Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
BLÜCHER, who had arrived upon the spot from his Right, having, in
consequence of this sudden turn of affairs, been under the necessity
of relinquishing his meditated attack upon the French Left, now made
a last effort to stem the further advance of the Enemy, and, if
possible, to force him back upon Ligny. The rain having ceased, it
became lighter, and the Enemy's Columns being more clearly discernible,
the Prince immediately ordered the advance of three Regiments of the
Cavalry attached to the First _Corps d'Armée_, namely, the 6th Uhlans,
the 1st West Prussian Dragoons, and the 2nd Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry.
These Regiments, which constituted the only Cavalry force immediately
at hand, had for some time been posted in reserve, and had suffered
severely from their exposure to the fire from the French Artillery.
Lieutenant General RÖDER directed the 6th Uhlans to make the first
charge. The Regiment was led on by Lieutenant Colonel LÜTZOW, to
whose Brigade it belonged. In the charge which was directed upon the
Enemy's Infantry, LÜTZOW and several of his Officers fell under a
volley of musketry. The Regiment, which was about 400 strong, lost on
this occasion 13 Officers and 70 men. A second attack, made by the
1st West Prussian Dragoons, and supported by the 2nd Kurmark Landwehr
Cavalry, seemed to offer a fair prospect of penetrating the French
Infantry, when the former Regiment was unexpectedly charged in flank by
the Enemy's _Cuirassiers_, and completely dispersed. The Westphalian,
and 1st Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry, with several other Squadrons of the
Landwehr, were collected together, and formed a mass of twenty four
Squadrons, with which a further attack was made upon the Enemy, but
without success.
The cause of this failure is to be attributed not to the want of
sufficient Cavalry, for indeed there was an ample number for the
purpose, but to the confusion and disorder consequent upon the surprise
which the Enemy's attack had occasioned, and which was augmented by
the darkness that had set in upon the Field. Nor was the failure
caused by the absence of that most essential requisite in a charge of
Cavalry, good example on the part of the Officers who lead the well set
Squadrons into the midst of an Enemy's ranks.
* * * * *
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