FROM THE ARCHIVE JANUARY 1988
The Opening of the Papelotte - Frischermont Action
10 a. m - 3 p. m. 18th June 1815
INTRODUCTION
On the 18th June 1815, Wellington’s army was formed up south of the village of
Waterloo. At the end of Wellington’s left flank were four strongpoints, from east to
west, the Chateau of Frischermont, the village of Smohain and the two farms of La
Haye and Papelotte. The river Smohain ran through the village and there were two
main areas of woodland - around Papelotte and Frischermont. To the north of this area
the ground rose up to the ridge, which ran along the whole length of Wellington’s
position, and along this ridge was a road. Tracks crossed this road and led down to
Papelotte, La Haye and Smohain. To the south of the position the ground rose [but
less steeply than on the north side] so that all the strong points apart from
Frischermont were in a valley, along which ran another road. Frischermont lay more
on the southern slopes, [see diagram]. It was in this area that one of the fiercest
actions of the Battle of Waterloo took place.
POSITIONS
By 10.00 a. m. on the 18th June 1815, the two sides had formed up. Along the road on
the ridge were positioned, from Wellington’s left to right, Vivian’s Light Cavalry
Brigade, together with Gardiner’s Troop of Royal Horse Artillery, Vandeleur’s
Brigade of English Light Dragoons, Vinckle and Best’s Hanoverian Landwehr
Brigades and Rettburg’s Battery of Hanoverian Foot Artillery. Between Best and
Vinckle were also the four guns of Byleveld’s Dutch-Belgian Horse Artillery Battery,
attached to the Nassau Brigade under the Prince of Saxe-Weimar, which occupied
Papelotte, La Haye and the road running along the valley. An advanced squadron of
Vivian’s 10th Hussars was stationed at Smohain village, meanwhile, having just
relieved a squadron of the 18th Hussars and a small outpost of the 12th Hussars,
King’s German Legion.
On the south side of the valley the infantry division of Durette [part of 1st Corps] was
formed up opposite Papelotte and La Haye while Jaquinot’s Light Cavalry Division
and its attached horse artillery battery occupied Frischermont and faced the 10th
Hussars in Smohain.
PREPARATIONS
The Allied first line of defence, the Prince’s Nassauers, was busy preparing for the
coming battle, cleaning muskets, checking the flints and also fortifying the two farms
by knocking loopholes in the walls. There were four battalions of these veteran
Germans - the two battalions and the attached Jaeger company of the Orange-Nassau
Regiment and the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 2nd Nassau Regiment. Two of the
battalions [those of the 2nd Regiment] were formed up in line, behind the valley road
to the west of Papelotte, “occupying the hedge rows . . . . . front” [1] with skirmishers.
One flanquer company was at Smohain. We can imagine the scene - the men in green
coats and buff belts preparing for battle in the farms and elsewhere impatiently and
nervously for the French attack.
Elsewhere the atmosphere was slightly different - it had an added touch of British
calm. In Smohain village Captain Taylor of the 10th Hussars, having positioned his
squadron’s vedettes, was busy cooking bacon in one of the houses. Behind, on the
ridge, Lieutenant Ingilby of Gardiner’s Troop, returning from Brussels [on a mission
to find a possible line of retreat for Vivian’s Cavalry Brigade in case this would prove
necessary] brought back “a cold fowl for the troop, who . . . . . had nothing [2] and
reported to Vivian.
THE STARTING SKIRMISH
It was around noon. Capt Taylor of the 10th was sitting in the house in Smohain when
suddenly in burst a trooper saying “there were three great Squadrons right upon us.”
[3] Taylor snatched up his red shako, “mounted immediately and galloped to the
front” [3]. The vedettes of the 10th were withdrawing before the three squadron
columns of Jaquinot’s 3rd Chasseurs a Cheval. There was also a general movement all
the way along the opposite slope, troops and Guns taking up their position.” [3]
So the French were moving. Napoleon’s Great Battery was forming up, the 12pounders of the guard joining with batteries form the 1st and 2nd Corps ready to
bombard the ridge along which Picton’s men were formed. Durutte’s Division was
preparing, like the rest of D’Erlon’s Corps, for the main attack and as a preliminary
for that attack the French were strengthening their positions by taking Smohain. The
French knew this would be the easiest stronghold to take as General Haxo of the
Engineers had reported to Napoleon earlier that there were no barricades in the village
- whereas both farms now had numerous loopholes in their walls. First, the 3rd
Chasseurs a Cheval pushed back the enemy vedettes and then Jaquinot’s 6-pounder
horse artillery battery [part of the Great Battery] “opened on the village” [4] of
Smohain and Nassauers further to the west. Finally, Durutte’s voltigeurs skirmished
with Nassau flanquers and jager to take their attention away from the village.
