There was no need for a field glass. Marshal Lobau could readily view the mass of Prussian infantry, artillery and horse that was marching on to the field. In order to give his division commanders a little more time to deploy their own forces, the Marshal sent word to Baron Subverie, directing an attack be made immediately on the issuing battalions, regiments and batteries of Prussians.
Baron Subverie relayed the order to General de Brigade Colbert. The command to form line and charge was given, and as a single unit, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 1st Brigade trotted forward. These troopers - numbering some 800 in all - fell upon the not unsuspecting but poorly formed Prussian cavalrymen, forcing a unit of Hussars to withdraw with some loss and routing a Landwehr regiment. The enemy was too thick and too many however, so the victorious Light Lancers were recalled. The unlimbered horse battery of the 5th Cavalry Division then took up the cause, sending several well-aimed cannon balls into the serried ranks of the 1st Neumark Landwehr Regiment. Less than an hour into the contest then, more Prussians lay dead and wounded than French.
In broad overview, this would become the "theme" of the day - would become the "theme" of the reconstruction of the Battle for Plancenoit. The French would inflict a number of casualties on the advancing tide of Prussians; perhaps even force a unit or two to turn and run. But for every unit that ran, there seemed to be three or four ready to take its place in the line and continue the fight against the outnumbered French. To continue the suggested analogy: the French battalions (and few regiments of horse) were like sandbars facing wave after wave of Prussian infantrymen, cavalry troopers and sections of artillery. The sectors of the village of Plancenoit? Like pilings of some great, isolated pier. Again and again, the Prussians would come up to and wrap themselves around these human and man-made barriers. With each attempt, a little more sand would be swallowed up by the swirling blue mass. With each attempt, a small section of pier would be surrendered to that same roiling blue mass.
In an attempt to salvage some pride, the rest of the horsemen of the Prussian IV Cavalry Corps deployed before the assembled brigades of infantry. The French would not dare another attack, and the infantrymen of the 19th Division were completely within their right to form square in the face of what seemed, certain cavalry charges. But the French horse did dare. Commanded by Baron Subverie himself, the 1 Ith Chasseurs charged into the exposed flank of the 1st Pomeranian cavalry, and routed the regiment. In following up this success, the overextended Chasseurs were soundly rebuffed by the 2nd Neumark Landwehr Regiment. The Chasseurs lost approximately half their men in the disorganized combat; the rest galloped with all haste toward friendly lines. The Baron survived, albeit with a minor wound on his sword arm.
Though the 15th Brigade of the IV Corps was delayed in its advance due to the cavalry action and deployment, the 16th Brigade was able to maneuver to the left and march on Plancenoit. The eastern most sector of the dispersed village was bypassed, however. The concentration of effort was geared toward the Church of the village and the defending Frenchmen in and around the same sector. The 2nd Silesian Landwehr Regiment (3 battalions) deployed into line formation from approach column, and prepared for battle.
The attached batteries of the Prussian Brigades were still in train, moving up with the infantry columns. The Reserve Artillery of the IV Corps was also in train, winding its way through the traffic jam of units. For the time being then, the French batteries (outnumbered, of course) were free to play upon any Prussian unit within range. The Horse Battery of the 5th Cavalry did just that, scoring hits against the 10th Hussars. The Foot Battery of the 19th Division, along with the 12 pd pieces of the Corps Reserve, fired into the regiments of the 3rd Prussian Brigade, and decimated the 2nd Pomeranian Regiment of Landwehr cavalry. Just north of the village, the Foot Battery of the 20th Division hurled half a dozen eight-pound pieces of iron into the ranks of the 1st Silesian Landwehr Regiment (3 battalions). To the chagrin of the crew, as well as to the French infantry around the guns, these projectiles seemed to have no effect on the enemy.
In the five o'clock hour, the first organized assault was made against Plancenoit. The 2nd Silesian Landwehr Regiment attacked French positions in the Church sector, the sector just adjacent and, the small group of buildings just north of the "crossroads" on the eastern edge of the village. Though the first volleys of the Landwehr Battalions did strike home against French battalions defending the Church and the sector just north of the Church, all three Prussian battalions were thwarted in their attack: all three battalions suffered from the withering return fire. Lt. Colonel Blandowski rallied his men from this set back, and requested support from the Brigade Commander. These two officers were of the same mind, for the 2nd Foot Battery rolled up amongst the disordered infantry and unlimbered, in preparation to bombard the French.
