Some time after, the remaining two brigades of Bulow’s corps debouched, and forming into columns sent their batteries to the front, which made the Prussian artillery more formidable than that of the French. Blücher’s left was making towards Plancenoit, in the right rear of the enemy. At this time, seven o’clock, the Prussian force in the field amounted to nearly 29,000 men and sixty-four guns. Their guns commanded the whole of the French right en potence; which, like the Prussian line, was parallel to the Genappe road, and nearly at right angles to their former front. The undulating ground over which the Prussians were advancing, rose like an amphitheatre, and their guns, in consequence, could open from the summit of numerous little heights; whilst at the intervals between the batteries, their troops advanced into the plain. Nothing could be more favourable for a force attacking an enemy’s flank.
A Prussian battery dislodged a French one on the heights near Chantilly, and taking up the abandoned position, it directed its fire upon the enemy posted between Plancenoit and La Belle-Alliance.
The Prussian left was now close approaching the village of Plancenoit, which, up to the present period, had not been occupied. The French force being less numerous than the Prussian, De Lobau fell back towards the Genappe road, where the Prussian round-shot was now thickly falling upon both sides of La Belle-Alliance; near which, Napoleon had remained during the greater part of the day. The only reserve he now had was the infantry of the Imperial guard, and the pressure upon his right flank was so great, that he was obliged to send the eight battalions of the young guard, with their divisional and two twelve-pounder reserve batteries, under general Duhesme, to the village of Plancenoit, as the only means of preventing the Prussians from getting in the French rear.
At this time Blücher received intelligence that his 3d corps, which had been left at Wavre as a rear-guard to check the enemy’s corps under Grouchy, had been attacked by a superior force and obliged to retire[53]. Notwithstanding such intelligence might have shaken the firmest nerves, nothing changed the purpose of the indomitable veteran. Blücher saw clearly that the field upon which he was now engaged was the spot where the fate of the campaign would be decided. He therefore sent orders to Thielmann, to hold out as well as he could; and ordered his left wing to move upon Plancenoit, and to get possession of it, if possible.
Duhesme, with the young guard, had arrived at the village and made his dispositions. As the Prussians neared Plancenoit, they were received with a stinging fire of musketry from the French skirmishers, and some French guns opened upon the advancing columns, but did not arrest their progress; they gallantly pressed on, took three guns, and got possession of the churchyard, a strong position, which shortly after they were compelled to abandon, though not without making a most resolute defence. They rallied near the village, and, being reinforced, advanced to make another assault: this being observed by Napoleon, he sent general Morand with two battalions of the old guard and two twelve-pounder batteries, and shortly after general Pelet, with another battalion of the guard and a reserve battery; this force, in conjunction with De Lobau’s line on their left, attacked and routed the whole Prussian force, pushing them back upon their first position on the opposite heights. This convinced Napoleon that Blücher was not up in sufficient force to make an effective effort against his right flank, and he could, therefore, hold the Prussians in check without making any change in his line of battle opposed to Wellington.
Onset now followed onset in rapid succession, and before one assault was met and repulsed, another was prepared and pressing on.
His Grace, when he observed the diminished numbers of his brave troops, presenting still the same fearless attitude, felt there must be a limit to human endurance, and frequently turned his telescope in the direction where he expected the Prussian reinforcements to arrive, and who were to cooperate more immediately with his left.
Hougoumont, as has been stated, had been repeatedly attacked: the struggle for its possession was still most obstinate and sanguinary; the large orchard and wood continued to be the scene of a dreadful carnage. The enemy generally out-flanked our men upon their left; and at times stealing along under the east hedge from the south-east angle of the orchard, opened a flank fire upon them, when driven through the north hedge near our friendly hollow-way; but whenever our foes attempted to cross the orchard near the east garden wall, the Coldstream sent a galling flank fire into them. Hougoumont had been reinforced by the 2d line and light companies of Duplat’s brigade, as well as by the advance-guard battalion of Brunswickers, who, together with the guards and the remainder of the Nassau-men and Hanoverian riflemen, drove the enemy out of the orchard into the wood.
During the time Duplat’s brigade was in its advanced position, it suffered from the French light troops: many of the officers were killed or wounded; Duplat was killed.
Skirmishing had gone on briskly at the farms of Papelotte, La Haye, the hamlet of Smohain, and along our left, where the want of ammunition was so great, that the enemy pressed close up to the hedge, driving in our skirmishers[54]: but they were soon driven back, when a fresh supply arrived.