Waterloo Campaign 2.0 - continued

We begin the action at dawn of 18 June 1815, with the realisation that I omitted at one point to take some pictures. This is likely to cause confusion in the narrative that I will try to unravel. Permit me too to tender my apologies to readers for the terribly long delay in producing the final instalment of this campaign narrative.

I Corps retreat to Enghien. Up the road from Mons and Binche,
Marshal Ney leads I, III and IV Cavalry Corps  

We resume the story on the afternoon of 17th June. After a series of actions during the day against the French I and III Corps, the depleted Allied I Corps fell back to Enghien, where it was hoped to rally the scattered forces overnight for a renewed battle on the 18th.

 

General situation south of Brussels. The Allied Cavalry Corps
having defeated the French II Corps at Quatre Bras, is about to
come under attack by the Imperial Guard

At Quatre Bras, the defeated French II Corps fell back towards Charleroi, then still occupied by Marshal Grouchy with IV Corps. The victorious Allied Cavalry Corps dared not, however, pursue the French retreat. Too close for comfort, the lead elements of the Imperial Guard, led by the Emperor in person, was threatening the Cavalry's flank.

Napoleon versus Uxbridge - a heavy defeat for the Allies.

Sure enough the cavalry had barely time to meat the attack when it came, shortly before nightfall. It was a crushing defeat: two-thirds of the Allied cavalry scattered to the winds (though half of them were regathered overnight), for the trifling loss to the French of just one brigade of infantry.

Four cavalry for one infantry: decisive.

The overall picture of the Anglo-Dutch situation after the series of defeats - with just one, possibly two, successful action actions to balance the scores - would have been dire, but for the timely arrival of II Corps at Hal. That formation was to form a line with the Cavalry Corps covering the Hal and Waterloo roads to Brussels.

Against the situation on the Brussels Front, matters were more finely balanced along the line of the Sambre. The Prussian III Corps (Thielmann) marching into the French deep right flank heading towards Laneffe, Marshal Grouchy intercepted with IV Corps leaving Charleroi to the recently defeated II Corps, and directing VI to Laneffe itself. Meanwhile, General Exelmans's II cavalry Corps' dragoons evacuating Namur, had followed up the Prussians and entered Fosse, behind them.

For his part, Prince Blucher launched a heavy attack with most of Pirch's II Corps under his immediate hand, and thrown out the Charleroi garrison. That Corps, also named the Second, retreated upstream along the Sambre to Thuin. So matters stood at nightfall of the 17th June. 

Map situation. I won't be using this method of labelling
in future.

Bulow's IV Corps on the march

In the above may I experimented with dice to label the formations of the contending armies. It is a technique I shall be in no all-fired rush to repeat. However it does show the strategic dichotomy that has arisen, with the Anglo-Dutch army under pressure south of Brussels, and the Prussians operating around Charleroi. Bulow's Corps still distant, the situation along the line of the Sambre looks finely balanced.

Marshal Grouchy's attempt to swallow up Thielmann's 
III Corps falls short of complete success...

It seemed for a moment that, despite the fall of Charleroi, the French might tip the balance their way. Coming under concentric attacks from IV and VI Corps, with Exelmans's dragoons menacing his rear, Thielmann's troops did well to survive, and to retreat back along the road to Yvoir. I made, possibly, a little bit of a error here, permitting the Prussians to stay on the road by bypassing Fosse, still occupied by Exelmans. But I was disinclined to go too far down the 'zones of control' track, figuring that the Army Corps survivors would have cut their way out. One for further thought, perhaps,

After forcing out Reille's Corps, Blucher captures 
Charleroi

That victory over Thielmann was rather less decisive than Marshal Grouchy had hoped for. Nor was he well placed to exploit it such as it was. Large Prussian forces were piling up around Charleroi, II Corps had retired away for the Charleroi-Laneffe road, and Thielmann's Corps was still a formation in being. From this point on, the French situation along the line of the Sambre began steadily to deteriorate.