At the same time the 2nd Silesian Regiment advanced against the French in Plancenoit, its two sister regiments attacked the French who were posted just north of the village. The l st Silesian Landwehr and 15th Line moved forward against the 27th Regiment of the Line. Even though the French battalions were formed in square (in case of Prussian cavalry charges), they were able to turn back the attack. The defense was bolstered by the foot battery which served as a kind of linch pin between the positions in the village and the positions in the open, north of the village. Viewing the failed attacks, Colonel von Gaaertrigen reconciled himself to the fact that it would be a long afternoon.
To the right of these failed infantry attacks, Prussian Landwehr cavalry wasted themselves against the squares of the 11th Regiment of the Line. The single success - and it would prove dramatic - was when troopers of the 2nd Neumark Landwehr took the Foot Battery of the 19th Division in the flank. "Drunk" with this victory, the irregular horsemen fell upon the Reserve Artillery next, routing the crews. Baron Noury, the General commanding these few cannon, was among those killed. In the space of a quarter of an hour then, the French lost half of their artillery. The Prussians paid a rather steep price for this, however. The 3rd Brigade of the IV Cavalry Corps was in disarray - five regiments were disordered - and losses had been anything but light. In contrast, losses to the 1st Brigade of this same corps had been minimal during combat against the French horsemen on the north edge of the field. Hussars and Uhlans faced off against a reformed Light Lancer Brigade and supporting Chasseurs. In a quick melee, the Chasseurs were much reduced and the Lancer Regiments shared casualties. Instead of following up the advantage, Colonel von Schwerin reigned in his squadrons.
Prince William noticed this lack of aggressiveness on the part of his Brigade Commander and immediately ordered that he follow up on the advantage. The 2nd Regiment of Light Lancers ceased to exist as a unit then, when it was contacted by pursuing Prussian horsemen. However, the 1st Light Lancers would not yield so easily. Turning about, these troopers dealt a severe blow to the Uhlans of the 1st Brigade. They then concerned themselves with the attacking Hussars - these men having wheeled right into their flank after dispersing the 2nd Lancers. Both bodies of horse were disordered, but again, French elan prevailed and the Hussars joined the Uhlans in retreat, leaving almost half of their complement on the bloody ground. General de Brigade Colbert recalled his exhausted men and directed them to join the 11th Chasseurs.
As this combat was taking place, an equally expensive and frustrating combat was going on for the Church sector of Plancenoit. Elements of the 2nd Silesian Landwehr marched into a maelstrom of fire. The combined effects of French infantry in houses, behind garden walls and a batteryof foot artillery just outside the one village sector proved too much. Three battalions of Landwehr infantry "fell apart" (two from the 2nd Regiment and one from the I st). The survivors streaming past "fresh" units of Prussians who were waiting their turn to assault the village or, who had just arrived on the field. An additional battalion, this one from the 15th Line Regiment, was lost in a second attempt to break the squares of the French 27th. In retrospect, it appears that these units were lost unnecessarily, for the artillery of the Prussian Reserve was moving up and would deploy in another half hour or so. The French squares would not have stood for long - if at all - against this concentration of fire. While the Frenchmen in the village sector would have had more protection, it is doubtful that they could have endured such fire for any length of time, either.
Back on the French left, the Horse Battery of the cavalry contingent had been "abandoned" by its regiments. However, the - for all intents and purposes - isolated battery was meting out punishment to any Prussian unit foolish enough to approach. In the first hour of the engagement, it had been Prussian horse. In this second hour, it was the infantry who felt the sting of the light pieces. In this specific case, it was the jaeger detachment of the 3rd Silesian Landwehr Regiment. Though they were in skirmish order, the canister from the French guns found more than several marks, and the light infantrymen were forced to withdraw. The battery commander, one Captain Duchemin was not unaware of his exposed position. He would withdraw the guns to friendly lines a section at a time; he just wanted to be sure the move would be uncontested.
Across the field, Major General von Sydow attempted to rally his battered regiments of Landwehr troopers. Four of the six units refused and continued their march in the opposite direction. This left a red-faced General with just two under-strength regiments: the 2nd Pomeranian and 2nd Neumark. He drew these horsemen up in a line, facing the first sector of the village of Plancenoit. With the exception of the taking of the French batteries, the 3rd Brigade had not performed at all well.
In the center of the Prussian advance, units of the 16th Brigade pulled back and turned their attention more on the French in the village as opposed to the bristling squares. This retrograde movement provided a wonderful field of fire for the four batteries of the Prussian Reserve Artillery. Major General von Braun ordered both Foot and Heavy Batteries to deploy and load canister for the waiting French squares. In addition, a separate horse battery (from the 1st Brigade of Cavalry / IV Corps) was moving up behind this collection of guns. There was really nothing the French could do: the Prussian horse were still within striking distance, and to withdraw would mean that the Prussians could envelop the Church and adjacent sector from two if not three directions at the same time.
