Battle of Quatre Bras

battle_name= Battle of Quatre-Bras

The Battle

The Battle Starts

The French attack began around 1200 hours. Ney formed a massed battery of 22 guns and started bombarding the coalition positions. Swarms of skirmishers preceded the French columns as they attacked. The picket Netherlands line greeted them with musketvolleys, but were forced to retreat by numbers. The Nassauers of Saxe-Weimar retreated to Grand-Pierrepont farm and the Dutch troops of van Bijlandt to Gemoincourt.

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After a while the fresh division of Jerome Bonaparte arrived on the scene. They were sent against Grand-Pierrepont. The Nassauers were forced to abandon the farm and were driven into the Bossu wood. There they fought from tree to tree to slow the French advance. At Gemoincourt the Netherlands troops were a thorn in the eyes of the French. One of the defending battalions, the 5th militia, lost 62% of its original strength that day. The Dutch lost and retook the farm twice, but eventually lost it.

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Around 1400 hours, Ney started his assault on Quatre-Bras. Using a combined assault of infantry, artillery, and cavalry, Ney was able to push the Netherlands troops all way back to Quatre-Bras. The situation became desperate. The pressure of three infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade was too much for the Netherlands 2nd division.

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Thankfully for the coalition at 1500, reinforcements came in: Picton's 5th British/Hannoverian infantry division and van Merlen's 2nd Netherlands cavalry brigade. The duke of Wellington came back from his meeting with Blücher. Van Merlen's brigade charged the French cavalry but were thrown back. However, this gave the battered Netherlands infantry time to regroup themselves. Also British infantry was ordered to form a line. However when the Netherlands cavalry brigade disengaged and retired to friendly lines they were being shot at by Scottish infantry because their uniforms looked like the French uniforms of the Chasseurs á Cheval.

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At 1600 hours, Ney received Napoleon's order to attack vigourously. He sent an order to his II Corps to attack with more force and for his I corps to hurry up. Ney also was reinforced by Kellermann's heavy cavalry.

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The Battle Continues

Unfortunately for Ney, his requested reinforcements (I Corps) were marching towards Napoleon now engaged at the Battle of Ligny, and Ney was left without the infantry needed to punch through the allied line. At 1615 hours, French mixed forces advanced almost all the way to the crossroads. The British 42nd, 44th and 92nd regiments held up against the infantry - and then were mauled by Kellermann's cuirassiers. However, they were driven back by allied musketry and cavalry. Another front was more successful for Ney. Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon's youngest brother, drove the Allies out of the Bossu Wood. Just then, three Allied brigades came and drove the French back south and to the original positions. Notable is that the 1st regiment of the British Guard was caught by surprise by Piré's French lancers just near Pierrepont and lost 500 men. They retired into the wood.

Related Topics:
Battle of Ligny - Jerome Bonaparte

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Due to indecision by whether to follow his direct superior Nay's commands or those of his Emperor's, the I Corps wound up marching to and from Ligny without fighting in either battle.

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