Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
The French Columns advanced against this Post with the most undaunted
resolution and the most conspicuous gallantry. The well aimed bullets
of the German rifles, though they told quickly and fearfully amidst
their masses, arrested not their progress for a moment. They rushed
close up to the walls; and, seizing the rifles as they protruded
through the loop holes, endeavoured to wrest them from the hands of the
defenders. They also made a most furious assault against the gates and
doors, in defence of which many lives were sacrificed. The greatest
struggle was at the western opening to the Large Barn, the door of
which was wanting. The French, determined to make good an entrance,
encountered the brave Germans equally resolute to prevent them. The
foremost Frenchmen, dashing boldly on to force their way, were struck
down by the deliberate fire from the rifles the instant they reached
the threshold; and seventeen of their dead bodies already formed a
rampart for those who continued to press forward to carry on the
struggle.
It was nearly four o'clock when certain movements made by the Lancers
on the French extreme Left, led the Duke to suspect an attack from
that quarter; and which, considering the almost isolated position of
his detached force at Braine l'Alleud and Vieux Foriez, might, if
successful, be attended with very serious consequences to himself.
He drew Lord UXBRIDGE's attention to that point; and the latter
immediately despatched GRANT, with the 13th Light Dragoons and the 15th
Hussars of his Brigade to attack the Lancers, detaching at the same
time the 2nd Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion from DÖRNBERG's
Brigade, towards Braine l'Alleud, for the purpose both of facilitating
the attack, by manoeuvring on the left of the Lancers, and of watching
the Enemy's dispositions in that direction.
The fire of Artillery along both Lines had been maintained with the
utmost vigour. At this moment, however, a most furious cannonade was
directed against that part of the Anglo-Allied Line which was situated
between the two high roads. While some of the French Light Batteries
took post in advance, others of the Imperial Guard, comprising twelve
pounders, opened a fire from the Heights in rear of, and above, La
Belle Alliance; and as the Batteries upon the main French Line were
ranged along the arc of the chord formed by the Allied Line, the French
Artillery was enabled by its very great numerical superiority in
guns to concentrate an overwhelming fire upon any part of the Duke's
position.
The Allied Infantry posted in Columns along the interior slope of the
ridge, were entirely screened from the observation of the French, who
could not distinguish any portion of their Enemies beyond the devoted
British and German Artillerymen at their guns; which, despite the
severity of the fire from their opponents, were worked with the most
admirable coolness and intrepidity, and with a precision beyond all
praise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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