Taylor “called in [his] . . . . . men and mounted the rest, and knowing that the village
was well garnished with Infantry [some Orange-Nassauers]” [5] [he retired before the
French, up the Allied slope “and formed on the plain space above” [5]. One troop was
left further forward to check any Chasseurs who advanced out of the village, while
vedettes loaded their carbines and formed along the road in the valley to the west of
Smohain. Finally, to draw away the fire of the French artillery from the front line,
Byeveld’s Netherlands Battery “returned the fire” [6] [probably on its own initiative
as Wellington did not believe in wasting shot against enemy guns]. As the position
stabilised around Smohain, with the vedettes of the 10th and Nassauers holding back
Chasseurs, Taylor’s squadron rejoined Vivian’s Brigade, leaving the Nassauers still
containing the French [there being little cavalry can do to dislodge infantry behind
brick walls].
The French had Frischermont in their hands [the allied could not have afforded to
place troops in this stronghold which was on the French side of the valley] and were
firmly established in Smohain, although they had not yet taken the whole village. A
“strong patrol” [7] of Jaquinot’s 7th Hussars, led by the “tremendous fire” [8] as the
great battery opened up, part of which started to heavily bombard Papelotte and La
Haye farms in preparation for infantry attack. Already the voltigeurs were pushing
back the Nassau skirmishers and the D’Erlon’s massive columns started to move
forward against Picton’s British division. It was to be a near run thing for
Wellington’s left flank.
THE FIRST ATTACK. [FIRST PHASE]
As the other divisions formed into columns and began to march into the valley,
Durutte’s Frenchmen formed into eight battalion columns [two columns for each of
the four regiments, which were the 8th, 29th, 85th and 95th Line] and moved forward
to join the attack. The voltigeurs pushed back the Nassau skirmishers and then, as
D’Erlon’s other columns were welcomed by volleys from Picton’s men, Durutte’s
columns pushed back the two Nassau battalions of the 2nd Regiment which were
lining the valley road and began threatening the second line of defences - the
Hanoverians of Vincke and Best. However, fire from Braun’s and Byeveld’s Batteries
must have torn through the French ranks [the attack would have been more successful
if it had been made in l’ordre mixte - a formation which combined the battering ram
effect of the column with the fire power and shallower depth, through which
cannonballs could tear a path of the line]. This artillery’s fire combined with the fact
that the French were advancing uphill, meant that the advantage of numbers that the
French held was balanced and so the attack here ground to a halt, leaving the
skirmishers blazing away at each other.
More French were, however, coming up to the two farms of Papelotte and La Haye
and things were not going so well for the allies here. At Papelotte the French must
have suffered huge losses as they came up to the high walls but, once they managed to
force an entry into the farm, their advantage of numbers meant that the place must
soon have fallen. The wood on the east side of the farm buildings, however, must
have allowed many of the garrison to escape the French bayonets and bullets.
[Remember that at La Sainte there was no wood - only orchard on the French side of
the farm - and so D’Erlon’s men were easily able to surround the farm and almost
wipe out the whole of the garrison]. La Haye was a stronger position, however. It
consisted of several, separate building and so as the French advanced they must have
been caught in a murderous crossfire and been slaughtered. One very isolated building
may possibly have been captured but, in general, the place remained firmly in Nassau
hands.
The French now held two of the four strongholds [Frischermont and Papelotte], were
firmly established in part of the third [Smohain] and were still in a position to take [La
Haye].
Although the left of the French attack had been halted, there was still a possibility that
the Nassauers might break facing that portion of the French attack. They had suffered
severe casualties and, having taken the brunt of Ney’s attack of 15th and 16th June
just south of Quatre-Bras, were now being attacked by entirely fresh, experienced
troops. The young Hanoverians militia of the second defence were also likely to
break, if the French attack managed to grind its way up towards them. Picton’s men to
the west were being slowly pushed back by the other columns of D’Erlon’s as well. It
was high time for the British Cavalry to lend a hand.
THE FIRST ATTACK.[SECOND PHASE]
Suddenly the British Heavy Cavalry Brigade of Ponsonby smashed into D’Erlon’s left
three columns and put them to rout. One of the cavalry regiments, the Scots Greys,
after emerging from the wreckage of Marcognet’s column, charge one of Durutte’s
battalion columns: “In descending the hill . . . . . the Greys came in contact with a
. . . . . French Column or square, regularly formed, the fire from which . . . . . did great
execution . . . . . This column was nearly destroyed, and the remainder of it were taken
prisoners.” [9] [It should be noted how much better this battalion was suited for
receiving cavalry than the massive divisional columns]. The remaining seven columns
of Durutte were still in a strong position, however, especially since the Greys and
Inniskillings charged too far without directly supporting the Nassauers.
