03.30
|
AA:
|
Wellington receives the confirmation that the Prussians will march to his aid and decides to make a stand at Mont St Jean
|
03.48
|
PA:
|
Prussian IV Corps breaks camp at Wavre
|
06.00
|
AA:
|
Wellington leaves Waterloo village for the battlefield
|
|
FA:
|
Many French units are still marching from Genappe while others remain in bivouac around La Belle Alliance and Plancenoit Vandamme’s III Corps begins its march towards Wavre
|
|
PA:
|
Bülow’s IV Corps encounters difficulties while marching through the congested centre of Wavre
|
07.00–08.00
|
AA:
|
Wellington inspects his troop dispositions, orders reinforcements to Hougoumont and meets Lord Saltoun to discuss its defence
|
|
FA:
|
Napoleon confers with his generals at Le Caillou Gérard’s IV Corps begins its march on Wavre
|
|
PA:
|
Bülow’s IV Corps begins the march west from Wavre
|
09.00–09.30
|
FA:
|
Napoleon orders a further reconnaissance of the Anglo-Allied position and directs General Haxo (Guard Engineer Commander) to assess the defences of La Haye Sainte and Hougoumont
|
|
PA:
|
Most of the Prussian Army have broken camp and is marching west
|
09.30–10.00
|
AA:
|
1/2nd Nassau Battalion arrives at Hougoumont
|
|
FA:
|
Napoleon rides forward to observe from Rossomme
|
|
PA:
|
Blücher sends a dispatch to Wellington confirming that his army is marching westward Prussian IV Corps is halfway to Chapelle-St Robert Ziethen’s I Corps and Pirch’s II Corps have now left Wavre
|
10.00–10.45
|
AA:
|
Wellington receives a report from the 10th Hussars that they have made contact with Prussian cavalry
|
|
FA:
|
Napoleon issues orders for his army to take up positions Dispatches are sent to Grouchy and the 7th Hussars are posted to monitor the extreme French right flank Napoleon orders Soult to organize the first attack by the d’Erlon’s I Corps with Reille’s II Corps in support
|
11.00–12.00
|
AA:
|
The Anglo-Allied Army is now fully deployed with the exception of Lambert’s Brigade
|
|
FA:
|
Napoleon reviews his troops at La Belle Alliance as they debouch from the highway to take up positions. Afterwards he either returns to Rossomme or takes up position to the east of La Belle Alliance At around 11.00am, Napoleon makes the final adjustments for the first attack by d’Erlon’s I Corps Battle begins with a preliminary French bombardment between 11.20 and 11.30am French first attack on Hougoumont wood from the south begins at 11.30–11.45am Grouchy hears the sound of the cannon during a conference with his generals but decides to continue towards Wavre as ordered rather than march to the west A Prussian cavalryman is captured near St Lambert at around 12.00
|
|
PA:
|
Losthin’s Brigade approaches Chapelle-St Robert Blücher leaves Wavre in the hands of the rearguard
|
12.00–12.20
|
AA:
|
Hanoverian and Nassau troops are driven from the Hougoumont woods and orchard Howitzers from Bull’s Battery begin firing on Hougoumont wood Lord Saltoun counter-attacks with two companies of Guards attempting to retake Hougoumont orchard at around 12.00
|
|
FA:
|
Bauduin’s Brigade (of Prince Jérôme’s 6th Division) take possession of Hougoumont woods and orchard between 11.50 and 12.00 Second French attack on Hougoumont begins at around 12.00 Napoleon concentrates more artillery in the Grande Batterie The Middle and Old Guard approach Rossomme Durutte’s 4th Division is still marching into position
|
12.30–13.15
|
AA:
|
Bijlandt’s Netherlands Brigade withdraws from the forward slope where it has suffered greatly under the bombardment Macdonell’s companies retire inside the buildings at Hougoumont At around 13.15 Hougoumont’s garrison receives further reinforcements
|
|
FA:
|
Third French attack on Hougoumont Colonel Cubieres attacks the western side of the chateau A small number of French (around thirty men) enter Hougoumont via the north gate but the assault group is trapped inside and the attack is repulsed The French deployment is completed
|
|
PA:
|
The vanguard of IV Corps reach Chapelle-St Lambert Blücher joins the vanguard, ordering the column to halt for the entire Corps to catch up Prussian reconnaissance is sent out on Blücher’s orders
|
13.00–13.15
|
FA:
|
The Grande Batterie opens fire at approximately 13.00 on the Anglo-Allied centre Napoleon and his staff sight Prussian troops in the distance A Prussian prisoner is brought before Napoleon at around 13.15 Domon and Subervie’s cavalry are ordered to delay the Prussian advance Napoleon orders Lobau’s VI Corps to reinforce his right flank
