Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Hmmm.. well I rather liked the tragic romance of Wellington's ADC (or was it Chief of Staff?) De Lacey and his sad wife, whom I read about in 'Near Run Thing'. I do believe he passed away in La Belle Alliance some days after the battle. How poetic is that!

But, for those who did the grim job, gotta be Blucher. Man he must have been SO bloody happy to be one of the only generals in 20 years to have defeated Napoleon.

At 6:30pm Marshal Ney , having captured the farmhouse advanced up the main road and on both sides of it ,tacking up the road two pieces of the horse –battery and placing the other section an another battery in front and to the left of the farmhouse. At less than 100 yards, the cannons did roar sending shot and canister with death and hell behind them towards the thin red line. Col’s Gordon and poor young De Laney met there death by the Empereurs Beau daughters! Along with them went the rest of Old Wellies command the Prince of Orange and Generals Altens, Kielmansegge and Halkett were carried wounded from the field of battle.

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For years I have been under the impression of Hollywood, and that poor Marshal Ney led that ill faded Chavel charge well he did lead it but it was the Emperors idea. In Napoleon’s mind he saw 1807 at Eylau that mighty charge carried out by Marshal Murat that save him that winters eve, then he next sent in his precious Old Guard to finish off the enemy. Once to much living in the past and past glories it was he that most tack the blame for the destruction of 5000 horse men. With two Divisions of infantry and 5000 horse Ney led a great charge and he was a hero of the battle.

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It is very true that the Old man that fought in the seven years wars and is now Army Commander of the Prussian Army was with out doubt a true hero. With the sudden disappearance of that large column that was forming behind the French left at 8pm on 16 of June and the poor situation of the Prussian centre and the mounting attacks of the Imperial Guard on that sector. Knowing that if his centers collapse his wings would also rout the 72 year old Hussar general collected all the available cavalry, 32 squadrons and led them in repeated charges against the irrupting enemy forces. The Field Marshal was in the thick of the fighting as the Imperial Guard advance in squares! His heroic action had allowed the two Prussian wings to withdraw. Just as a guardsman musket –shot struck the field marshal’s horse, the field marshal, stunned by the violent fall, lay entangled under the dead animal as the armored knights of the Emperor hurried by the poor old man who was buried under his mount and the only one standing to protect his commander was an adjutant. Roaring by once again this time the armored knights were being chased by Prussian Dragoons passed the old man again not perceiving him.

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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by clifton seeney</i>
<br />Monsieur’s another that should get the Waterloo hero award is General Augustus Graf Neithard Von Gneisenau he tock over Command when the Old General was lying under his horse (I guess the old guy needed a nap also)! It was he who ordered the retreat to Wavre. Working with, not Marshal forward but a Col by the name of Von Reiche they sent the Army to Wavre.

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I agree with you Cliff that Gneisenau was the famoust Prussian on the
Battlefield. Blucher was great, sure, but sometimes an old, confused man. It was Gneisenau who led Blucher's army in most of his victories.

But don't forget the "nameless" soldier. I guess it needing a lot of toughness to march in the first line in the fire of enemy guns and muskets.

<font color="gold">Feldmarshall
Stefan Ritter von Reuter
Großfürst von Wahlstadt
CoA Armee des Niederrhein</font id="gold">

Mon ami with out doubt there’s another that wore the badge of a hero in that year that ended the world war his name is Maj General Baron Von Muffling. On the march to Paris after this famous battle the Prussians made longer marches than the English; and when in the morning of June 20th I specking of the runner between the two armies Maj Gen Muffling made his daily communications to the Duke, calling his attention to this and suggesting that it would be better if the British kept pace with the Prussians. The Duke replies do not press me on that point. The Duke was dragging his feet until Louis XVIII could catch up in a secret policy made between the English and the French King.

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The corporal who stole the pig. (see the movie.) [:D]

Colonel Al Amos
1erè Brigade Commandant
2ème Division de Dragons

Mon commander de II Corps I most redraw my support of your hero Davout a hero never turns on his master esp when he could have turned the tide of battle; Napoleon pleaded with Marshal Davout to let him use the 117,000 men Davout controlled to reverse his defeat at Mont St- Jean and then these combine forces some 150,000 could be used against the Allies. But Davout now the Minister of war refused and he threatened to have him arrested a bon soldat gone wrong oui!

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Monsieur Col a-typical English Soldat oui! Hero maybe if your knapsack is empty!

