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.