As it turned out, Captain Duchemin's concerns were warranted. Occupied by the jaegers to their front, as well as by the close deployment of the battery of the 15th Brigade and a supporting regiment of infantry, the crew and wagon masters were surprised by the sudden appearance of the 6th Hussars on their left rear. It was, as with the batteries destroyed by Prussian horse earlier in the afternoon, no contest. The troopers gave no quarter. Captain Duchemin emptied both his pistols while defending the last cannon, but to no avail. And so, another battery of French guns fell to the enemy.
Some minutes before the hour of six, the Young Guard Division under Comte Philbert Duhesme marched on the field. They entered west and a little south of Plancenoit, in splendid column formation. Accompanying the fine battalions were two batteries of auxiliary foot artillery. While these guns were not deployed and wrecking havoc among the Prussians, the limbers, cannon and crew did restore some of this combat arm to the French cause.
The arrival of the Young Guard went unnoticed by the Prussians. Their attention remained focused on the French in the Church sector; the French squares north of the village; and on what was left of the French mounted arm. With the exception of the horse artillery being put to the sword, there were no other melees on the battlefield. It seemed as if the Prussians were using this time to reorganize their units and efforts. Of musketry exchanges however, there were plenty. The smoke was so thick along sections of the opposing lines, that entire companies were swallowed in smoke. The men continued to load and fire, their faces streaked with sweat and the black of powder.
The French squares of the center and left took casualties from the fire of Prussian Landwehr and Line battalions ranged to their front. In general, these squares meted out as much punishment as was received. Two of the front line battalions however, started to run low on ammunition. A similar development arose on the other side of the firing line, when one Prussian battalion facing the French "hidden" in Plancenoit began to run short of cartridges. The Prussians could more readily and more easily withdraw to replenish cartridge pouches and caissons, however. For the French to do so would result in a "break" in the line, and this was not at all an option. Even with the entrance of the eight battalions of the Young Guard into the fray, a distinct numerical advantage remained with the Prussians.
Salvoes of artillery fire marked the arrival of the six o'clock hour. The Foot Battery of the French 20th Division destroyed two companies of Prussian line infantry who were waiting to attack the sector adjacent to the Church. The men of the 15th Line Regiment wavered, but closed ranks and stood their ground. To the right of these now fewer men, the guns of the Prussian Reserve unleashed a storm upon the French squares of the 27th Regiment. In both battalions, terrific loss was incurred. The 1st Battalion of the regiment was barely holding on, its numbers reduced by some 65%. They remained in square, their morale bolstered by the presence of Colonel Gaudin with the colors. The sister battalion to the 1st however, did not fare so well. Under the volume of fire - especially the cannon fire from the Prussian Reserve - the 2nd Battalion broke. The survivors withdrew in ragtag groups back to a supporting line formed by the 84th Regiment.
The situation on the field and status of the respective forces may be seen on the following map. The six o'clock game turn saw: (A) the Prussian ad-hoc brigade of horse (combined elements of the 1st and 2nd Brigades) reforming on the northern most road after trouncing the French Light Horse under Baron Subervie. Both the Baron and his adjutant fell in this violent and brief clash. The remnants of the French 5th Hussars retreating to (5). (B) marked the area of operations for the 3rd Silesian Landwehr Regiment and a number of batteries. These units would shortly begin to push south and west, forcing the French line back against Plancenoit. The 14th Brigade (C) was as yet, uninvolved in the contest. The Prussian Commander, Bulow (D), occupied something of a central position. He was protected by the guns of the Reserve Artillery, as well as by units of the 13th Brigade. These forces, the infantry of the 13th and the guns of the Reserve (E), were well and truly occupied by the French defenses in and just north of the village. The two standing regiments of the 3rd Brigade of the IV Cavalry Corps "guarded" the road into Plancenoit.
On the French side of the field, the 19th Division formed a brave but thin and outnumbered front against the advancing Prussians (6). Though in a similar predicament, the battalions of the 20th Division (1) had the cover of the village, and did not have to worry so much about exposed flanks or cavalry charges and concentrated artillery fire. Indeed, the 5th Regiment of Light Infantry was in ready reserve and could quickly relieve the men of the 10th Line, who occupied the Church sector and surrounding buildings. A brigade of Young Guard held the larger sectors of the village, at the rear of the French position (2, 3). Lobau (4) "requested" the 3rd Tiralleurs come out into the field, in order that he might provide some support for the tired men of the 19th Division.
