"Guard 12 lbs batteries contradiction" Topic

Ok. For some of our experts out there. I would assume this has come up before.
I can only assume that in light of the massive research Adkins did for his companion, he had some reference material he felt good enough about to relate that only three of the "beautiful daughters" batteries were present at Waterloo.

I used three OOB's in comparison to build my waterloo armies. Of course, his was the only one only listing three.

I know a lot of people here do detailed research that most of us don't have time to do. SO,has anyone researched this in depth?

People like their certain sources, but truth is, we have no way of knowing if one source is, indeed more accurate than another. So, I'm hoping Adkins found actual French documents specifying this as an actual fact.

Napoleon was very confident of his guard artillery, and the only reason I can think of thee would have only been three was if time/money constraints prohibited getting four batteries furnished

And yet I have seen all four named:
Radet, Tessier, Gaubert and Marion

Anyone have anything concrete? Thanks

Bowden lists four 12-pdr. Old Grd. Ft. Btys.

Maybe there were four batteries in the OOB, but for some reason one of them didn't make it to the battlefield?

and I somehow recall none of them were in the Grand Battery to the East of the Charleroi-Brussels Chausee?

Interesting that Michel Damiens has three 12pdr Guard batteries also in two different articles at link –
Waterloo : la grande batterie (where he lists the total French artillery) and L'artillerie française à Waterloo down at the bottom of the page.

The only things I can offer are:

12pdr batteries would have 6 12pdr and 2 6" howitzers. So if the Guard had 4 such batteries, and including the 3 attached to the I, II and VI Corps, this would total 42 12pdr and 14 6" howitzers. According to Wellington's dispatch of the French guns captured at Waterloo, there were 35 12pdr and 13 6" howitzers. In the June 23-26 returns in Bowden, the Guard had 6 12pdr and 1 6" howitzer. There is no mention of the other 12pdr, though VI Corps didn't report it's artillery strength. So this does leave the possibility that 6 of the Guard's 12pdr guns were not at the battle. But 1 of the 6" howitzers had to be present to be captured.

As far as secondary sources, Houssaye says that after d'Erlon's attack, three 12pdr batteries of the Guard were moved up to the west of the chaussee. De Bas says that 8 howitzers of the Guard were also moved up, but he doesn't give the size of the howitzers.

A very interesting topic

Hi,

The returns for the Armee du Nord are preserved in the French archives at chateau de Vicennes and are very exact concerning this subject. Prior to the fighting, the Imperial Guard took parade-states on 1 June 1815 and again on 16 June 1815.

The returns preserved in cartons c15/34 and c15/35 show the following:

1) that the composition of the companies numbered 1 through 4 that were the foot batteries comprising the Imperial Guard Artillery Reserve each consisted of six 12-pounder guns and two 6-inch howitzers. These four companies of Guard 12-pounders are not to be confused with the other artillery with the Guard, namely the 5th and 6th Companies of the Old Guard Foot Artillery that fielded six 6-pounder guns and two 5 and 1/2-inch howitzers per company, or the four companies of the Horse Artillery of the Guard (each with four 6-pounder guns and two 5 and 1/2-inch howitzers) or the Auxiliary foot artillery companies attached to the Guard (each of these Auxiliary foot companies consiting of six 6-pounder guns and two 5 and 1/2-inch howitzers); and

2) the entire compliment of the four batteries comprising the foot companies designated as the Guard Artillery Reserve numbered a total of 24 "beautiful daughters" (as Napoleon referred to the 12-pounders of the Guard) and eight 6-inch howitzers, for a total of 32 pieces of ordnance. These companies are detailed on page 72 of the book, Armies at Waterloo. Also, see page 348, footnote number 218.

In addition, Appendix C, page 321, of the same title lists the artillery companies that INITIALLY comprised the 80-gun French grand battery.

Regards,

Scott,

Thanks for posting and clearing up this issue. Well done.

Yep,
ditto that Scott,
It is rather confusing though, when even the orders of the day, tend to count both the canon and howitzers of 1st, 2nd & 6th Corps as all 24 being 12 pounders.