|
13.15–14.15
|
AA:
|
Two more companies reinforce Hougoumont, bringing the garrison to around 2,600 men The Lüneburg Battalion is sent to reinforce La Haye Sainte and is decimated in a counter-attack by French cavalry Bijlandt’s Netherlands Brigade is attacked and eventually retreats in disorder Three companies of the 95th Foot abandon the sandpit area Garrison in La Haye Sainte farmhouse is isolated and attacked The brigades of Kempt, Pack and Best are all heavily engaged and the commander of the 5th British Infantry Division, General Picton, is killed The farmhouses of Papelotte and La Haye on the Anglo-Allied left flank are attacked Uxbridge orders a counter-attack on the Anglo-Allied left with cavalry from the Household and Union brigades
|
|
FA:
|
Elements of Grouchy’s army reach Baraque, roughly 2 miles (3km) from Wavre at around 14.00 D’Erlon’s attack begins at approximately 13.30 and the Grande Batterie ceases fire as it advances on the Anglo-Allied right flank The fourth French attack on Hougoumont begins at around 14.00 (approximately 12,700 men from 24 battalions are committed by 14.15) Elements of the French IV Corps are sent to reinforce the right flank against Prussian attack Colonel Charlet’s Brigade (of Quiot’s 1st Division) attacks La Haye Sainte Dubois’s Cuirassiers charge the Lüneburg battalion to the west of La Haye Sainte D’Erlon’s divisions assault the ridge and Bijlandt’s Brigade is driven back. They are heavily engaged on the ridge by 14.00 Durutte’s Division is engaged on the right flank, contesting possession of Papelotte and La Haye Domon and Subervie’s cavalry arrives on the French right flank at around 14.00 Napoleon moves to a closer position in the region of La Belle Alliance
|
|
PA:
|
Prussian cavalry scouts the Bois de Paris (woods) and the Lasne Valley and begins skirmishing with French counterparts Bülow’s IV Corps is still concentrating Ziethen’s I Corps is now heading towards Wellington’s left flank from Rixensart toward Ohain
|
14.15–15.00
|
AA:
|
The Guards retake the great orchard at Hougoumont The Household Brigade disperses Dubois’s cavalry to the north and west of La Haye Sainte and turns on the French infantry The Union Brigade drives d’Erlon’s divisions back from the Allied ridge in great disorder, taking two Eagles and around 2,000 prisoners Elements of the Union and Household brigades overreach themselves by attacking part of the Grande Batterie. The Union Brigade suffers serious losses when counter charged by French cavalry and its commander, General Ponsonby, is killed The garrison of La Haye Sainte gains a brief respite but is soon attacked once more
|
|
FA:
|
The fifth major attack on Hougoumont begins D’Erlon’s I Corps is firmly repulsed suffering serious casualties, only Durutte’s Division withdrawing in good order Part of the Grande Batterie is temporarily put out of action Napoleon orders a successful counter-attack by eleven squadrons of cuirassiers and lancers (under Travers, Farine and Jacquinot) against the Union Brigade Bachelu’s 5th Division (of Reille’s Corps) attempts to join the attack on Hougoumont but is forced back by artillery fire from the Allied ridge
|
|
PA:
|
IV Corps is now advancing and the leading brigades under Hiller and Losthin enter the Lasne defile heading towards Plancenoit
|
15.00–16.00
|
AA:
|
Buildings in Hougoumont are set alight by French artillery fire Much-needed ammunition is carried into Hougoumont Companies of the 95th Foot reoccupy the sandpit La Haye Sainte is reinforced by two more companies but the garrison is running low on ammunition and comes under heavy attack Wellington orders Chassé’s Netherlands Division forward from the area around Braine l’Alleud to bolster his weakened centre
|
|
FA:
|
Grouchy’s scouts arrive before Wavre at around 15.00 and Vandamme attacks with his III Corps at 15.30 The divisions of Quiot, Donzelot and Marcognet (of d’Erlon’s I Corps) regroup The Grande Batterie resumes its bombardment of the Anglo-Allied centre Elements of Quiot’s Division resume the attack on La Haye Sainte Ney observes major troop movement behind the Anglo-Allied centre and assumes that it signifies a general retreat at around 16.00. A cavalry assault is consequently ordered Count Schwerin’s 1st Cavalry Brigade clashes with French cavalry in a serious engagement on the eastern side of the Bois de Paris at around 15.30 Infantry from Bülow’s vanguard begin to enter the Bois de Paris