The Allies form a defensive line in front of Brussels

Not that the Emperor was inclined to let the nebulous situation to the south deter his determination to settle accounts in the north. Following up the series of victories around Soignes, III Corps, joined by IV Cavalry, took over the lead from I Corps, marched through Braine le Comte, preparatory to an attack upon I Corps at Enghien on the morning of the 18th June.

The Grande Armee closes in upon Brussels

Meanwhile, in an attempt to interrupt the retreat of Thielmann's Corps, Exelmans launched his own attack upon that depleted formation on the march. Although inflicting considerable loss upon the Prussians - an infantry figure - that was, pretty much, the end of Exelmans' cavalry as an independent formation. Possibly some survivors might join IV or VI Corps later on...

Thielmann eliminates Exelmans's corps of dragoons
in a costly operation...

On the morning of the 18th June, the Prussians seized an early initiative. Prince Blucher led II Corps immediately to Thuin, leaving the town of Chaleroi to be occupied by Zieten's I Corps. Howwever, at Thuin, Blucher received an early check, losing much of his infantry, although the French cavalry were driven from the field and they lost several guns besides. 

Blucher receives a check at Thuin.

Blucher himself was unhorsed in the fray, trampled underfoot as several foot units fled, and had  to be rescued by his staff officers. Only slightly contused (the red '4'), the Feldmarschall Prince remounted and resumed command. He would launch another assault...

Blucher is himself unhorsed in the assault, but survives
more or less uninjured

No better success, however, attended Grouchy when he attacked the Prussian III Corps east of Fosse. Although heavily outnumbered (5 dice to 10), the Prussians fought off the French, the respective losses about even. All the same, so far, the forces Marshal Grouchy now had under command seemed to be holding their own in the Charleroi area. 

Grouchy's final  - and unsuccessful attempt
to destroy Thielmann's Corps.

The day opened with Napoleon's powerful attack at Waterloo, much of the Imperial Guard striking at the Allied Cavalry Corps. 

Napoleon's attack out of Waterloo

There cavalry of both sides bore the brunt of the fighting, but the greater loss among the Allies, they fell back onto the Brussels-Hal road.

Napoleon victorious. Again.

Vandamme vs the Prince of Orange...

According to plan, General Vandamme's III Corps seized an early initiative, and fell upon the Allied I Corps at Enghien. The action could scarcely be called a battle, I Corps being stricken in short order from the Allied order of battle. Although some French cavalry foundered upon the British squares, they were in turn, along with the artillery, overrun by overwhelming numbers of French columns.

The end of the Allied I Corps

Now, although this eliminated I Corps, the Anglo-Dutch would still get some return on the losses during the 'end-of-turn' reconciliation - the overnight rallying and gathering in of stragglers and strays. Basically, I figured upon such troops that survived the defeat would make their way in small groups, avoiding pursuit, until reaching friends. So, added to whatever other losses the Allies accrue during the morning, they could add, theoretically, one and a half infantry and half a gunner to the regathering of scattered forces. Incidentally, much the same process had already been carried out following the dissolution of the French I - III Cavalry Corps. IV Cavalry, though still in being, was now attached to III Army Corps. 

I Corps overwhelmed. Some fugitives survived to 
join II Corps marching up from Alost.

Following the defeat of the Allied Cavalry Corps, the Anglo-Allied commander, the Earl of Uxbridge having replaced the deceased Iron Duke, ordered a counter-offensive against the Imperial Guard at Waterloo. The Reserve Corps from Brussels and the II Corps from Hal.

Napoleon under assault from combined Allied Corps

The practice here with two formations attacking one, is that the battles are carried out in succession, not two against one in one go. After the first battle, losses are removed, and then the second action takes place. A while ago, the Prussian III Corps had to face attacks from the French IV and VI Corps. Now it was the French turn under the cosh.

Reserve Corps attack...

The first action to be resolved was that of Reserve Corps' attack. Reserve Corps got 11 dice; Napoleon got 14. This was a hard fought affair, the French losing 1 foot and 1 horse; the Anglo-Dutch their sole cavalry unit present, and three gunners. Very well, Reserve Corps suffered a repulse, losing several guns besides. 

