Map of the Waterloo campaign

The Battle of Quatre Bras was fought between contingents of the Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the French Army on June 16, 1815, near the crossroads of Quatre Bras, in modern day Belgium (then part of United Kingdom of the Netherlands). For information about the legislative programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, see New Deal. ... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Combatants France Prussia Allied army: -United Kingdom -United Netherlands -Hannover -Nassau -Brunswick Commanders Napoléon Bonaparte Michel Ney Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 73,000 67,000 Allies 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 dead or wounded 22,000 dead... The Battle of Wavre was a battle of the War of the Seventh Coalition, the last of the Napoleonic Wars. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x910, 42 KB)Map of force movements and major engagements during the Waterloo Campaign, June 15-18, 1815. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x910, 42 KB)Map of force movements and major engagements during the Waterloo Campaign, June 15-18, 1815. ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Quatre Bras is the name of a crossroads in Belgium where the Charleroi-Brussels Road and the Nivelles-Namur Road. ... Map of the kingdom United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1830) (1839) (Dutch: Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, French: Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas and German: Vereinigte Königreich der Niederlande) were the unofficial names used to refer to a new unified European state created during the Congress of Vienna in...

Prelude

The crossroads of Quatre-Bras was of strategic importance because the side which controlled it could move south-eastward along the Nivelles-Namur road towards the French and Prussian armies at the Battle of Ligny. If Wellington's Anglo-Allied army could combine with the Prussians, the combined force would be larger than Napoleon's. Napoleon's strategy had been to cross the border into the Netherlands without alerting the Coalition and drive a wedge between their forces and subsequently to defeat the Prussians before turning on the Anglo-Allied army. Although the coalition commanders did have an overview of French pre-war movements, Napoleon's strategy was initially very successful. The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... The Seventh Coalition was hurriedly prepared during the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 after Napoleons return to France and before his successful entry of Paris. ...

Wellington's grave mistake at the outbreak of the Waterloo Campaign was to fail to react to the arrival of news of the outbreak of hostilities on the morning of 15 June. It appears that Napoleon may have duped Wellington into believing that his attack on the Prussian outposts under General von Ziethen at 04:30 at Thuin near Charleroi was a feint and that the main thrust would come later via Mons. Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... For information about the legislative programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, see New Deal. ... Charleroi (Walloon: Tchålerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... The central square and town hall of Mons Mons (Dutch: Bergen) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. ...

The first report of the outbreak of hostilities arrived in Brussels at 09:00, but Wellington did not react. The Prince of Orange confirmed the news on his arrival in Brussels about 15:00, as did Blücher, this news arriving at 17:00. Only when the third confirmation, coming from Major-General Dörnberg via Braine-le-Comte, arrived at 18:00 did Wellington issue any orders - nine hours after he had received the first news. That meant it was too late for him to move his army that day and eventually provide Gebhard von Blücher with the support he needed on 16 June. However, that is not what he told Blücher. He gave the Prussians the impression that he would be able to keep his promises of coming to their support in force the next day. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (December 16, 1742 in Rostock (Mecklenburg) - September 12, 1819 in Krieblowitz (Silesia) (now Krobielowice in Poland)), Graf (Count), later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian general who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of...

Wellington also failed to order his entire army to Quatre Bras on 16 June, although he was later to claim that he did do so - the orders issued and received do not correspond with that claim. He was extremely lucky that the Prince of Orange's headquarters took the initiative and decided to ignore Wellington's order to assemble Dutch forces in and around Nivelles and instead decided to guard and defend Quatre Bras where they received substantial aid against the attacking forces of Marshal Ney from the Brunswickers and Nassauers, long before any British troops started to intervene. This decision to make a stand at Quatre Bras would in part make up for Wellington's late orders. June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... William II, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg (William Frederick George Louis) (December 6, 1792 – March 17, 1849) ruled from October 7, 1840 until his death on March 17, 1849. ... Nivelles (Dutch: Nijvel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ... Braunschweig may also refer to the administrative region of Germany. ... // Nassau may mean the following: Place names: Nassau, Germany: a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, after which all the following are named: Nassau, Bahamas: the capital of the Bahamas Burg Nassau: Nassau Castle, ancestral seat of the House of Nassau Nassau (duchy): an extinct German duchy Hesse-Nassau: the Prussian province...

The ground

The battle was fought around the crossroads of Quatre-Bras, a small hamlet with only four houses. This crossroads marked the junction between the Charleroi-Brussels Road and the Nivelles-Namur Road. Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... Nickname: The Capital Of Europe, Comic City City of a 100 Museums Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area    - City 162 (Region) km²  (62. ... Nivelles (Dutch: Nijvel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ... Namur, the Meuse, the Walloon parliament and the citadel. ...

To the South-West of the junction was the Bossu wood. South of the wood were the farms Petit- and Grand-Pierrepoint. South of the crossroads the ground fell away to the Gemioncourt farm, which lay next to a small stream in the valley. The ground then rose again to the south. North of Quatre-Bras the ground dropped into a reverse slope.

