Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
More to the left, the French were retiring before HALKETT in perfect
order, covered by their Skirmishers. As that General's Brigade neared
the Farm House of Gemioncourt, Major CHAMBERS of the 36th Regiment, an
experienced Officer, incited by the desire of capturing a Post which
had been throughout the day a _point d'appui_ to the French Centre, led
on two Companies of his Corps towards it. They made a gallant rush into
the courtyard, but were met by a smart fire which forced them back.
Major CHAMBERS, however, rallied his men in the orchard; and having
instructed them how to proceed in their attack, the place was instantly
carried.
The further advance upon the Anglo-Allied Left had, in the meantime,
kept equal pace with that on the Right. NEY had been compelled to
yield the strongholds by aid of which he had hoped to force the
Duke's position: his Infantry had been driven out of Piermont and the
inclosures in front of his Right, as also out of the Wood of Bossu on
his Left: Gemioncourt, also, in front of his Centre, had been captured;
while the plain between the two positions, over which his Cavalry
had executed innumerable charges--charges that were occasionally
suspended merely that the scattered bands might rally afresh to renew
the onslaught with redoubled vigour, and that his Artillery might pour
upon the devoted Squares its destructive missiles, by which each was
shattered to its very centre,--was now completely cleared from the
presence of a single horseman.
It was long after sunset, and darkness was sensibly approaching, when
WELLINGTON, now that his Flanks and Centre were relieved, in the
manner already described, from the severity of a pressure of such
long duration, led forward his victorious troops to the foot of the
French position. The loud shouts which proclaimed the triumphant
advance of his forces on either Flank were enthusiastically caught up
and responded to by those who constituted the main central line, and
who had so nobly and so resolutely withstood and defied the impetuous
battle shock by which they had been so repeatedly and so pertinaciously
assailed.
NEY, convinced of the utter futility, if not imminent hazard, of
protracting the contest, withdrew the whole of his forces, and
concentrated them on the Heights of Frasne, throwing out a strong
line of Picquets, to which WELLINGTON opposed a corresponding line,
having the southern extremity of the Wood of Bossu on the Right, the
inclosures south of Piermont on the Left, and Gemioncourt in the
Centre, for its main Supports.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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