In brief review then, the French still held the field and held Plancenoit. However, the Prussian pressure was increasing. It was questionable as to if the French could hold onto the ground north of the village. It was questionable too, as to what degree the Young Guard could stay the advancing Landwehr, Line and Fusilier battalions.
For the moment, it would fall to the men of the 11th Regiment of Line to slow the advance of the Prussian brigades. Both battalion squares faced units of the 4th Silesian Landwehr Regiment. The leftmost square had the added burden of dealing with a simultaneous attack by the 6th Hussars. One volley after another was loosed: front of square fought line and side of square prepared to receive cavalry. The smoke from over 2,000 muskets cast a gray and white cloud over the combatants. A quarter of an hour later, the French remained in their formations and in possession of this section of the field. The leftmost square was now low on ammunition, but their rounds had not been wasted. Hussar troopers and their horses dotted the front of one square side. In the front of another side, a greater number of Landwehr infantry lay dead or wounded. The Hussars had been turned back. Not for lack of trying, the battalions of the 4th Silesian had been decimated. As mentioned previously however, it was a price in men and horses that the Prussians could afford. While the remnants of the 4th Silesian Regiment attempted to reform on the reserve battalion, the battalions of the 3rd Silesian Landwehr began to work their way deeper into the French left rear.
While this movement was taking place, detached Prussian batteries began to form a loose triangle around the squares of both the 11th and 5th French Regiments of Line. That is to remark, these batteries formed more or less the points of a triangle: their planned targets being the squares of French within the lines that could be drawn between each battery. The plan would come to fruition before the hour of 6:30 p.m. as fire from these batteries wrecked havoc on the squares of the 11th Regiment. Canister brought down dozens of men. The solid shot from more distant pieces literally punched holes in the human walls of these formations. The men standing in the far side of the square perhaps the most unfortunate, as they could not see their attacker.
As the men of the 11th were enduring a savage fire, the Prussian Reserve Artillery put an end to the last square of the 27th Regiment. The Brigade Commander - GDB Thevenet - and a few survivors (most wounded, all broken by the punishment) retreated to a position near Marshal Lobau.
Just north of Plancenoit, the 1st Battalion of the 15th Line Regiment close-assaulted the Foot Battery of the 20th Division. And, just like every other French battery before it, the artillery of the 20th Division was lost to the musketry and bayonet points of the 1st Battalion. In the sectors of Plancenoit itself - the collection of buildings just left of the Church sector - a weak attack by a battalion of the 1st Silesian Regiment was thrown back.
The Prussian command added to this overall push or pressure on the French lines by moving their cavalry deeper into the French position. Prince William in the lead, the combined Hussars and Uhlans engaged the single remaining regiment of French horse. To the right of this melee, the 8th Dragoons trotted toward the edge of the field. These troopers would be the first of a fairly large contingent of Prussians to leave the field. They would be the first unit to carry the battle to the French stationed closer to Waterloo proper and the Anglo-Allied lines. Such was the concern generated by this sweeping movement of Prince William's horsemen that the battalions of the 3rd Tiralleurs were ordered to form square just north and west of Plancenoit. In these blocks, Marshal Lobau and the aforementioned remnants of the 27th Regiment sought protection. The auxiliary battery with the Young Guard unlimbered to the left of the squares, in preparation to receive the Prussian horse.
The other six battalions of the Guard were occupied with setting up defenses in the larger sectors of Plancenoit. Four battalions had secured the two sectors on the west edge of the village, while another two battalions - men of the 1st Voltigeur Brigade - remained in column and continued to march in the general direction of the Church. In the area of the Church and the sectors surrounding it, the French 10th Line was under heavy attack. The battalion in the sector just north and adjacent to the Church sector was assaulted from two directions simultaneously. The battalion defending the Church and cemetery wall was attacked by the three battalions of the Prussian 10th Line Regiment (2 line battalions and 1 fusilier battalion). A similar situation was facing the low on ammunition line battalion of the 107th Regiment. This unit was posted in the small sector just east of the Church. The entire 3rd Neumark Landwehr Regiment launched an assault into this sector.
