These movements did not escape the watchful eye of Napoleon, who detached a Division of the Young Guard and a Battery of the same Corps in support of his Left Wing, as also General Colbert's Brigade of Lancers from Count Pajol's Corps, to reinforce the Cavalry on the Left, and to preserve the communication with Ney.
When all was ready for the attack, Blücher, who felt how much depended on its result, galloped up to the leading Battalions, and thus earnestly and impassionately ordered the advance:—"Now, lads, behave well! don't suffer the Grande Nation again to rule over you! Forward! In God's name—forward!" Instantly his devoted followers rent the air with their re-echoing shouts of "Vorwärts!"
Nothing could surpass the undaunted resolution and intrepid mien which Pirch's Battalions displayed as they advanced against, and entered, St Amand la Haye, at a charging pace; they completely swept the Enemy before them; while Major Quadt, who commanded the 28th Regiment, supported by some Detachments of the 2nd Regiment (from Tippelskirchen's Brigade) gained possession of the great building. The 1st Battalion of the 6th Regiment, after having forced its way right across the Village, sallied forth from the opposite side, in pursuit of the Enemy, with a degree of impetuosity which its Officers had the utmost difficulty in restraining, while numbers of the men were on the point of plunging into the very midst of the French Reserves. The Cavalry on the right of the Village seemed to have caught up the intrepid spirit and enthusiastic devotion of the Infantry; and, as if impatient to join in the struggle, a Squadron of the Brandenburg Uhlans supported the attack of the Village by a charge upon the Enemy's Cavalry: after which, the remainder of this Regiment, with the 1st Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry, advanced under General Treskow, into the plain on the left of the Village, of which the whole contour now bristled with the bayonets of the 46th Regiment, while the 28th Regiment held the Post of the Great Building, which it had so gallantly carried, and the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr stood in Second Line, as a Reserve.
So completely absorbed was the attention of the twelve pounder Battery No. 6, which stood in a somewhat isolated position, by the contest in St Amand la Haye, which it covered by its fire, that it had not noticed the stealthy advance of a Troop of the Enemy's horsemen, wearing the uniform of the Light Artillery of the Guard, and most unexpectedly found itself attacked in flank by these bold adventurers. This give rise to a curious scene, for the Prussian Gunners, in the first moment of surprise, could only defend themselves with their rammers and handspikes; but with these they plied the intruders with so much adroitness and resolution as to hurl their leaders to the ground, and force the remainder to betake themselves to a hasty flight.
Prince Blücher had, in the meantime, on perceiving Colbert's French Lancers hovering upon, and stretching out beyond, his extreme Right, ordered General Pirch to detach two more Cavalry Regiments—the Queen's Dragoons and the 4th Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry—as a reinforcement to the Cavalry of Zieten's Corps.
The nearly simultaneous attack upon Wagnelé by Tippelskirchen's Brigade, previously mentioned as having taken post in rear of that Village, was not attended with an equal degree of success. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 25th Regiment advanced in Column through the centre of Wagnelé; but on debouching, the 2nd Battalion, which led the advance, was suddenly assailed by a fire from the French Skirmishers who lay concealed in the high corn. Although its order was thus considerably disturbed; it succeeded, nevertheless, in effecting its deployment. The 1st Battalion also deployed, but, in doing so, its Left Wing covered the right of the 2nd Battalion; and while executing a second movement, intended to clear the front of the latter, the French Battalions pressing forward, drove in the Prussian Skirmishers upon the Regiment, which consisted mostly of young soldiers; when, notwithstanding the conspicuously meritorious exertions of all their Officers, they were overthrown and dispersed in such a manner that it became impracticable to lead them back into action in any other way than by separate Detachments. The 3rd Battalion of this Regiment shared nearly the same fate; for, having plunged into the high corn, it received a volley which disordered its ranks, and killed its three senior Officers; and although it maintained for some time a fire in return, it was eventually compelled to retire, as were also the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 5th Westphalian Landwehr, under precisely similar circumstances. The Brigade was reformed, under the protection of the 2nd Prussian Regiment, which now advanced from the Reserve, boldly encountered the Enemy, and aided by the efficacious fire of the Foot Battery No. 10, stemmed the further progress of the French, and thus gained time for the remaining Battalions to reform in rear of Wagnelé. Upon the advance, however, of a French Column towards its Left Flank, it fell back as far as the entrance into the Village.
The French now renewed their attacks upon St Amand la Haye, and made their appearance simultaneously in front and in both flanks of that Village. The fight again became desperate. Pirch's Brigade had, however, exhausted both its ammunition and its strength, when Blücher pushed forward the 3rd Battalion of the 23rd Regiment (from the Eighth Brigade—Colonel Langen's), and soon afterwards the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Regiment, together with the whole of the 26th Regiment (from the Sixth Brigade—General Krafft's); whereupon General Pirch withdrew his Battalions, which had suffered so severely, to the rear of Bry. The Foot Battery No. 3, belonging to Pirch's Brigade, had at an earlier period moved to its left, and had taken up a position near the quarries on the right of Ligny, by the side of the Foot Battery No. 8, of Jagow's Brigade.
While the struggle in the Villages in front of the Right of the Prussian position continue to wear an indecisive and unsettled aspect; let us return for a moment to Ligny, which we left in possession of Count Henkel's Fourth Prussian Brigade, supported by the Third Brigade under General Jagow.