“Although marshal Blücher had maintained his position at Sombreffe, he still found himself much weakened by the severity of the contest in which he had been engaged, and, as the 4th corps had not arrived, he determined to fall back and to concentrate his army upon Wavre; and he marched in the night, after the action was over.
“This movement of the marshal rendered necessary a corresponding one upon 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 Sombreffe in the morning found all quiet[81]; and the enemy’s vedettes 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 débouché 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 front of Waterloo crossed the high-roads from Charleroi and Nivelles, and had its right thrown back to a ravine near Merbe-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 Nivelles road, we occupied the house and gardens of Hougoumont, which covered the return of that flank; and in 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 Ohain; 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 3d 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 Hougoumont. 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 Macdonell, 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.
“The 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 German 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 Edward Somerset’s brigade, consisting of the life-guards, the Royal horse-guards and 1st dragoon guards, highly distinguished themselves, as did that of major-general sir William 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 cavalry and infantry, supported by the fire of 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 Bulow’s corps, by Frischermont, upon Plancenoit 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 Ohain, 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 positions on the heights, and fled in the utmost confusion, leaving behind him, as far as I could judge, a hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, with their ammunition, which fell into our hands.