Left Wing History:
Waterloo 1815
The Look-Out…
by Gary Cousins, Germany
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On the 17th June in the afternoon, Generallieutenant von Zieten, commander of the Prussian I Corps, was charged with maintaining communication with Wellington, and he ordered a cavalry detachment
from his 1st Brigade to be sent towards Wellington: this was to observe and to report Wellington’s situation after the retreat of the 17th June, and if necessary to leave behind half its number with Wellington to facilitate communication. At 6.30 p.m. Zieten reported his actions to the Prussian headquarters. [40]
. Lord Uxbridge, commander of Wellington’s Cavalry at Waterloo, after J.A. Atkinson
The connection with Wellington’s army was sought out and maintained overnight through Chapelle St. Lambert and Ohain; [41] and patrols were also maintained by Vivian’s Brigade, which bivouacked around Verd-cocou that night; [42] so that, as Wellington wrote much later: “The two
Allied armies communicated with
each other throughout the night of the
17th June…” [43]
Certainly by 6 a.m. on the 18th
June the Prussians had relayed to
Wellington a firm promise of support,
and even details of the proposed
march, which was Wellington’s precondition
for accepting battle on the
18th June. [44]
The Prussian army had assembled around Wavre by the evening of the 17th June, and overnight Blücher had issued orders to his Corps: the II and IV Corps were to march to Wellington’s aid early on the morning of the 18th June, while the I and III Corps were to hold themselves in readiness. [45]
Given the distances and timings involved, Wellington might have reckoned upon receiving support by later that morning; [46] but in the event many factors -- Gneisenau’s caution, difficult terrain, poor weather, fatigue and hunger, the marching order and overlapping routes, the fire at Wavre, etc. -- caused the Prussians to reach Wellington’s position much later than he might originally have expected.
According to the report by Blücher and Gneisenau:
“At break of day, the Prussian army again began to move. The IV and II Corps marched by St. Lambert, where they were to take a position, covered by the forest, near Frichermont, to take the enemy in the rear when the moment should appear favourable. The I Corps was to operate by Ohain, on the right flank of the enemy. The III Corps was to follow slowly, in order to afford succour in case of need.” [47]
The IV Corps, led by General Graf
Bülow von Dennewitz, was the freshest of the
Prussian corps, not having been engaged at
Ligny on the 16th June, but it was also the
most distant from Wellington: it set off at
around 4-5 a.m. The II Corps, under General-major
von Pirch I, although ready to move
from early on, was only able to set off at
around midday. Later in the morning Zieten’s
I Corps was ordered up as well, and began its
march at around 2 p.m. This left Generallieutenant
Freiherr von Thielemann’s III Corps to
take care of any French movements around
Wavre. [48]
The head of IV Corps -– the advanced
guard of the 15th Brigade -– reached Chapelle
St. Lambert at around 9-9.30 a.m. on the 18th
June, [49] and Bülow sent out several patrols to
reconnoitre south and west of the intended line
of march. A detachment of the 6th (2nd Silesian)
Hussars, under Major von Lützow,
which went forward to observe French movements
and Wellington’s position: it reached
the Bois de Paris just before 10 a.m., and
found it unoccupied, and that the French had
taken no measures to protect their right flank.
A troop of the hussars drew up in front of the
wood, where one of Vivian’s outposts had
previously stood; [50] and a patrol rode on to
Smohain, and met a detachment of the 10th
Hussars of Vivian’s Brigade under Captain
Taylor, [51] who later wrote:
“Towards morning [of the 18th June] I
received the order [to turn out his picket], and
at daylight marched with my Squadron to the
brow of the hill over a village (Ohain I believe,
from inquiries I made of an inhabitant),
where I relieved a Squadron of the 18th commanded
by Captain Grant; they had an advanced
post the other side of the village, and
their chain of vedettes on the rising ground
beyond it. I went round with Captain Grant
and saw the post and vedettes relieved. We
were to communicate with the 1st Hussars
picket round to the left, and (I think) infantry
on the right...
…Having seen the chain secure I moved
the Squadron into a road of the village in the
bottom, when a Prussian Officer with a patrol
arrived at my post and desired me to inform
the Duke of Wellington that General Bulow
[sic] with his Corps d' Armee was advancing
to join us, and that he was trois quarts de lieue
[about 3 kilometres] distant. Having communicated
with our Army the Officer was to
return directly. I sent Lieutenant Lindsay to
Headquarters with this intelligence.” [52]
The news that a corps was present at
Chapelle St. Lambert -– when by 10 a.m. only
the 15th Brigade had arrived, behind which
the rest of IV Corps was stretched out over
several hours’ march –- seems not to have been
an official communication from Bülow, and
perhaps innocently misled Wellington as to
the strength and timing of the Prussian support
he could expect. [53]
On the other hand, Müffling
was well-informed enough to be able to
note, not much later, that: “By 11.30 a.m., two
brigades of Bülow’s Corps had reached St.
