As no hostile force of either Cavalry or Infantry appeared in its immediate vicinity, Bachelu soon succeeded in rallying his Division and renewing the advance. A similar result followed; whereupon all further attempt to effect the contemplated movement was abandoned: and thus a most serious flank attack upon Hougomont was completely frustrated by the skilfully managed fire of a single Battery.
Bachelu now took post again, upon the right of Foy, leaving a considerable interval between his Division and the Charleroi road.
Foiled in his varied and repeated attacks upon Hougomont, Napoleon had now recourse to incendiary projectiles. For this purpose he had ordered a Battery of Howitzers to be formed, from which shells were thrown so as to descend into the Buildings. The Great Barn, the outhouses on the north side of the Château, the Farmer's House, and finally the Château itself, were speedily set on fire. Dense volumes of smoke, enveloping the whole Post and its defenders, were wafted slowly towards the Anglo-Allied Line; the roofs of the Buildings soon fell in; and, shortly before three o'clock, the flames burst forth with great brilliancy. Many of the wounded had been carried, or had crawled, into the Buildings; but although their comrades entertained the most distressing apprehensions for their safety, the stern sense of duty and of honour prescribed that of the Post itself as paramount to every other consideration. Invested as the place was by an Enemy so overwhelmingly superior in numbers, and so unceasingly on the alert to seize upon any advantage that might offer; not a man could be spared to assist in extricating the sufferers from their perilous situation. Obedience to the natural dictates of humanity was necessarily sacrificed to that which was due to the severe demands of discipline. Thus several perished in the flames.
Others, who had contrived to crawl into the open Courts, could scarcely breathe in the scorching and suffocating atmosphere. Many who had sought shelter, or had been laid, in the Chapel, and whose terrors were excited as they heard the crashing fall of burning timbers, or the frequent explosion of shells around them, at length beheld the flames penetrating the door of the sanctuary. The prayers that had been fervently, though silently, offered up from that holy place, had surely been accepted—the fire, reaching the feet of the wooden image of the Saviour of Mankind, that stood above the entrance, seemed to feel the sacred presence; for here its progress terminated; and this, without the aid of human efforts.
The conflagration did not occasion a moment's relaxation in the heroic exertions of the brave defenders of Hougomont. The courage and devotedness of the men kept pace with the zeal and intelligence of their Officers; and no sooner did new difficulties arise than they were met and overcome by the most judicious arrangements, combined with the most consummate gallantry.
It was now about half past three o'clock. The Anglo-Allied Line continued compact and unshaken in its original position. Its Advanced Posts of La Haye Sainte and Hougomont had successfully resisted the most formidable assaults.
The Left Wing had sustained considerable loss in meeting and repelling the French Right Wing, but the losses endured by the latter in that attack were infinitely more severe: whole Columns of Infantry had been completely overthrown and dispersed; Squadrons of the most splendid and most devoted Cavalry had shared a similar fate; whilst from thirty to forty pieces of cannon had been rendered useless for nearly the remainder of the day. Hence, the French Emperor did not deem it advisable to renew, at least so soon, an attack upon the Left of the Anglo-Allied Army. He decided on forming a grand attack upon its Right and Centre: and since Reille's Infantry had already suffered very considerably in its assaults upon Hougomont, he determined upon employing his Cavalry for that purpose; more especially as the ground in front of that part of the Allied Line appeared well adapted for the movements of this description of force.
To gain possession of La Haye Sainte and Hougomont, as a preliminary step, was undoubtedly the most judicious course: but hitherto his endeavours to obtain that vantage ground had altogether failed, and he was now compelled to limit his plan; combining with the projected attack, renewed assaults against those Posts; which, even if again unsuccessful, would at least serve to divert in some degree, the Enemy's attention.
Napoleon also contemplated a more important diversion, by causing a demonstration to be made with Piré's Light Cavalry against Wellington's Right Flank.