As feared, the Prussian cavalry overwhelmed the French Hussars standing against them. Unable to control his victorious troopers, Prince William was carried off the field in pursuit. While this would spell relief for the Young Guard and rear of the French position around Plancenoit, the exit of Prussian troops from this area of the field did not bode well for the French in other places at Waterloo. The success of the cavalrymen was repeated by the infantry - though at a little more cost - in the center. Here, the French 84th Line broke under a fierce Prussian attack. The first battalion of Frenchmen were pushed back with loss while the second held, and even succeeded in driving back the Prussian troops to its front. However, this unit was then assailed from the flank by another line battalion and so, broke and joined its sister battalion in flight.
In the village proper, Prussian success continued. The 3rd Neumark Landwehr, their numbers simply too much for the outnumbered and outgunned Frenchmen, captured the sector. At about the same time, the line battalion of the French 10th Line - defending the sector just north of the Church - was pushed out by the two-pronged attack of the Prussians. Only on the grounds of the Church would the French prove resistant to the Prussian advance. The leading battalion of the 10th Prussian Line was roughly handled by the French: they lost nearly half their men in the volleys exchanged in and around the cemetery wall. A local counterattack by a reserve company pushed the Prussians out and had a "domino effect" on following battalions. The attack against the Church sector then, was repulsed.
- Aside: The arrival of the 6:40 pm game turn called for the arrival of two battalions of the Imperial Guard. However, given the recent exit of three regiments of Prussian horse off the French "edge" of the table, it was deemed that these scheduled reinforcements would be re-directed or perhaps, forced to stop their approach and form square against the advancing cavalry. Either way, the French would not receive these reinforcements. The Prussians, in contrast, had absolutely no concerns about wandering or raiding French squadrons in their deployment areas. The 5th and 6th Brigades of Pirch's Corps then, marched on to the field in near parade order.
The Prussian units involved about Plancenoit were in some state of disarray. In fact, two battalions of Landwehr masked the fire of the Foot Battery of the 16th Brigade. In other areas of the field too, the guns of each side were quiet for lack of targets. The crew of the 8 pd guns marching with the Young Guard were denied their prospective engagement when the Prussian horse left the field. The batteries of the Prussian Reserve, having "destroyed" the squares facing them some 20 minutes ago, searched in vain through the smoke and haze for other squares or even lines of French infantry.
As the 16th Brigade attempted to reorganize, elements of that brigade were still involved in and around the Church sector of Plancenoit. Elements of the 13th Brigade moved into position as well: both in support of the 16th Brigade as well as in support of the continued fight for possession of the Church. The stubborn - and by this time, reduced in number - Frenchmen of the 10th Line prepared to withstand another assault. The General of the Brigade, Chevalier Bony, was right there with his men. Just a little over 120 yards to their rear, the Light Battalions of the 5th stood in reserve. In the Prussian reserve, the 2nd Neumark Landwehr Regiment moved closer. These men were accompanied by the Foot Battery of the 13th Brigade. So as to provide more support for the pressed line units, two battalions of the Young Guard marched closer to the contest. One battalion formed a kind of second reserve to the light battalions. The second battalion along with the auxiliary foot battery, moved south toward the area threatened by the 3rd Neumark Regiment.
Over on the French left, the Young Guard deployed out of square (the cavalry threat having passed) and back into columns. Around these fresh and veteran troops, the remnants of the 27th and 84th Regiments attempted to rally and reorganize. Farther to the left, what was left of the 5th Line Regiment prepared to meet a final attack by the 3rd Silesian Landwehr Regiment. And what was left of the 11th Regiment of Line, prepared to defend itself against units of the 4th Silesian Regiment. To ensure victory in this effort, the commander of the 14th Brigade dispatched his aide de camp and the 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr Regiment to support the Silesian regiments. The other regiments of the 14th Brigade continued their march toward the "edge" of the field ... toward the right of the French position at Waterloo.
Low on ammunition, in disorder and outnumbered, it would seem that the French could not stand up to another attack. And yet, the battalions of the 5th Regiment did just that. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 3rd Silesian Regiment were pushed back with loss. Light casualties were taken by both the 11th and 4th Regiments, as the Prussians could not be moved to advance and meiet the square. Volleys were exchanged instead, in this stand-off.
In the complex and confused combat around the Church sector, the French pushed the Prussians back here as well. Losses here however, were more significant for the Prussians. The battalion which held the sector just adjacent to the Church was routed by a unit of the 5th Light Regiment. Too close were the serried ranks of the 2nd Neumark Landwehr to this defeat: each battalion of the regiment fell back with shaken morale. On the grounds of the Church sector itself, the bruised battalion of the 10th Line was attacked from two sides. The Chevalier was everywhere at once, directing the defense. Scores of Prussians fell with each volley. And just when the Prussians thought the cemetery walls within their grasp, the other battalion of the 5th Light Regiment came up and delivered a crushing fire. There was no need for the French to reload. A battalion - what was left - of Landwehr infantry ceased to exist. The other Prussian battalion involved in the combat withdrew. Thus, as the sun descended (it was nearing the hour of seven in the evening), the French remained very much in control of Plancenoit. The Prussians remained rather frustrated and had been bloodied by its defense. However, outside of Plancenoit, the Prussians were the ones dictating the pace of the battle.
