"Waterloo: The First 6 Hours." Topic

"General Reille received Napoleon's amended attack order just after 11 signed my Marshal Ney. He would use Prince Jerome's Division to attack Hougoumont, with Foy's Division in reserve and use General Bachelu to support D'Erlon when the main attack went forwards. The honour of leading the attack would go to the 1st Brigade commanded by Baron Bauduin,his men were concealed by the low ground and sunken lanes that lay between the edge of the woods and the French position. The division was covered by a long line of skirmishers, composed of at least three battalions of infantry in open order. The attack was preceded by a short bombardment of the Hougoumont sector by 5 batteries of artillery, and then the struggle for the Chateau got underway. The 3rd battalion of the 1e Léger rose to their feet and moved sharply against the woods. Acting as skirmishers they darted this way and that, letting off a cacophony of discordant shots as they went. Waiting in the woods were 5 companies of Hanoverian, Nassau and Brunswick light infantry, who returned their selective fire with their own. Soon a popping spluttering firefight developed along the fringe of the trees. Behind them the rest of the brigade had gone to ground in a sunken lane to avoid the torrent of allied artillery fire that had fallen on them, from the 4 batteries above and to the left of Hougoumont. The French were excellent skirmishers, perhaps the finest in Europe generally, and it did not take long for them to force back the enemy from the edge of the tree's and agin a toehold. The first line of 3 allied companies pulled back deeper into the wood, were their reserves were and attempted to hold there.
As soon as Bauduin saw his skirmishers vanish into the trees, he drew his sword and ordered the advance. The 1st brigade now exposed itself and doubled across the hollow ground between the lane and the wood. As soon as the dark French masses were perceived moving over the green fields, the artillery opened fire again causing more casualties but now the French could escape it into the wood. The 2nd battalion moved into the trees and engaged the enemy to the left of the 3rd battalion, while the 1st remained in the hollow as a reserve. The German light infantry now retreated from the wood.
Wellington had expected the battle to begin here, and now observed the Brunswick Jäger's retreating from the complex to Merbe Braine, while the Hanoverian and Nassau companies fell back into the sunken lane that bordered the northern side of the complex. The wood had most certainly been lost and the French would now try to storm the buildings. Anticipating the need for a counterattack he called for a battery of Howitzers to come forward, and moved up 4 companies of the Foot Guards and a detachment of Hanoverians towards Hougoumont,
Meanwhile in the woods, Bauduin was dead, killed by a musket ball shortly after entering the trees. Command of the 1st Brigade now devolved to Colonel Cubiéres of the 1e Léger, who pressed the enemy back to within 30 yards of the walls. There he was met by a shattering fusillade from the Nassau troops lining the loopholes and firing steps of the garden wall and the chateau's South gate. The French, emerging from the woods in thick bunches were easy targets…"
Full text here
link

Waterloo: The Last 6 Hours.
link

Amicalement
Armand