II Corps attack...

Then it was the turn of the fresh II Corps. The French were reduced to 12 dice, the Anglo-Dutch had 11. This was just as tough a fight, but again went the French way: 3 foot eliminated from the enemy, for the loss of 1 foot and 1 horse. This was a considerable victory for Napoleon, wiping out 7 units for the loss of 4. But the situation remained perilous for Napoleon, as subsequent events were to show.


During the course of the afternoon, General Vandamme led a counter-attack against the Anglo-Dutch II Corps to relieve the pressure upon Napoleon at Waterloo. Winning a quick, but slight victory, he ought to have pushed the Allies out of Hal, but for some reason...

'Daddy' Hill's Corps under attack whilst on the march

... I let them remain in the town to be attacked by the French I Corps. This did not go well for I Corps, the Anglo-Dutch clinging onto their positions with the French assault checked.

Now d'Erlon's Corps joins the fun.

The battle didn't end there. Counter-attacking in their turn, II Allied Corps attacked d'Erlon's Corps. Having the extra die (9 to 8) didn't much help the Allies; the action petering out to a draw: the French losing 2 foot, to a foot unit and a gunner. So far, the outnumbered Allied II Corps was giving almost as good as it was getting.

Fierce fighting around Brussels lasting all day...

Napoleon seemed to have hit a brick wall about Brussels as well. Following up his defensive successes at Waterloo he encountered stiff resistance just south of Brussels itself. Now, following the battering they had already taken during the course of the campaign so far, Uxbridge deemed it wise to amalgamate or at least combine the Reserve and Cavalry Corps into a single formation under his own hand. This formation he led into battle against the enemy.

The result of the hard fought battle was encouraging to the Anglo-Dutch allies.  Although the French got 13 dice to 11, the apparently massive loss of infantry was rendered nugatory by the availability of just two Allied foot to lose. Both sides lost 2 infantry and 1 cavalry: a drawn battle. 

But Uxbridge was not prepared to let matters rest there. Having checked Napoleon's onset, he ordered II Corps - that formation having been driven out of Hal - to attack the Imperial Guard and drive it away from Brussels. The result was a shock to both sides.

At last the Allies enjoy some success!

The desperate attack overrunning several cannon stunned the Imperial Guard, who, despite Napoleon's exhortations, fell back to Waterloo. 

But only as far as Waterloo...

There he halted the retreat. The fact was the Guard had fought against heavy odds (sort of). The numbers arrayed against them had been too much to overcome until the rear elements of the Guard came up from Nivelles.

Marshal Grouchy finds himself in a parlous situation...

The Prussian III Corps retreating across the Meuse at Yvoir, at Fosse Grouchy and the French IV Corps had to turn to face the Prussian I Corps bursting across the Sambre out of Charleroi. Meanwhile, Blucher's second attack at Thuin pushed the defenders out, and back down the road to Beaumont. Nor did Reille's Corps hold there for long. A quick assault forced them to retreat almost as far as the Vire River.

Anglo-Dutch allies hunker down in front of Brussels

Such was the situation as the 18th drew to a close. Napoleon's Guard and two army corps now very considerably outnumbered what was left of the Anglo-Dutch army in the field, the Emperor determined at all costs to drive the enemy through Brussels and out of the campaign. 

General situation, looking west from Namur...

The situation along the line of the Sambre, however, was looking far less rosy for the French. IV and VI Army Corps were an approximate match for the Prussian I and III, but Bulow's IV Corps, still on the march, were now passing through Fleurus. Which way would they turn - northward to help the Anglo-Dutch, or to reinforce Prussia's own successes?

The second day of battle of Brussels

As the 19th dawned, it was the French who seized the early initiative. At once he launched heavy attacks on the Anglo-Dutch line, the Guard assaulting Brussels directly; I and III Corps pounding the Anglo-Dutch II Corps. 

