The Battle of Quatre Bras 16th June 1815
Timeline 6PM
The advance by French 2nd Infantry Brigade, Marechal de-camp Baron Jean-Louis Soye has been seriously impeded by the retreat of the mauled 8th Cuirassiers , Colonel Antoine Laurent Garavaque commanding.
The now disordered formation is swept by Allied musketry, arresting its advance.
Lieutenant-General Count Carl von Alten, commanding 3rd British Infantry Division has been wounded by a French cannonball, temporarily delaying the deployment.
The Allied centre, anchored on the Ferme La Bergerie is under a furious assault from the French 9th Infantry Division, Lieutenant-general Maximillian-Sebastian, Comte Foy commanding.
They together with the 11th Cuirassiers, are stretching the Allied centre to breaking point.
General Foy is presented with the spoils of war by a proud 11th Cuirassier.
Having seen off the French chasseuers the 5th Belgian Light Dragoons temporarily fall to the lure of easy prey and chase down stray French infantry. General Willem, Prince Orange-Nassau attempts to rally his countrymen.
Hanoverian reinforcements, supported by artillery, are pushing the French right wing back, putting the French central assaults flank in danger.
The French Cuirassiers having routed the Royal Scots, Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Campbell commanding , retire with their horses blown believing the Allied centre is about to crack.
The brave French infantry surge forward in a final supreme effort to be met by the fresh 3rd British Infantry Division and its firepower.
It is heroic, magnificent and doomed!
Contemporaneously, the Dukes receives further reinforcements in the shape of the British 1st Infantry Division Major-General George Cooke commanding, via the Nivelles road.
The French have lost the initiative, Ney has no reserves left whilst the Dukes command has been swelled,with more troops enroute.
The exhausted French infantry sense that the tide has turned and await Wellington's next move.
takes a look at flexible roads made from long-lasting flexible resin.