|
|
PA:
|
Thielmann beats off a determined attack by Vandamme’s III Corps aimed at seizing the two main bridges over the River Dyle in Wavre between 15.30 and 16.30
|
16.00–17.00
|
AA:
|
All Anglo-Allied infantry battalions in the first and second lines of Wellington’s defence form square to repel massed cavalry attacks by the French Wellington orders the artillery to fire on the advancing cavalry for as long as possible before the gunners retire to the protection of infantry squares La Haye Sainte remains under pressure with continuous assaults and the garrison has almost exhausted its ammunition supply
|
|
FA:
|
A sixth French assault begins at Hougoumont at around 16.00 Grouchy arrives before Wavre at approximately 16.00 and receives the dispatch Napoleon sent at 10.00 that morning Grouchy receives a dispatch dictated by Napoleon at 13.00 at around 17.00, which fails to convey that his support is urgently needed at Mont St Jean. It is too late for him to reach Napoleon on 18 June so this order is now redundant Ney attacks with at least ten regiments of cavalry following a preliminary artillery bombardment. Despite repeated charges, no infantry squares are broken Attacks on La Haye Sainte continue Lobau’s VI Corps engages with the leading units of Bülow’s IV Corps as it debouches from the Bois de Paris
|
|
PA:
|
Hiller’s and Losthin’s brigades emerge from the Bois de Paris to advance on Plancenoit and begin fighting with Lobau’s VI Corps at around 16.30
|
17.00–18.00
|
AA:
|
Anglo-Allied infantry remain under attack by massed French cavalry and suffer heavy artillery bombardment between assaults Uxbridge pursues enemy cavalry after each assault but struggles to prevent his cavalry overreaching themselves by charging down the ridge Wellington sends Nassau troops (around 150 men) to reinforce the garrison of La Haye Sainte but dispatches no ammunition to the farmhouse
|
|
FA:
|
Gérard’s IV Corps attacks upriver from Wavre trying to cross the Dyle at Bierge between 17.00 and 17.30 Ney increases the number of cavalry assaulting the ridge, committing the brigades of Kellerman and Guyot (Imperial Guard) but fails to break the Anglo-Allied line and calls off the attack between 17.30 and 18.00 Elements of Reille’s Corps, advancing in support of the cavalry, arrive belatedly before the ridge at around 17.30 and are firmly repulsed Lobau’s VI Corps retires into Plancenoit after a fighting a fierce engagement The 13th Légère mounts a serious assault on La Haye Sainte just before 18.00
|
|
PA:
|
Elements of Pirch’s II Corps begin to arrive from 17.00 onwards on the left of IV Corps Bülow’s IV Corps is fully engaged by 17.30 and, outnumbering Lobau’s forces, pushes the French back towards Plancenoit The first brigade of Ziethen’s I Corps under Steinmetz reaches Ohain at around 18.00
|
18.00–18.30
|
AA:
|
Hougoumont is still under heavy attack, the orchard having changed hands several times but the woods are firmly in possession of the French La Haye Sainte finally falls to French assault at around 18.30 and elements of the KGL garrison manage to escape to the Allied ridge. Most become casualties or are captured
|
|
FA:
|
Ney tries to organize a combined arms assault on Wellington’s centre at between 18.00 and 18.30 but is denied infantry by Napoleon, who is concerned about Prussian moves against the army’s right flank Plancenoit falls to Prussian assault and Napoleon is forced to commit eight battalions of the Young Guard to retake the village The seventh major attack against Hougoumont begins at around 18.30
|
|
PA:
|
Losthin’s 15th Brigade and Hiller’s 16th Brigade mount a serious attack on Placenoit, beginning with an assault on its northern edge. Intense street fighting takes place, particularly around the church in the centre of the village. The French abandon the village
|
18.30–19.30
|
AA:
|
A counter-attack intended to retake La Haye Sainte is beaten off with serious losses among two KGL battalions and the brigade commander, Colonel Ompteda, is killed Most Anglo-Allied infantry battalions are forced to remain in square or formations four ranks deep due to fear of further cavalry assaults. Despite being ordered to lie down, they take serious losses from French artillery fire Wellington orders all his reserves to march and reinforce his centre, bringing up Brunswick troops personally at around 19.00
