With recent progress on updating my armies for the Hundred Days Campaign it seemed fitting to deploy them for an 1815 engagement between the Anglo-Allies under the Prince of Orange & the French under command of Grouchy. For this engagement Richard commanded the Allies while I commanded the French.
Grouchy surveyed the scene before him. He had a slight numeric advantage currently, but how long that would remain was uncertain. Further, despite this slender advantage it was obvious the Anglo-Allied forces had secured a strong position. The Allied left was particularly strong as it was centred around a ridge, garrisoned by Clinton’s 2nd Allied Division. The Allied centre was held by the 3rd Netherlands Division under command General Baron de Chasse and was well supported by Clinton’s dispositions. However, to the right and partly separated by a wood, was the somewhat isolated 2nd Netherlands Division under de Perponcher. Yes, here there was an opportunity.
Grouchy, aware that the allies would soon be reinforced, issued hasty orders to Vandamme, commander of III Corps. He was to demonstrate in the centre and French right while the main attack was to occur on the left against the Allied right. In all five small French infantry divisions were available, four from III Corps and one from IV Corps. The attack against the Allied right would be primarily conducted by 9th and 10th Cavalry Divisions, reinforced by what infantry could be spared. Finally, aware that Allied reinforcements would soon arrive, riders were dispatched to hurry along his own reinforcements - three divisions from Gerard’s IV Corps.
The initial attack by French infantry against the Allied right would fall on the 2nd Netherlands Division which comprised a brigade of Netherland infantry and two brigades of Nassau infantry. An initial unsupported attack by an isolated French infantry regiment was quickly repelled but progressively the Allied right came under threat as Strolz’s Light Cavalry Division and Chastel’s Dragoon Division formed on their flank.
Grouchy, aware that the allies would soon be reinforced, issued hasty orders to Vandamme, commander of III Corps. He was to demonstrate in the centre and French right while the main attack was to occur on the left against the Allied right. In all five small French infantry divisions were available, four from III Corps and one from IV Corps. The attack against the Allied right would be primarily conducted by 9th and 10th Cavalry Divisions, reinforced by what infantry could be spared. Finally, aware that Allied reinforcements would soon arrive, riders were dispatched to hurry along his own reinforcements - three divisions from Gerard’s IV Corps.
The initial attack by French infantry against the Allied right would fall on the 2nd Netherlands Division which comprised a brigade of Netherland infantry and two brigades of Nassau infantry. An initial unsupported attack by an isolated French infantry regiment was quickly repelled but progressively the Allied right came under threat as Strolz’s Light Cavalry Division and Chastel’s Dragoon Division formed on their flank.
Below, the initial unsupported attack, though showing the massed French cavalry which would soon be available.
Yet even as French infantry and cavalry formed up Allied cavalry were moving rapidly to bolster the Allied right. In particular Somerset’s Heavy Cavalry Division moving in road column behind the Allied main line made rapid progress, frustratingly so for Grouchy. Somerset’s cavalry comprised two heavy cavalry brigades and advancing in support were a further three light brigades under Vivian. The French cavalry superiority on the flank was quickly dissipating.
Despite this, and determined to press the 2nd Netherland Division, a series of French attacks were launched. On the extreme flank three cavalry brigades, supported by artillery, surged forward into the disorganised Nassau infantry. Simultaneously in the nearby woods 4,000 French infantry drove back the 2,500 Netherland infantry.
Above, in the foreground, the attack on the Allied right. A more detailed view is below, though after the combats. Now the Netherland line has collapsed, creating some chaos.
Yet, as the Netherlands infantry fell back the British heavy cavalry deployed, the Union Brigade surging forward driving back a converged brigade of Chasseurs. It seemed the French attack was simply delivered too late.
Yet it was elsewhere the French attack had unravelled. The French demonstration against the Allied centre and left initially went to plan but as the initial stages of the attack against the Allied right began it was clear the French centre and right would be stretched too thin. As a result a general movement to the French left was conducted. Seeing this the Prince of Orange ordered an advance by the 2nd Allied Division. The division comprised three brigades. They were the 1st King’s German Legion brigade under dubPlat, the 3rd British under Adam and Halkett’s 3rd Hanoverian brigade.
The three brigades hit the extreme French right, held by Lefol’s 8th Division and Habert’s 10th Division, they caused untold chaos in the French ranks.
Above, Clinton’s 2nd Allied Division attacks. Below, viewed from a different angle.
Grouchy, in the thick of the fighting, supervised several infantry counterattacks supported by the Hussars & Chasseurs of III Corps and supporting artillery. Below, one of the French counterattacks.
For a time the Allied infantry were pushed back, yet far from broken they reformed and attacked again. Now supported by Cooke’s recently arrived 1st Allied Division, and even some Netherlands troops, the French centre and right began to crumble. What began as a retrograde movement soon became a collapse.
Around 4pm no less than two French infantry divisions reported that they were exhausted and one had collapsed. Further, the Allied left, if it wasn’t strong enough already, was now reinforced by the advancing Brunswick Division. Below, the Brunswick troops (right) prepare to support the attack.
Vandamme, now the senior commander in the field since Grouchy had been wounded in the desperate fighting on the right, ordered a retreat. The Allies it seemed had secured the field.
The engagement was developed using the Road to Glory Scenario System and the armies contained 3000 points of troop each. Miniatures are of course in 6mm and are from my own collection.
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