This "control" was evident in the seven o'clock hour, as two batteries of the Prussian Reserve, a Horse Battery of the IV Cavalry Corps and the guns of the 15th Brigade unlimbered at the crossroads (near 6 on the map) and prepared to engage what was left of the 19th Division. More appealing to these batteries however, were the supporting lines of Young Guard Infantry. Two other batteries - these also belonging to the Reserve and being "heavy" besides - unlimbered to the left of this line, in preparation of bringing the Church and sector just north of that, under fire. The batteries of the 16th and 13th Brigades were deployed back and to the left of this position, with a similar intention of raining solid shot into these same sectors.
In the confines of the village itself, the 3rd Neumark Landwehr made an attempt to break the French defenses. South of the Church, they faced off against troops of the 107th Regiment. One battalion made the fatal mistake of advancing across a plaza. These companies were caught in the front and flank by an auxiliary battery of guns attached to the Young Guard. This fire, combined with the withering musketry of some 300 Frenchmen, made a shambles of the 3rd Neumark units and pushed them well back. The troops defending the Church came under attack yet again, and again forced the Prussians to withdraw.
The courtyard of the Church and the area just outside the walls seemed to be a patchwork quilt of Prussian and French blue, so covered with bodies and the litter of battle were these grounds. Once again, the units of the 13th and 16th Brigades drew back slightly to reorganize and reorder their ranks. Some distance to their left, the 5th and 6th Brigades of the II Corps were occupied with keeping their lines ordered as they negotiated the terrain of Lasne Woods and Brook. Their advance was not impeded greatly however, and as the evening shadows came on, so too were the banks of Lasne Brook darkened with hundreds of Prussians.
While elements of this corps were marching toward the battle, elements of Bulow's Corps were marching off the field. Shortly after seven, another cavalry regiment and a horse battery trundled out of sight. Two regiments - fully six battalions - with a foot battery were following close behind. Marshal Lobau could do nothing to stop this progression. Units of the 19th Division were fighting on three sides as their line was bent back on itself. A square of the 11th Regiment held out for a few minutes, but was destroyed when no less than three battalions of the 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr advanced and let loose with a succession of volleys. The French took a few men down with them, but could not stand against the volume of fire.
Having arranged their guns finally, the Prussians commenced a terrific barrage. Though great in volume and sight - the smoke and flame billowing without seeming end - the effect was marginal. True, a battalion of the 27th Regiment (again, from the 19th Division) succumbed to cannister, but when compared to the number of batteries firing, the French escaped relatively unscathed. The Prussian guns did play against the French in Plancenoit, however the only real damage was done to buildings and garden walls. The return fire of one battery of the auxiliary foot scored a few hits among the ranks of the 18th Line of the 15th Brigade.
At the south end of the village, the 5th and 6th Brigades continued their approach. The jaeger detachment of the 5th Westphalian Landwehr was engaged by a battalion of the 107th Line and forced to withdraw with some loss. French resistance continued to be stubborn in the Chruch sector and in the sector just adjacent. The light infantry of the 5th Regiment gave a good account of themselves, pushing the Prussians back once more. Within the walls of the Church yard, it was a similar story. In this particular contest however, the leaders of both the French and Prussian contingents would fall. Lt. General von Hake was the first, slumping from his saddle, when French marksmen found the range. With regard to Chevalier Bony, it was really just a matter of time, as he had been in the thick of things for a while and his fortune just ran out. As soon as word reached him, General of Division Jeanin ordered his aide de camp up as a replacement.
Though stunned by the loss of their brigade commander, the French still held on to the Church. In contrast, the French could not hold on any longer against the growing pressure on their left flank. Isolated, decimated and out of ammunition, the remaining battalion of the 5th Regiment of Line surrendered to the 2nd Pomeranian Landwehr and elements of the 18th Line. If there was a general theme of the battle introduced by the first action, that of the French dealing a blow to the Prussians and then recovering in the face of greater numbers: then another theme of battle as the day/evening wore on, was that the Prussians would dominate the open field action but be stymied in attempts to wrestle control of the village from the French.