Lambert. However, the Army Corps cannot be
there until 4 p.m.” [54]
Wellington seems to have discerned a Prussian presence in the direction of Chapelle St. Lambert before the battle began: in 1842 he wrote:
“…having throughout the night from the 17th to the 18th communicated by patrols through Ohain with the Prussian corps at Wavre, he [Wellington] saw the Prussian cavalry collected in a mass on the high ground on the Waterloo side of the Defile of St. Lambert at an early hour of the day, at least an hour before the commencement of the battle…” [55]
In fact in the Museum at Apsley House,
which was Wellington’s London residence, a
piece of goatskin, on which Wellington wrote
a politely-worded order on the 18th June, is
preserved. It reads:
“The Prussians have a corps at St. Lambert.
Be so kind as to send a Patrole from our
left by Ohain to communicate with them.
Have you sent a Patrole to Braine-le-chateau?”
It has been stated that this order was sent
to Vivian early in the afternoon of the 18th
June, at about the time that Napoleon first saw
the Prussians at Chapelle St. Lambert - according
to the “received” version just after 1
p.m. [56]
This may be questioned on several counts. Vivian probably already knew the information, which originally came through his Brigade. [57]
Vivian would hardly need reminding
to send patrols to Ohain, when he had
been positioned on the far left, and sending out
such patrols, since the previous evening. And
it was not Vivian’s task to send patrols towards
Braine-le-chateau, which was several
kilometres west of Wellington’s position, between
Braine L’Alleud and Hal and Tubize,
and where large forces were already posted,
and when patrols (from the Hanoverian Prince
Regent’s and Bremen and Verden Hussar
Regiments) had been operating around
Braine-le-chateau since the previous day. [58]
Another interesting instruction was received
by Taylor:
“Just then [about 11 a.m.] we heard a
tremendous fire distant on the right, which I
suppose was the first grand attack. I had notice
sent me that we were not to fire on troops
coming up from the left, in consequence I
suppose of the intelligence brought by the
Prussian Officer.” [59]
Taylor does not say who gave this notice,
but given the several incidents of “friendly
fire” between the Nassauers and the Prussians
as they met up in this area later in the day, one
wonders what notices, if any, were given to
them, and by whom – surely a task for Müffling
if, as said earlier, he was really charged
to “take care that his [Wellington’s] left wing
acted in full concert with the Prussian army”.
Discussions followed between Wellington
and the Prussians about the entry of the
Prussian army into the battle.
Lieutenant Bacon of the 10th Hussars
later remembered that:
“Col. Percy [an extra A.D.C. to Wellington]
passed us on the morning of the 18th on
his way to the Prussian [headquarters?], and
returned before the action commenced telling
us that the Prussian corps of Genl. Bulow was
on its march to join us.” [60]
Whether this errand by Percy was undertaken
before or after Bülow notified his arrival
at Chapelle St. Lambert is not clear, but if the
news he brought was freely given to troops he
passed as he returned before the battle began,
it would have set up similar expectations to
those held by Wellington.
Some recent versions of the 1815 campaign
tell of a conference at around midday on
the 18th June involving the Prussians – Bülow
and Prinz Wilhelm, commander of IV Corps’
Reserve Cavalry -– and Wellington’s representatives
-– Müffling, the Hanoverian General
von Linsingen, and several of Wellington’s
officers. [61]
This seems to be based upon two sources
published around a century ago.
Firstly, one authority, citing a document in the Prussian War Archives, stated that a Prussian officer arrived at Chapelle St. Lambert from Wellington’s headquarters, and either with him or somewhat later several “English officers” came, to report the disposition of Wellington’s army and to find out how far away the Prussians were and what were their plans. However this authority did not say that these officers were then involved in a conference or meeting, and explicitly ruled out Müffling’s presence. [62]
Indeed, one might suppose that Müffling -- charged as he was -- would have mentioned this meeting in his memoirs if he had been there: but he did not.
In fact he said that one very important communication involving himself, Wellington and Bülow – the exchange of plans for the Prussian entry into the battle -- was conducted by messages sent through one of his aides-de-camp, [63] and he seemed to be well-provided for in this department, as he also said: “I had four aides-de-camp, with bureau and orderlies; I had as many field jägers and letter
carriers and as many mounted officers as I required at my disposal.” [64]
The same authority did relate that von Linsingen had a conference with the Prussians. [65]
This was based upon a statement by Premier-leutnant Elsner of the Prussian 18th Infantry Regiment, with the 15th Brigade of IV Corps, who recalled that, while his men waited at Chapelle St. Lambert, Bülow and Prinz Wilhelm were nearby, when the Hanoverian General von Linsingen arrived, and a long conference about the necessary movements was conducted in French. [66]
Elsner would surely have recognised the Prussian Müffling more readily than von Linsingen – but he did not mention Müffling’s presence. Also, the conduct of the conference in French suggests the presence of non-German-speaking officers from Wellington’s staff – but Elsner was not explicit on this point. But Elsner did say that the Hanoverian General von Linsingen was there.