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Why the Duc d’Elchingen Marshal Michel Ney should be declared the best all round hero of Waterloo. Not all ways should the winner be declared greatest or the fastest or the best, he should not aways be declared a hero or victor (IMHO) but the one with the best over all performance should (MHO). My reason for this is not his past performance but his commitment to his duty in this battle. His commander would not tell him his plans in case he the Marshal should be tempted to desert with them to the enemy. To use and humble the Marshal even more he was used as a decoy and to humble him even more no mount was waiting for him. Driving in a peasant’s cart (no doubt in my mind one of Monsieur Knox’s forefathers) to transport him from Heymes to Beaumont (just a few miles from moi) is one. Then there’s the fact that his two Corps commanders didn’t know that he was their overall commander and the Emperor had to send his Imperial Guard light Cavalry under Lefebvre –Desnouettes as proof. Also he had not been involved in the planning of operations for the campaign not even a word spoken by him in the planning this would be a sure outrage to me. There is more to come on my assessment of this hero.

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Here is more on my defiance that Marshal Ney was a true hero of this battle and not like many was thinking out of his league. Marshal Ney after getting these orders moved with just one Corps infect he had three of Reille’s divisions out of four one which the Emperor took to hold the left flank of his attack on the Prussians, he had to place one of the three that he had at Genappe . At this point (IMHO) he was courting disaster. Marshal Ney was told not to use the Guard light Cavalry but in an emergency and his own Corps Cavalry consisted of General Pire’s Division which was far ahead of the II Corps. General Pire felt that once he reached Quatre Bras that there were too many Allied infantry preparing defenses so he dared not risk an attack till the infantry support arrived. The Infantry support arrived at 2: 00pm together with them he attack Piraumont doing great damage to the Dutch militia and Dutch dragoons and Hussars that tried to stop General Foy ‘s advance on Quatre Bras. A dead lock developed on the Namur Road and General Pire’s Lancers were then turned on Picton. The havoc that General Pire’s cavalry caused that day was out of all proportions to his numbers. This stared at 12pm on the 16th by 3pm the French still didn’t control the cross roads. Once Marshal Ney was at the cross road he was advise wisely by General Reille about the risk he took attacking Quatre Bras. Marshal Ney immediately recognized the importance of the Bois de Bossu on his left, his orders from the Emperor were to hold the crossroads and prevent Wellington from joining the Prussians. Marshal Ney remarked to General Reille;â€

Then we have the conduct of his Corps commanders. General Reille from the 11th till Marshal Ney arrived to tack over the overall command of the Left wing was a fireball only after Marshal Ney took his advice on the 16th did he show any excitement but time was running out for the French. With the Emperors watchdog Lefebvre –Desnouettes looking over Ney’s shoulders the Emperor felt that he could be controlled and remained loyal to him. Now we have another victim of June15th General Drouet was given a command that he did not have any experience with its commanders. Constantly held up on the road to Quatre Bras by traffic jams and false reports of enemy movement he arrived late to deploy his Corps it was 4pm when his Corps was deployed for battle two hours after II Corps engaged the enemy. The Emperor sent his ADC General de la Bedoyere with orders that over ruled any that he gave or received from Ney. If General Bedoyere had not pressed him he could have approach General Vandamme at Marbais an informed the General that it was his Corps in his rear and not the Allies. But General Bedoyere pressed him to attack! On top of all that was happening a rider from Ney came with desperate appeal for help. I ask you as a commander would you not go to the aid of your wing commander.

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With that said let me also add this general de Division Comte’d Erlon Drouet being press on two fronts thought that he would be able to satisfied both of his Commanders request he knew that his Cheval was now engage with the Prussians and a division of his under General Durutte was close to the Cheval he then ordered his other three division to move toward Marshal Ney. At this time II Corps was being pressed by the British who were reinforced. His men were actually welcome sight to the battered II Corps. Marshal Ney knew that he was in a bad situation and that something had to be done above the call of duty, so he called on the hero of Marengo for a miracle! Once again General de Division Kellermann was ask to do the impossible with only a brigade of cuirassier’s he broke though the Allied line overrunning many Allied positions and carrying his men to the crossroads almost capturing Wellington in the process. Marshal Ney could do nothing to aid or tack advantage of the situation because his II Corps was spent and the I Corps was pulled from

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On the 17th of June Ney wrote his report to Soult not putting any blame on the Emperor at all he wrote that “I have attacked the English position at QuatreBras with the greatest vigor; but an error of Count d’Erlon’s deprived me of a fine victory, for at the very moment when then 5th and the 9th divisions of General Reille’s corps had overthrown everything in front of them on the Allied left. The I corps marched off to St Amand to support his Majesty’s left. With only three divisions of Infantry, a brigade of Cuirassiers, and General Pire’s cheval we held and the Count of Valmy Kellermann delivered a fine Cheval charge. All have done their duty, except I Corps.

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My vote goes to Ney for sheer guts and conduct in action and Wellington for his superb handling of troops.

General Dejan Zupancic
Duc d'Eylau et Comte de St. Pol

Division de Cavalerie Saxonne
VII Corps d'Armee
L' Armée du Rhin

Brigade de Fusilier-Chasseurs
Division d'Infanterie
la Moyenne Garde