As if making up for their poor performance, the guns and crews of the Prussian Reserve found the range and did signifcant subsequent damage to helpless French formations. Young Guard, line and the auxiliary battery were hit by this barrage. And another leader fell on the French side of the line. Baron Simmer and his suite were felled bycannister fire. For all intents and purposes then, nothing really remained of the 19th Division.
Back in the streets and court yards of Plancenoit - the southern sector - the French continued to frustrate Prussian attempts. The jaegers of the 5th Westphalian took more casualties, when the auxiliary guns of the Young Guard battalions fired upon them. The Landwehr battalions of this same unit were pushed back after exchanging volleys with Frenchmen hiding behind every comer and waiting with leveled muskets in each plaza. Losses were taken too, by elements of the 1st Elbe Landwehr Regiment, when they tried to dislodge a battalion of the 107th Line.
After several attempts, the Prussians finally suceeded in dislodging the French from the Church. The combined weight of the 3rd Neumark Landwehr and 10th Line proved too much. Of course, the fact that the French ran out of ammunition and watched the aide de camp of the 20th Division get shot from his saddle too, may have had something to do with this collapse. In the adjacent sector however, the French 5th Light held on, pushing the Fusiliers of the 10th Line back. Success and reverse were shared by each side then. In a second push on the southern sector, the jaeger element of the 26th Line assaulted the auxiliary battery and killed or routed the crew. These Prussians were quickly counter charged by a unit of Young Guard and subsquently routed. Though the guns were recovered, the battery was essentially eliminated.
Under the evening sky, the guns of the Prussian Reserve fired again into what was left of the French line outside of Plancenoit. Acting as a buffer for the Young Guard, the foot battery of that brigade and a battalion of the 84th Regiment were reduced by as much as one-third. No less than four riders with Marshal Lobau fell too, exposed and subject to this same fire. Fortunately for the French, the commander of the VI Corps escaped with only a slight wound.
Under that same dark sky, the contest for the village of Plancenoit conitnued unabated. This time however, it appeared as if the French luck (stubborness) had been exhausted. A battalion of the Young Guard advanced to recapture the Church sector but was thrown back after losing its lead company to enemy fire. In the southern sector, another Young Guard battalion advanced in column against a full regiment of Prussians. The result was even worse: fully half of the Guardsmen fell under well-aimed volleys. The broken battalion ran. Buoyed by this success, the Prussians pushed the 107th Regiment out of its defensive position. A few minutes after the stroke of eight, the Prussians held five sectors of Plancenoit to the French two. The sector adjacent to the Church, though held by a light battalion, was virtually surrounded and so, could not rightfully be assigned as the property of either side.
REVIEW & COMMENTARY
Though the 8:20 pm game turn had not been played, I decided to call a halt to proceedings with the conclusion of the 8:00 pm turn. The French left consisted of a couple of Young Guard battalions and what remnants could be scraped together from the 19th Division. What is more, Lobau had been wounded and the Prussian Reserve artillery continued to pose a threat. In and among the sectors of the village, the stubborn Frenchmen had finally been pushed out - but not entirely. Only in the two larger (multi-sectors) of Plancenoit - at the west edge of the village - did the French remain. Here, were four battalions of the Young Guard. It is unlikely the Prussian brigades could have taken these from the French in the final turn. In a quick review of the scenario parameters however, the decision was of course, for the Prussians.
In the reconstruction of the battle for Plancenoit then, history had indeed been repeated. The "twist" was that the wargame had not followed the historical timeline. While there were one or two sectors that changed hands during the course of the refight, the village itself was not won and lost three times over. On the fields north of the village, the Prussians gave a much better account of themselves compared to the historical record. Due to developments on the wargame table, the Imperial Guard reinforcements did not make an appearance. While their absence goes against the history of the engagement, it did seem more accurate and realistic to keep this small force off the board.
Since the Prussians held twice as many sectors as the French, Plancenoit was considered "occupied" or "captured" by the Prussians. The real basis for their inevitable victory however, lay in the number of units exited from the French or west edge of the board. In addition to cavalry and horse artillery of the IV Cavalry Corps, the Prussians managed to march two-thirds of a brigade off the field. Had the wargame continued until even later in the evening, one could suggest that an additional regiment from the 14th Brigade would have made its way across. One could also argue that a number of units from the 5th and 6th Brigades would have made it to the French base line. If two or three regiments were left to "mop up" the Young Guard, the remainder would have been free to continue the advance well into the French right and right-rear.
