The troops of VANDAMME's Corps renewed the attack upon St Amand with the utmost vigour; and forcing back the 12th and 24th Prussian Regiments, which suffered most severely, penetrated into the Village, where the fight became obstinate, and the fire most destructive. STEINMETZ had only two more Battalions of his Brigade remaining at his disposal--the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 1st Westphalian Landwehr--and these he pushed forward into the Village, to restore confidence to the defenders, whose numbers were so fearfully reduced, and, if possible, to stem the progress of the assailants. They had scarcely got fairly into action, however, when their Commanding Officers were wounded, and both Battalions gave way before the furious onset of the French, the 3rd Battalion leaving numbers of its men killed, along the outlets of the Village. The whole Brigade, which, within a short period, had suffered a loss of 46 Officers and 2,300 men, having rallied in rear of St Amand, retired into position between Bry and Sombref, and the three Battalions which had first occupied the Village, marched to rejoin the Third Brigade; whilst the loud shouts of "_Vive l'Empereur!_" which immediately followed the cessation of the sharp rattle of the musketry, heard even amidst the incessant thunder of the Artillery, proclaimed the triumph of the French Infantry. In the meantime, another assault was made upon Ligny, whose defenders had been reinforced by the two remaining Battalions of HENKEL's Brigade. The French now changed their mode of attack. They advanced simultaneously against the centre with the view of gaining the Churchyard, and against the lower end of the Village in order to turn the Left Flank of the defenders; and taking advantage of the unusually great height of the corn, their line of Skirmishers, strengthened by whole Battalions so as to give it a decided superiority over that of the Prussians, approached so cautiously and silently as to continue unperceived until they suddenly possessed themselves of the outermost hedges and gardens. A hand to hand contest ensued, and the Prussians, pressed in front by superior numbers, and taken in flank at the same time, were forced to yield. Presently, however, stimulated by the combined exertions of the Commanding Officers, Majors Count GRÖBEN, KUYLENSTIERNA, and REX, they recovered themselves, rallied, and again faced their Enemies.