Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
Instructions, in conformity with the above, were also forwarded to
the Commanders of the other Corps; and a communication of these
arrangements was despatched to General MÜFFLING, with an explanation
that the fatigue of the troops could not possibly admit of earlier
support. This General was, at the same time, requested to forward
timely intelligence of the attack upon the Duke, and of the nature of
that attack, that measures might be adopted accordingly.
* * * * *
At five o'clock on the morning of the 18th, PAJOL started from Mazy,
with SOULT's Cavalry Division and TESTE's Infantry Division, marching
by St Denis and Grand Lez, to Tourinnes; where he was to await further
Orders. At about eight o'clock, EXCELMANS' Corps of Heavy Cavalry,
consisting of eight Regiments of Dragoons, was put in motion; and at
nine o'clock, VANDAMME's and GÉRARD's Infantry Corps began their march
along one and the same road, by Sart à Wallain, upon Wavre. The Left of
this Column was protected, towards the Dyle, by the advance of MAURIN's
Division of Light Cavalry, under General VALLIN.
It was about half past ten o'clock, when EXCELMANS' Advanced Guard came
up with the Prussian Rear Guard, on the road to Wavre. He immediately
formed his troops in position, resting their Left upon the wooded
ravine near the Farm of La Plaquerie, and their Right in the direction
of Neuf Sart. While his Skirmishers were engaged with those of the
Enemy, he sent the _Chef d'Escadron_ D'ESTOURMEL, to inform Marshal
GROUCHY of what was going on in front, and also to make known to him
that the Prussian Army had continued its retreat upon Wavre during a
part of the night and that morning, for the purpose of forming a closer
communication with the Duke of WELLINGTON's forces.
The march of the Third and Fourth Corps was greatly retarded by the
bad state of the roads, and frequent halts were occasioned by the
narrowness and miry nature of the Defiles. GÉRARD, having preceded
the Column, reached Sart à Wallain at eleven o'clock, where he found
GROUCHY breakfasting in the house of M. HOLLAËRT, a Notary. In about
half an hour after his arrival, Colonel SIMON LORIÈRE, who was acting
as his Chief of the Staff, suddenly heard, while walking in the garden
of the house, a distant but violent cannonade, of which he immediately
went to apprise his General. GROUCHY repaired at once to the garden,
accompanied by GÉRARD, VANDAMME, EXCELMANS, and several other Officers.
He immediately called for M. HOLLAËRT, and asked him in what part of
the country he considered this tremendous cannonade to be going on. The
latter, pointing to the Forest of Soignies, replied that it must be in
the direction of Planchenoit, Mont St Jean, and that vicinity.
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