The combatants

see Order of Battle of the Waterloo Campaign

At the beginning of the battle the left wing of the Armee du Nord, with 18,000 men (including 2,000 cavalry and 32 guns) under Marshal Michel Ney, faced 8,000 infantry and 16 guns, under the command of the Prince of Orange. The Dutch were thinly deployed south of the crossroads of Quatre Bras. They received substantial aid from the Nassau and Brunswick contingents, the latter led by the Duke of Brunswick, who would not survive the day. As the battle continued more Anglo-Allied units converged on Quatre Bras, and at 1500 hours the Duke of Wellington appeared on the field. During the day the French force would grow to 24,000. This is the complete order of battle for the Waterloo Campaign. ... The Marshal of France (maréchal de France) was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France. ... Michel Ney, Marshal of France. ... William II, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg (William Frederick George Louis) (December 6, 1792 – March 17, 1849) ruled from October 7, 1840 until his death on March 17, 1849. ... Friedrich Wilhelm von Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Oels, called The Black Duke (born October 9, 1771 in Braunschweig, Germany; died June 16, 1815 near Quatre-Bras, Belgium in battle) was the son of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand. ...

The battle

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 Dutch picket line greeted them with musketvolleys, but was outnumbered and forced to retreat. The Nassauers of Saxe-Weimar retreated to Grand-Pierrepont farm and Dutch troops of van Bylandt to Gemioncourt.

After a while the fresh division of Jérôme 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, slowing the French advance. At Gemioncourt the Dutch troops were a thorn in the side 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. Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia (November 15, 1784 - June 24, 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him King of Westphalia (1807-1813). ...

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 Dutch troops all the way back to Quatre-Bras. Facing three infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade, the situation became desperate for the Dutch 2nd division.

At 1500, Picton's 5th British infantry division and Van Merlen's 2nd Dutch Light cavalry brigade arrived. The duke of Wellington came back from his meeting with Blücher. Van Merlen's Light cavalry charged the French cavalry and were thrown back, but this gave the battered Dutch infantry time to regroup. British infantry was also ordered to form a line. However, when the Dutch cavalry brigade disengaged and retired to friendly lines they were shot at by Scottish infantry because their uniforms looked like the French uniforms of the Chasseurs à Cheval. Sir Thomas Picton (August, 1758 – June 18, 1815) was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General. ... The name Blücher can refer to, depending on context: Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, a Napoleonic Era Prussian general, and the three ships named after him: German corvette Blücher of the Imperial era German armoured cruiser SMS Blücher of World War I German heavy cruiser Blücher...

At 1600 hours, Ney received Napoleon's order to attack vigorously. He sent an order to his II Corps, under the command of Honoré Reille to attack with more force; and for his I Corps under the command of Count d'Erlon to join him as he was now engaged in the larger Battle of Ligny. Ney also was reinforced by Kellermann's heavy cavalry. Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des... Honoré Charles Michel Joseph Reille (September 1, 1775 - March 4, 1860) was a Marshal of France, born in Antibes. ... Jean-Baptiste Drouet, comte dErlon (July 29, 1765-January 25, 1844) was a marshal of France and a soldier in Napoleons army, who commanded the French 1st Corps at the battle of Waterloo. ... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Francois Etienne de Kellermann, Duc de Valmy (1770 - June 2, 1835) was a French cavalry general noted for his daring and skillful exploits during the Napoleonic Wars. ...

Ney was left without the infantry needed to punch through the Anglo-Allied line, as his requested infantry reinforcements, the I Corps, were marching towards Napoleon at Ligny. Due to indecision by d'Erlon on whether to follow the orders issued by Marshal Ney, his direct superior, or those of his Emperor, the I Corps wound up marching to and from Ligny without fighting in either battle. There has been much debate of what would have happened if d'Erlon's I Corps had engaged at either Ligny or Quatre Bras.

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 they were mauled by Kellermann's cuirassiers before these were driven back by Anglo-Allied musketry and cavalry.

On Ney's left, Jérôme Bonaparte drove the allies out of the Bossu Wood. Just then, three Anglo-Allied brigades came and drove the French back south and to the original positions. The 1st regiment of the British Guard was caught by surprise by Piré's French lancers just near Pierrepont and lost 500 men before retiring into the wood. Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia (November 15, 1784 - June 24, 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him King of Westphalia (1807-1813). ...

Conclusion

The battle cost Ney 4000 men to Wellington's 4800. Although a tactical draw, the allies had been unable to send forces to the aid of the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny. Ney's delay and failure to destroy the allied armies piecemeal before they could be reinforced, guaranteed that Wellington would have a large enough force at Waterloo to hold off Napoleon until the Prussians arrived.

Wellington's Anglo-Allied army, upon learning of the Prussian defeat, was forced to retreat north along the Brussels road further away from the Prussians, who retreated north-east towards Wavre. Napoleon chose to follow Wellington with the bulk of his forces to Waterloo. Wavre is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... Combatants France Prussia Allied army: -United Kingdom -United Netherlands -Hannover -Nassau -Brunswick Commanders Napoléon Bonaparte Michel Ney Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 73,000 67,000 Allies 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 dead or wounded 22,000 dead...

Further reading

• 1815, The Waterloo Campaign Wellington, his German allies and the Battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras by Peter Hofschröer
• The Battle of Quatre-Bras by Alfons Libert.
• Myths and Lies About the Performance and Actions of the "Sadly Unreliable" Dutch-Belgian Troops in 1815.
• Contribution of the Netherlands Mobile Army during the 1815 campaign Gives full account of the Dutch troops that fought at Quatre-Bras, based on many unknown primary sources.
• The campaign of 1815: a study website by Pierre de Wit.

Footnotes

1. ^ The Anglo-Allied army consisted of troops from Britain, Brunswick, Hanover, Nassau and the Netherlands, see Order of Battle of the Waterloo Campaign