Duhesme, with the young guard, had arrived at the village and made his dispositions. As the Prussians neared Plancenoit, they were received with a stinging fire of musketry from the French skirmishers, and some French guns opened upon the advancing columns, but did not arrest their progress; they gallantly pressed on, took three guns, and got possession of the churchyard, a strong position, which shortly after they were compelled to abandon, though not without making a most resolute defence. They rallied near the village, and, being reinforced, advanced to make another assault: this being observed by Napoleon, he sent general Morand with two battalions of the old guard and two twelve-pounder batteries, and shortly after general Pelet, with another battalion of the guard and a reserve battery; this force, in conjunction with De Lobau’s line on their left, attacked and routed the whole Prussian force, pushing them back upon their first position on the opposite heights. This convinced Napoleon that Blücher was not up in sufficient force to make an effective effort against his right flank, and he could, therefore, hold the Prussians in check without making any change in his line of battle opposed to Wellington. Onset now followed onset in rapid succession, and before one assault was met and repulsed, another was prepared and pressing on. His Grace, when he observed the diminished numbers of his brave troops, presenting still the same fearless attitude, felt there must be a limit to human endurance, and frequently turned his telescope in the direction where he expected the Prussian reinforcements to arrive, and who were to cooperate more immediately with his left. Hougoumont, as has been stated, had been repeatedly attacked: the struggle for its possession was still most obstinate and sanguinary; the large orchard and wood continued to be the scene of a dreadful carnage. The enemy generally out-flanked our men upon their left; and at times stealing along under the east hedge from the south-east angle of the orchard, opened a flank fire upon them, when driven through the north hedge near our friendly hollow-way; but whenever our foes attempted to cross the orchard near the east garden wall, the Coldstream sent a galling flank fire into them. Hougoumont had been reinforced by the 2d line and light companies of Duplat’s brigade, as well as by the advance-guard battalion of Brunswickers, who, together with the guards and the remainder of the Nassau-men and Hanoverian riflemen, drove the enemy out of the orchard into the wood. During the time Duplat’s brigade was in its advanced position, it suffered from the French light troops: many of the officers were killed or wounded; Duplat was killed.