it. In one of these the Enemy carried the Farm House of La Haye Sainte; as the Detachment of the Light Battalion of the Legion which occupied it, had expended all its ammunition, and the Enemy occupied the only communication there was with them.
The Enemy repeatedly charged our Infantry with his Cavalry, but these attacks were uniformly unsuccessful; and they afforded opportunities to our Cavalry to charge, in one of which, Lord E. Somerset’s Brigade, consisting of the Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, and 1st Dragoon Guards, highly distinguished themselves, as did that of Major General Sir W. Ponsonby, having taken many prisoners and an Eagle.
These attacks were repeated till about seven in the evening, when the Enemy made a desperate effort with the Cavalry and Infantry, supported by the fire of the Artillery, to force our Left Centre near the Farm of La Haye Sainte, which after a severe contest was defeated: and having observed that the troops retired from this attack in great confusion, and that the march of General Bülow’s Corps by Euschermont upon Planchenoit and La Belle Alliance had begun to take effect, and as I could perceive the fire of his cannon, and as Marshal Prince Blücher had joined in person, with a Corps of his Army to the left of our Line by Ohaim; I determined to attack the Enemy, and immediately advanced the whole Line of Infantry, supported by the Cavalry and Artillery.
The attack succeeded in every point; the Enemy was forced from his position on the Heights, and fled in the utmost confusion; leaving behind him, as far as I could judge, one hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, with their ammunition, which fell into our hands. I continued the pursuit till long after dark, and then discontinued it only on account of the fatigue of our troops, who had been engaged during twelve hours, and because I found myself on the same road with Marshal Blücher, who assured me of his intention to follow the Enemy throughout the night; he has sent me word this morning that he has taken sixty pieces of cannon belonging to the Imperial Guard, and several carriages, baggage, &c., belonging to Buonaparte, in Genappe.
I propose to move, this morning, upon Nivelles, and not to discontinue my operations.
Your Lordship will observe, that such a desperate action could not be fought, and such advantages could not be gained, without great loss; and I am sorry to add that ours has been immense. In Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, His Majesty has sustained the loss of an Officer who has frequently distinguished himself in his Service, and he fell gloriously leading his Division to a charge with bayonets, by which one of the most serious attacks made by the Enemy on our position was defeated. The Earl of Uxbridge, after having successfully got through this arduous day, received a wound by almost the last shot fired; which will, I am afraid, deprive His Majesty for some time of his services.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange distinguished himself by his gallantry and conduct till he received a wound from a musket ball through the shoulder, which obliged him to quit the Field.
It gives me the greatest satisfaction to assure your Lordship, that the Army never, upon any occasion, conducted itself better. The Division of Guards, under Lieutenant General Cooke (who is severely wounded), Major General Maitland, and Major General Byng, set an example which was followed by all; and there is no Officer nor description of troops, that did not behave well.
I must, however, particularly mention, for His Royal Highness’s approbation, Lieutenant General Sir H. Clinton, Major General Adam, Lieutenant General Charles Baron Alten, severely wounded; Major General Sir Colin Halkett, severely wounded; Colonel Ompteda, Colonel Mitchell, commanding a Brigade of the Fourth Division; Major General Sir James Kempt and Sir Denis Pack, Major General Lambert, Major General Lord E. Somerset, Major General Sir W. Ponsonby, Major General Sir C. Grant, and Major General Sir H. Vivian; Major General Sir O. Vandeleur; Major General Count Dörnberg. I am particularly indebted to General Lord Hill for his assistance and conduct upon this as upon all former occasions.
The Artillery and Engineer departments were conducted much to my satisfaction by Colonel Sir G. Wood and Colonel Smyth; and I had every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the Adjutant General Major General Barnes, who was wounded; and of the Quartermaster General Colonel Delancy, who was killed by a cannon shot in the middle of the action. This Officer is a serious loss to His Majesty’s Service and to me at this moment. I was likewise much indebted to the assistance of Lieutenant Colonel Lord Fitzroy Somerset, who was severely wounded; and of the Officers composing my personal Staff, who have suffered severely in this action. Lieutenant Colonel the Hon. Sir Alexander Gordon, who has died of his wounds, was a most promising Officer, and is a serious loss to His Majesty’s Service.
General Kruse of the Nassau Service, likewise conducted himself much to my satisfaction; as did General Trip, commanding the Heavy Brigade of Cavalry, and General Vanhope, commanding a Brigade of Infantry of the King of the Netherlands.
General Pozzo di Borgo, General Baron Vincent, General Müffling, and General Alava, were in the Field during the action, and rendered me every assistance in their power. Baron Vincent is wounded, but I hope not severely; and General Pozzo di Borgo received a contusion.
I should not do justice to my feelings, or to Marshal Blücher and the Prussian Army, if I did not attribute the successful result of this arduous day to the cordial and timely assistance I received from them.
The operation of General Bülow upon the Enemy’s Flank was a most decisive one; and even if I had not found myself in a situation to make the attack which produced the final result, it would have forced the Enemy to retire, if his attacks should have failed; and would have prevented him from taking advantage of them, if they should unfortunately have succeeded.
I send, with this despatch, two Eagles taken by the troops in this action; which Major Percy will have the honour of laying at the feet of His Royal Highness.
I have the honour, &c.,
Wellington.
The End
Notes
13 I know not the names of the remaining Officers of the Light Companies of the First Brigade of Guards detached to Hougomont.-W.S.
14 The names of those killed, wounded, or missing are marked k, w, and m, respectively.