Yet it is questionable whether General-Lieutenant Carl von Linsingen -- 73 years old and a soldier who first saw action in the Seven Years War - took part in the 1815 campaign, at least in any “official” capacity, a point which requires further investigation. Two good biographical sources for the Hanoverian armed forces do not record his participation; he was not awarded a Waterloo medal by either Britain
or Hanover; considerations of age, rank and experience also militated against his presence; and although he was Commandant (or Colonel-in-Chief) of the 1st Hussars of the K.G.L., they were led in the field by Oberstleutnant von Wissell. [67]
Perhaps Müffling used his own means, mentioned earlier, to send and receive the many messages which soon were passing between himself and the Prussians. [68]
But wherever their Commandant von Linsingen was, troopers of the 1st Hussars of the K.G.L., from Vivian’s Brigade, were certainly on duty on Wellington’s left wing, scouting for the approaching Prussians, and then conducting at least some of the communication between Wellington and the Prussian command: “…Early on the morning of the 18th [June] the Regiment was detached from the Brigade to the outermost left wing of the position, with the order to continually send patrols from behind the ridge into the defile to St. Lambert in order to scout for the heads of the expected Prussian columns.” [69]
“…Through our pickets, which our Regiment had to give on the evening of the 17th [June], and which were placed on the outermost left wing, we established contact with the Prussians through the patrols we sent out, and on the 18th in the morning officers of the Regiment were charged by order of Lord Wellington to deliver reports and messages to the Prussian generals and to collect them from
their advancing columns, which two of our officers were actually able to do, and whereby Lord Wellington was informed of the approach of the Prussian General von Bülow with his columns…”
[70]
Of the ensuing discussions between Wellington and the Prussian leadership, Bülow later wrote that:
“According to the views disclosed by the Duke of Wellington, the IV Corps should remain at St. Lambert until the enemy’s intentions became clear.” [71]
Blücher had left Wavre with his staff at about 11 a.m. and arrived at Chapelle St. Lambert some time between midday and 1 p.m. [72]
By around 2 p.m. practically the entire IV Corps was at Chapelle St. Lambert; Bülow’s reconnaissance to the south and west had gone well; and contact with Wellington having been established, [73] things looked favourable:
“…and therefore His Highness the Field Marshal decided that the IV Army Corps should cross the Lasne defile and secure the Frichermont Wood [Bois de Paris].” [74]
Now Blücher rode forward with his staff to the edge of the Bois de Paris to observe the situation for himself, [75] while the IV Corps, with the 15th Brigade leading, arrived at the Bois de Paris between around 3 p.m. and around 5 p.m. [76]
The arrival of the Prussians was eagerly awaited by many of Wellington’s troops –- many of whom had been told that morning that they were on their way. Taylor wrote that, during the afternoon:
“We had been all this time looking out for the Prussians…Some Staff Officers came occasionally to the left, to see if there was any appearance of them…” [77]
Ingilby also wrote: “The position of Sir H. Vivian, and consequently of Sir R. Gardiner’s Troop of Horse Artillery, continued stationary on the left, during which several announcements were made
by Prussian Officers, sent on for the purpose, of the arrival of their Army; and on the other hand two or three times Officers from the Duke’s Staff came to ascertain if their troops had actually made their appearance. Nothing more was yet visible of them but their fixed picket in the distance.” [78]
Judging by the strong opinions recorded later by some of Wellington’s officers, the interval between the start of the battle at 11.30 a.m., and Bülow’s entry into the action at 4.30 p.m., was a long time to have taken for the enemy’s intentions to become clear and the Prussians to come into action. Perhaps Wellington saw the last stage of the approach, and he surely took a similar view: visiting the battlefield in 1819, he told Sir John Jones: “I first saw the Prussian vedettes about half-past two; and never in my life did I observe a movement with such intense interest. The time they occupied in approaching seemed interminable; both they and my watch seemed to have stuck fast.” [79]
Some anxiety on Wellington’s part would have been understandable; according to Bülow:
“The enemy had begun his attack against the English army towards noon. He had been thrown back everywhere. Nevertheless from 3 o’clock in the afternoon he had renewed his attacks with doubled vigour, and clearly showed the intention to throw back the left wing of the English and to separate them from us. At the same time the moment just then was very favourable for us to act against the right
flank of the enemy, which inexplicably he appeared to neglect and to take no notice at all of our existence.” [80]
At around 4 p.m., Bülow reported the situation to Blücher, who insisted that the IV Corps should advance into action immediately, even though only two brigades and the Reserve Cavalry were up [81] – in stark contrast, perhaps, to Wellington’s original expectation that two whole corps would begin to arrive by late morning.
Left Wing History Waterloo 1815: Vivian's 6th Cavalry Brigade
Left Wing History (2) Prussian I Corps
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