As prefaced at the start of this narrative and as predicted in the sub-section on parameters of the scenario, the French did "bleed" the Prussians. In some cases, most notably among the inexperienced Landwehr units, the Prussian losses were severe. Casualties among the brigades ordered to attack the village were rather high. However, the infantry arm was not the only one to suffer. It has been reported that elements of the IV Cavalry Corps were roughly handled: the 3rd Brigade especially. The exception to the "rule" that the French "bleed" the Prussians was the artillery arm. Not a single battery was lost to the French. In contrast, the French would lose almost every battery on the field to the advancing enemy. With respect to the cavalry and infantry branches under the tricolor, again, as prefaced and predicted, they fought the advantage in numbers as long as they could. The superior quality of the French was evident in the open plain north of Plancenoit. It was more evident in the houses, streets and gardens of Plancenoit. One must admire the men (figures) of the 10th Regiment of the Line in particular. But again, it was not enough to stop the wave of Prussian blue.
In large part, the rules amendments drafted in Part I of this report worked very well. To be certain, this is not and really cannot be a completely objective assessment. I do not recall any instance when the "tweaking" slowed down or confused (detracted from) the process of the wargame. There were several episodes however, wherein the existing rules left me a little "short" with respect to what I might consider a more accurate resolution of combat or, an even "better" sequence of events. For example, it seems to me that cannister fire versus infantry in square should not have to roll to hit. This would appear a given: immobile object, soft target, "shot gun" projectile ... I would think that the hit be considered automatic and the only dice roll needed is one to determine the effect.
Oh yes, and one or two more rolls to determine the reaction of the men in the square. To an extent, a similar rule might be applied to musket volleys. If opposing units are standing "toe to toe" as units were - in several cases - in this reconstruction, and given the time scale used (meaning that there would be two, three or even four volleys exchanged as opposed to just one), one might expect something a little more significant than "no effect." Melees and the resolution of same were another area of "concern." This is not to find fault with the SHAKO rules, however. It just seemed to me, that hand-tohand inside a town sector should produce a wider variety of results. I suppose again, given the aspects of the scale of the wargame - time especially - and the question of win or lose, that an attacking unit will either be thrown back or succeed in dislodging the defender from their position.
In the introduction of Part 1, the admission was made, "Figuring that it would be too much additional work to learn a new set of rules or draft my own. .." This reasoning was based in large part on the perceived pressure of time and in some part on the comfort and familiarity with the aforementioned set of Napoleonic rules. As the wargame progressed however, (to it's inevitable conclusion) I started to reconsider my intial reservations about learning a new system or drafting yet another version of those rules that are called "home grown." I also wondered how this battle might have developed if the Piquet rules were utilized. Now that I have the forces and terrain, this doesn't seem such a monumental task.
Then again, I wonder if the scale of the contest a little too large for the version of Piquet that sits on my shelf. With regards to troop quality, the melee process and the movement sequence itself, I am reviewing the numerous attempts to fit the Fire & Fury system into an era 50 years earlier. It impresses me as both realistic and fun, to have the result, "a desperate struggle" between the French and Prussians in a village sector. Both sides would be disordered and both sides would take losses. In a somewhat similar vein, I have been re-reading selections of War2ame Tactics by Charles Grant. His rule governing "exhaustion" in infantry and cavalry melees is simple, effective and realistic, I think.
But I digress. And I could probably go on at some length about the inclusion of this rule or that; the consideration of this apsect or that; the merits of keeping a squadron in reserve and how to represent this on that table versus putting all the troopers in line, and so forth. In summary, let me reiterate that I was not dissatisfied with the wargame, nor with the rules used. In the previous paragraphs I have hinted at ways I thought the wargame could have been "better." This is familiar ground, for like my assessment of the rules amendments, the statement lacks a degree of objectivity.
And finally, let me suggest that prior to picking up that issue of Military History and prior to deciding to enroll in the wargame at Little Wars 2003, my knowledge of and about Plancenoit was lacking. After reading the article, playing in the wargame at the convention, reading the article again (and again) and conducting a small amount of research, I think I can state - with a degree of objectivity - that my knowledge of and about the action at Plancenoit is no longer lacking. By no means is it complete, but it is certainly at a higher level than it was before February of this year.
Project: Plancenoit The Research and Development of Another SHAKO Solo Wargame
- Introduction, Sources, and Discovery
Order of Battle: French
Order of Battle: Prussians
Terrain, Rules Modifications, and Scenario Parameters
Back to MWAN # 126 Table of Contents
Back to MWAN List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum
This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com