The energy and zeal of the English commander had been in strange
contrast to Napoleon's growing apathy; Wellington had further
strengthened his line by two Brunswick regiments and Mercer's battery,
and at the last by Adam's brigade with the King's Germans under
Dupont. This done, his stand had been superb to the last. Yet he was
now at the end of his resources. It was six, and to his repeated
messages calling for Bluecher's aid there had been no response.
Although a portion of Buelow's men had been fighting for more than an
hour, yet the Prussian army was not yet fully engaged and he himself,
having no reinforcement nor relief, seemed face to face with defeat.
Baring had held La Haye Sainte with unsurpassed gallantry; his calls
for men had been answered, but his requisitions for ammunition were
strangely neglected. Ney, seeing how vain his cavalry charges were,
withdrew before the last one took place, arrayed Bachelu's division,
collected a number of field-pieces, and fell furiously, with cannonade
and bayonet charge, upon the farm-house. His success was complete; the
garrison fled, his pursuit was hot, and, leading in person, he broke
through the opposing line at its very heart. Had he been supported by
a strong reserve, the battle would have been won. Mueffling,
Wellington's Prussian aide, dashed away to the Prussian lines, and, as
he drew near the head of Ziethen's division, shouted: "The battle is
lost if the corps do not press on and at once support the English
army." Ney's adjutant, demanding infantry to complete the breach he
had made, was received by Napoleon with petulance. One brigade from
Buelow's corps had attacked at about half-past four; repulsed at first,
their onset was growing fiercer, for two other brigades had come in.
Soult had opposed Ney's waste of cavalry. But the latter was
desperate, and with the other generals was displaying a wilfulness
bordering on insubordination. A portion of the guard had just been
detached for Lobau's support. To Ney's demand for infantry the Emperor
replied: "Where do you expect me to get them from? Am I to make them?"
In truth, his mind and energies were now more concerned with Bluecher
than with Wellington, and he was already fighting the advance of Buelow
in his plans. But had the old Bonaparte spirit moved the chieftain to
put himself at the head of what remained of the guard infantry, and to
make a desperate dash for Ney's support, a temporary advantage would
almost certainly have been won; then, with a remnant flushed by
victory, he could have turned to Lobau's assistance before the main
Prussian army came in. Thus was lost Napoleon's one chance to deal
Wellington a decisive blow.