Then another cavalry charge was made, one which tipped the balance around the
farms. To support the Union Brigade and enable it to retire successfully, once it had
rallied, and also to drive off Durutte’s men, Vandeleur’s British Light Dragoon
Brigade was moved along the ridge road up to Rettburg’s Battery. Vivian moved to
fill the gap left in the line and to be in a better position to support Vandeleur if his
brigade got into difficulties. Ghigny’s Dutch-Belgian cavalry moved from the centre
to the left also in support - some may have joined Vandeleur’s charge. At Rettburg’s
Battery Vandeleur’s Brigade deployed: “The 11th Light Dragoons were ordered to be
the reserve and remain on the hill, the 12th and 16th being in line, the 12th on the
left.” [10] The 12th “advanced unperceived by the enemy, and on passing the hedgerow, occupied by the [92nd] Highlanders, immediately made a flank attack on the
French column [of Durutte]. This attack was successful, [but] . . . . . we were stopped
by their standing columns of reserve [more battalion columns] on the other side of a
ravine.” [11] French skirmishers behind the hedges on the left also inflicted many
casualties. According to Capt Barton of the 12th, the French artillery fired as much on
their own infantry as they did on the 12th!
During this charge Gardiner moved forward two of his guns [with difficulty due to the
muddy ground] to support it, but then a French shell blew up the limber of one of the
guns and he withdrew after the charge.
Meanwhile Jaquinot’s 3rd and 4th Lancers were ordered to counter attack Ponsonby’s
Heavy Cavalry, which they did with great success, killing the Brigade commander
and many of his men.
As the green-coated lancers with their crested helmets began to pursue the scattered
redcoats back across the valley, the 16th Light Dragoons charged the French, and
were joined by the 12th whose colonel [another Ponsonby] fell around this time. He
was believed dead but eventually was found during the night by a private of the 40th
Foot and he subsequently recovered. These two regiments gained time for many Scots
Greys and Inniskillings to return to the allied lines before the light dragoons were
forced back by the 5th and 10th Cuirasseurs who, ordered to charge by Napoleon,
cleared the valley of troops.. Also Durutte’s division abandoned its gains, hurried on
its way by an attack on Papelotte by the 3rd Battalion 2nd Nassau Regiment. [It would
otherwise have been open to another flank attack by the British cavalry. So, what now
was the result of the action?
CONCLUSION
A very serious attack had been beaten off by the allies and the two farms were still in
Nassau hands - protection against further French attacks on this sector of the
battlefield. The allies were also still containing the French Chasseurs in Smohain. All
this had been achieved, however, only at a very heavy cost. Many Nassauers had
fallen [ideally there should have been more than four battalions to defend this sector
to start with] and many British cavalry had fallen as well. All this increased the
likelihood of the next French attack being successful. All the allied troops had fought
extremely well against superior numbers - even the Dutch-Belgian Battery fought as
well as any other.
On the French side, the cost had been heavy too. Many of Durutte’s infantry had been
killed either in attacking the formidable strongpoints of Papelotte and La Haye, or in
advancing against the troops behind the hedgerows. [As the French were formed in
columns, the bullets and artillery fire would have claimed many casualties]. At least
two of the battalion columns had also been broken by British cavalry. Worse,
Marmot’s Hussars were now reporting that the Prussians were advancing to
Wellington’s support. Durutte now needed control of the four strongpoints not just to
tie down the brigades of Vandeleur and Vivian and keep them from supporting the
battered allied centre, but also to cut lines of communication between Wellington and
Blucher and to help form a line to face the Prussians - a line that would be anchored to
Plancenoit and the four strongpoints.
Therefore the strongpoints were vitally important for both armies - and the French
were still in a position to take them.
A. D. UFFINDELL, 2eme de Linge.
Bibliographical references
[1]
Siborne, H. T. (ed)
The Waterloo Letters p. 198
[2]
Ibid p. 197
[3]
Ibid p. 169
[4]
Ibid p. 170
[5]
Ibid p. 169
[6]
Ibid p. 170
[7]
Ibid p. 169
[8]
Ibid p. 170
[9]
Ibid p. 82
[10] Ibid p. 105
[11] Ibid p. 115
Other books used in research of this article besides those cited above were:
Lord Chalfont [ed] Waterloo - Battle of Three Armies
Otto von Pivka
Brunswick Troops 1809-15
Ray Johnson
Napoleonic Armies
William Siborne
History of the Campaign in France and Belgium 1815