Hougoumont

Battle Within a Battle

Jumbo Drawing (very slow: 198K)

Drawing © 1997 Rick Schuldt


This original illustration of the walled farm of Hougoumont and surrounding area was rendered by Rick Schuldt of Scenic Effects. About 11:30 A.M. Prince Jerome sent in Baudin's brigade (1) which gained the woods and reached the south gate (2) and orchard. Unprepared to assault gates or walls, the French were pushed back. Despite Napoleon's orders not to press attacks at the chateau, Jerome commited the rest of his division and sent in Soye's brigade (4) around noon which reached the garden wall (5). A few men scrambled over the wall; none survive.

At this time Baudin's reorganized battalions pushed forward on the far left, the 1st Legere Regiment reached the north gate (3) where Legros and a group of light infantry forced their way inside. All are killed and the British Guardsmen secured the gate around 12:30 P.M. Except for nearly running out of ammunition, this was the closest the British came to losing Hougoumont. Jerome's men continued to push into the orchard and attack the walls the rest of the day. They were joined by Foy's division (6) around 1:00-2:00 P.M. and part of Bachelu's division by 2:00. These uncoordinated thrusts were all successfully parried, but much of the chateau was destroyed by howitzer fire. By the end of the day, the exhausted, demoralized French were thrown out of the woods by reinforcements sent down from the allied line.