|
|
FA:
|
Due to the fall of La Haye Sainte, guns are deployed near the farm and elements of the Grande Batterie are brought forward to unleash a heavy cannonade against the Allied centre The Young Guard retake Plancenoit, driving the Prussians out at around 18.45 Renewed Prussian assaults see the Young Guard placed under heavy pressure and partially forced out of the village Lieutenant General Pajol seizes the bridge at Limal upriver from Wavre Napoleon sends two battalions of the Old Guard into Plancenoit and by 19.30 it is still occupied by the French
|
|
PA:
|
Forced out of Plancenoit, Bülow is reinforced and continues to attack the village. Heavy losses are inflicted on the Young Guard in bitter street fighting but the French continue to hold out in the centre until reinforced by the Old Guard. IV Corps is repulsed but reforms for further attacks Ziethen’s I Corps arrives on the Chemin d’Ohain but is almost diverted to join the Prussian attack on Plancenoit. The leading brigades link with the right flank of the Anglo-Allied Army
|
19.30–20.30
|
AA:
|
Chassé’s Netherlands Infantry Division is deployed, reinforcing Wellington’s centre The arrival of Ziethen’s I Corps also allows Wellington to move the cavalry brigades of Vivian and Vandeleur from his left flank to the centre Halkett’s and Maitland’s brigades absorb the brunt of the attack by Napoleon’s Imperial Guard to the right of Wellington’s centre. They receive the attack in formations four ranks deep and halt it in the ensuing firefight. The French are repulsed by well-timed bayonet charges mounted by the infantry
|
|
FA:
|
Napoleon sends in his final assault at around 19.30 using infantry from his Imperial Guard. Five battalions of the Middle Guard assault the Allied ridge assisted by three battalions of the Old Guard. It is supported by simultaneous attacks elsewhere on the battlefield. Despite fiercely contesting the ridge, the Imperial Guard is repulsed Disheartened by the failure of the Imperial Guard’s assault and fearing betrayal, French units begin to waver and fall back. Pressed by a general Allied advance, the majority of the French Army is soon in a state of full retreat
|
|
PA:
|
Ziethen’s I Corps helps the Anglo-Allied left flank withstand renewed attacks by d’Erlon’s I Corps The 5th Infantry Brigade under Tippelskirch (of II Corps) spearheads a ferocious assault on Plancenoit at around 20.00. The bulk of French forces are ejected from the village after ½ an hour’s fighting but isolated fighting continues until around 21.00
|
20.30–22.00
|
AA:
|
Wellington gives the order for a general advance by the whole army. The French fall back before them and their retreat soon becomes a rout. Anglo-Allied cavalry pursues the enemy but does not advance very far beyond the opposing ridge once the guns there are captured Wellington meets Blücher by chance near La Belle Alliance at around 22.00
|
|
FA:
|
Grouchy attacks across the River Dyle at Limal at around 21.00 Attempts by French officers to stem the retreat at Waterloo prove futile. By 20.30, the retreat becomes a fully fledged rout with units abandoning their arms and dispersing Three battalions of the Old Guard withdraw slowly in square formation, attempting to cover the retreat. Impeded by the press of fugitives, they are repeatedly attacked and eventually destroyed Napoleon flees the battlefield heading for the French frontier
|
|
PA:
|
Ziethen’s I Corps advances alongside Wellington’s general advance, driving all French units before them into retreat and ultimately rout Prussian troops take over the pursuit from the exhausted Anglo-Allied Army. Prussian cavalry reaches Rossomme by 21.30 Blücher meets Wellington by chance near La Belle Alliance at around 22.00
|
23.00–00.45
|
FA:
|
Fighting temporarily ceases around Wavre at 23.00 with Grouchy determined to continue his attack the following day The French beat off a Prussian night attack mounted between 23.45 and 00.45
|
|
PA:
|
Colonel von Stülpnagel’s 12th Brigade attacks towards Limal (near Wavre) shortly before midnight. Fierce fighting ensues but the Prussians eventually withdraw as confusion caused by the darkness disrupts their attack After the crushing defeat at Waterloo, Prussian cavalry continues to chase French fugitives until darkness halts their progress just after midnight.
|