Zieten’s advance infantry pushed down into the valley, where some shots were exchanged by mistake between them and the Nassau troops: the mistake was soon rectified, and both bodies united advanced, and dislodged the French from the houses in the valley of Smohain, and the farms of La Haye and Papelotte. It was about eight o’clock, when Zieten’s advance cavalry drew up on our left, and an infantry brigade and the reserve cavalry of general Pirch’s (second) corps joined Bulow, and in conjunction made the following dispositions for the third attack upon Plancenoit:
General Ryssel’s and colonel Hiller’s infantry brigades of the 4th corps under general count Bulow, and general Tippelskircher’s brigade of general Pirch’s (second) corps, formed in columns of battalions; on the left was a regiment of prince William’s reserve, and two battalions of infantry with their skirmishers in front; and three cavalry regiments, part of prince William’s, were in rear of the above brigades.
In rear of this cavalry was general Krafft’s infantry brigade of the 2d corps in reserve; and on the right of the infantry brigades were three lines of cavalry, under general Jurgass; and upon their right, and advancing simultaneously with the attack upon Plancenoit, were Hack’s and Losthin’s infantry brigades of the 4th corps; in their rear were three battalions, part of Hack’s brigade. On the right of those brigades was a small force of cavalry, part of prince William’s, and upon their right were four battalion columns, part of general Steinmetz’s brigade of general Zieten’s (first) corps. Upon the ridge on the allied left, was part of general Röder’s cavalry that had just reached the field, and whose battery opened fire in place of one belonging to the allies that had expended all its ammunition. A few battalions were detached to the left of Plancenoit, to secure the flank, and, if possible, to turn the enemy’s right. The whole Prussian force was preceded by skirmishers, and their batteries were most advantageously placed upon the heights.
A squadron of Prussian cavalry beat back a company of the Imperial guard from the farm of Chantilly, above Plancenoit. The latter retired upon the wood at the farm of Caillou, closely pursued by the hostile cavalry, which was beaten off by the Imperial baggage guard. The Prussian dragoons soon returned in such force, that the Emperor’s suite, with bag and baggage, made a hasty flight towards Genappe.
Whilst Blücher’s army stood as stated, Wellington had defeated both the attacking columns of the Imperial guard; and Adam’s brigade was driving them and Donzelot’s division, that had broken and mixed with them, across the field, toward the Genappe high-road. Vivian’s brigade and the 2d German light dragoons were setting forward at a long trot towards the French reserves, drawn up between La Belle-Alliance and Hougoumont.
The whole allied line was now advancing, flanked on the left by Prussian cavalry. The enemy showed little resistance to any part of it. As Hepburn issued from the orchard of Hougoumont into the open fields, the enemy went off, scarcely firing a single shot. Those in the wood made a little resistance, until they saw that all their army was in full flight. The cavalry on the French left went off in order, skirmishers out covering their retreat. Bachelu’s and Foy’s divisions moved off, on witnessing the defeat of the second column of the Imperial guard: on seeing this, the troops holding La Haye-Sainte abandoned it. Alix’s, occupying the sand-pit and knoll, gave way on the advance of Lambert; and Marcognet yielded and broke before the advance of Pack and Kempt. Durutte’s division broke before Zieten’s and the duke of Saxe-Weimar’s advance. De Lobau, on seeing the troops on his left giving way, together with the flight of the Imperial guard, followed by British troops whom he perceived in his rear, as well as the now vigorous attack of Bulow, and the probability of his being cut off from all retreat with his whole corps, rushed into the stream of fugitives, that had set in towards Rossomme and Genappe.
During this time Plancenoit had been the scene of a most dreadful struggle: the French in the churchyard held out, and the Prussians, finding it of no avail to continue the attack in front, turned the village on both flanks, driving the Imperial guard before them; the latter, finding that they should be cut off from all retreat, fell into disorder, and mixed with the general mass of fugitives, who were flying in all directions towards Rossomme and La Maison-du-Roi, followed by the Prussians, who made a dash at the eagle of the Imperial guard. General Pelet called out, “A moi, chasseurs! sauvons l’aigle, ou mourons autour d’elle!” (“Rally round me, chasseurs! let us save the eagle, or die protecting it!”) Upon this they formed square, and saved the eagle and the honour of the regiment[76].
About nine o’clock, Napoleon threw himself, with a few of his staff, into a square of the 2d chasseurs of the old guard, that had been under Cambronne; but upon the approach of our cavalry he galloped away. Wellington, with our advance brigades, reached the farm of Rossomme, between which and La Belle-Alliance some Prussian cavalry and our 18th exchanged blows, and some lives were lost. The 11th light dragoons and 1st German hussars were also nearly coming in contact with each other, owing to the dimness of the twilight.
An arrangement had been previously made by Wellington and Blücher, that the allied army should halt here, and that the Prussians should pursue and harass the routed enemy. The Duke was now, with all his advance, a little beyond Rossomme, upon a particular knoll with a gap where the Charleroi road cuts through it, which can be distinctly seen from most parts of the right of the allied position.
As the Prussians passed us, (for I had the honour and good fortune to be an actor in this scene,) I heard their bands play, “God save the King!” which soul-stirring compliment we returned by hearty cheers. In the pursuit of the enemy from Rossomme to Genappe, the Prussian lance and sabre were busy in the work of death. Many a brave soldier, that had escaped the bloody field, fell that night beneath the deadly steel. In vain did the French make a feeble effort to check the Prussians at Genappe, by barricading its long and narrow street with their remaining guns and tumbrels. So entirely had their defeat destroyed their discipline, that the Prussians, by the first sound of the trumpet, beat of drum, or their wild hurrah, overcame every obstacle, and, pressing on, they captured sixty pieces of cannon.