"Waterloo: Sergeant Ewart and the mysterious French lancer" Topic

Ewart's description of his capture of the French eagle is well known (see the post below on the Perry diorama). However, it has always puzzled me where the French lancer appeared from. There were no line lancers in the vicinity of the French 45th line infantry regiment at the time of the Scots Greys attack, so where did this French lancer come from?

Any ideas?

Allan

I have read one interpretation that Ewart was actually referring to the 2nd or 3rd Porte-Aigle who would have been carrying a long halberd. If this weapon with its pennant was thrown at him he may have thus misidentified it as it flashed by.

A drive by lancing!

I think a better answer is that battle produces stragglers who are working their way back to the parent unit or have become lost. A stray lancer may have been caught up in the charge and attempted to kill Ewart.

The charge of the Allied heavy cavalry brigades really fouled things up and Napoleon did committ some lancers to throw them back which might explain it.

Overall I think the best answer is that the battle was rather confused at this time and resembled a giant scrum in the middle of the field. It is possible that troops that are not supposed to be in that position happen to be.

"It was in the first charge that I took the eagle from the enemy"….

Perhaps not necessarily in the first contact? By charge, did he mean the whole cavalry counterattack generally? And if so, could the encounter have happened as the broken 45th retreated, but after Pire's lancers became involved?

The cavalry counterattack was very succesful and broke almost an entire french division. After running the infantry down the British horse became entangled in the french guns and retreating morass of men.

British cavalry at the time was very brave, but had bad discipline in that they charged all or nothing and ignored recall efforts. Given the enthusiasm shown for sabering gunners and retreating infantry, it is distinctly possible that the British horse became stragglers themselves and bumped into French stragglers in the whole process.

We know that the heavy brigage suffered considerably in the French countercharge and Ewart might have met a lancer in this counterattack. My view is that he met a straggler in the confused melee and fought his way out.

Sapeurs in French light cavalry regiments were rather often given lances.

I do not know the whole "story" of the incident – what French light cavalry was nearby/engaged at the time?

- Sasha

The Lancers engaged against the Union Brigade were from Jacquinots' division, 3rd and 4th regt. If Ewart actually encountered a real lancer it would probably be one of them.

The 4th lancers were engaged against the British cavalry, but only after the latter had broken through the French infantry. If Ewart is correct, it suggests the eagle was picked up during the pursuit of routed troops. I must say, this is not the impression I initially had, which was the eagle was taken during the initial charge and melee.

I always found the story of Ewart a bit confusing, but then this is what Wellington meant with"the history of a battle is not unlike the history of a ball, some individuals may recollect all the little events…. but no one can recollect the order in which they occurred…"
I once even read a claim (on Fb site "Napoleonic uniforms and equipment" I think) that it Ewart was not the one actually taking the eagle, but this was then not elaborated so I don't know if there is any truth in it. Having said this, the model of the Perry's is an absolute must for my collection with or without carabine, even though I do not see how I wil actually use it in a wargame

I wonder if there will be a vignette of a similar event from Quatre Bras – a French lancer trying to take a Colour from the 44th (East Essex)…"One of these old grey-haired devils [French lancers] dashed through our centre, sending his lance in at the left of the Senior Ensign, James Christie, down through his face until it went through his tongue and under the jaw, the lancer expecting to carry off the Colours. But no, he (Ensign Christie) dashed the Colour down and fell above them."
Presumably not!

I think there should be a vignette of Nosey jumping Copenhagen into the square of the 42nd at Quatre Bras. A lancer can be right on his heels.

Ewart would have provided his account using the vocabulary and vernacular of the day. His account was provided as a participant, not as an analytical assessment of the engagement or to provide an overview of the broader engagement.

Obviously his account is open to examination, but essentially it's sound and withstands scrutiny taking my 1st points into account. Regardless, even if the 45th were in a state of complete route, the eagle would not have just been politely handed over.

Your read on FB that Ewart didn't actually take the eagle? poor old Ewart, another celebrity destroyed by FaceBook…!

Detachments of light cavalry were routinely given to French headquarters to act as security, provide escorts etc. It is quite possible that this lancer was escorting a messenger sent to the colonel of the 45th Line or on some such duty in the vicinity of their brigade at the time of the charge. After all, a lone or small group of lancers are likely to seek some form of shelter when he sees a Heavy Cavalry Brigade en route with aggressive intent
That said, from experience, I know that the perceptions of troops in close combat can be distorted with both time and space enjoying a somewhat elastic quality.
Any way, great work by the twins

Given we know how bad humans are at noticing and remembering stuff, especially under stress, we'll never be sure. Read the gorilla on the basket ball court experiment.