The Imperial Guard's battle was probably the bloodiest of the campaign. At the end of the day, the infantry were entirely spent, but the Cav/Reserve Corps had lost most of their artillery as well as almost as many infantry as the Guard. The four extra infantry translated to the French losing all three of its foot figures; the Anglo-Dutch losses amounted to two foot and three gunners.

Allied II Corps under the heavy assault.

Vandamme's III Corps assault upon II Corps was no less violent. Has III Corps any cavalry to lose, the battle would have been drawn, but as the infantry losses were three to two against the Anglo-Dutch, the result went in favour of the French. Now, I might have mentioned this elsewhere, I have, for a number of reasons, one of which involving the impact upon picture-taking, adopted a move all, then fight all method.  So, though defeated, II Corps has to face d'Erlon's I Corps before falling back. If they defeat I Corps, possibly they won't have to retreat after all!

Anglo-Dutch defences begin to crumble

As it transpired, II Corps gave as good as the got from d'Erlon - taking out two infantry for a foot and the sole artillery figure. All the same, facing odds of two to one, II Corps lost altogether 5 elements (4 infantry plus gunner) whilst inflicting 4 (all infantry). The whole 'Battle of Brussels' cost the French seven elements; the Anglo-Dutch ten!

This, of course was the decisive battle of the campaign as far as the British supported Anglo-Dutch was concerned. Hardly anything remained of the army, as it abandoned Brussels to Napoleon's triumphant Guardsmen, and trudged down the Ghent road, abandoning half its remaining artillery on the way.

The ragged remnants of the Anglo-Allied army 
retreat down the old Ghent road... 

But that was not to be the final word upon the War of the Seventh Coalition. Far to the south, matters were going far less well for the French. Almost cut off at Fosse between two Prussian Corps (although Thielmann's was looking pretty threadbare by this time, Grouchy had to barge past Zieten's Corps to reach Laneffe. Meanwhile, Lobau's VI Corps had fallen back upon Philippeville. 

Battle at Beaumont.

Having allowed Blucher to take Beaumont. Reille managed to cobble together a remnant of his Corps, with which to recover that town. Blucher's confident troops completely smashed Reille's desperate lunge.

Blucher wins a crushing victory at Beaumont

The three infantry and single cavalry brigades simply broke themselves to pieces against the Prussians' resolute defence. This was probably the most one-side battle of the whole campaign.

Marshal Grouchy fared little better in the course of the battle of Laneffe. Little remained of IV Corps after this last encounter. The remnants faded back to join Lobau at Philippeville.

French defeat at Laneffe...

Bulow marching through Fleurus

Before The Prussians could press their advances deeper across the border with France, word came back of the Anglo-Dutch disaster at Brussels. Her army smashed, in effect, Britannia was out of the war, and, as far as the Low Countries were concerned, Prussia was on its own. Although the French forces before him were but a shadow of what they had been, they were still a force in being. Meanwhile, however, Bulow's Corps had just barely arrived in the theatre. Could the Prussians mount a campaign against the forces Napoleon still commanded in the field?

Victorious Grand Armee around Brussels

At this point I declined to test it, and called the campaign right here with a French strategic victory, however marginal. I will admit, though, that, had the real campaign followed this course, it would have merged into a second campaign almost at once, with the issue - certainly not more than 60-40 in French favour, and probably a lot less - still somewhat in doubt. This especially as Bulow's Prussian IV Corps had not yet seen any action at all.

The newly constituted attrition/recovery rules seemed to work very well, with Army Corps formations retaining a considerable presence even after several engagements. Only two formations were destroyed outright: the Anglo-Dutch I Corps, and the French IInd. The Prussian III Corps was lucky to survive several defeats to remain still in being at the close of this campaign. 

The narrative behind the overnight 'reconciliations', indicated that the some of the fugitives from the destroyed Corps would have found their way to the nearest friendly formations and merged with them. Thus II Corps absorbed the returns of the missing I Corps. Had the campaign continued, no doubt Lobau's Corps would have picked up some stragglers from the wreckage of Reille's formation. That might have given it some heft in opposing the ring of Prussians around them.