THE PARTICIPATION OF

THE PRUSSIAN II ARMY CORPS

IN THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO

(“Ueber den Antheil des zweiten Armee Korps an der Schlacht bei Belle Alliance”)

Translated by Geert van Uythoven

“As it will not be unimportant for future historians to learn about the exploits of various parts of the army during specific important events, we want to describe the factual part the 2nd Army Corps had in the siege at Belle Alliance.

In compliance with the arrangements of Fuerst Blücher von Wahlstadt, it followed the direction of the 4th Army Corps over St. Lambert and departed at around 11 o’clock from Wavre. The enemy, advancing on the rear guard, caused the deployment of the 7th and 8th Brigade at Wavre, and on this side of the city the park of the army hampered the advance of the remaining brigades. The 8th Brigade remained in position until the Corps had cleared Wavre, and after that it was only able to follow the 7th Brigade with difficulty.

At nearly half past five in the evening, the head of the Corps arrived in the covered positions of St. Lambert. After having reported their arrival to the Fuerst, orders were received to detach a brigade to Maransart in order to cover the left flank of the advancing army. The 7th Brigade turned off to this purpose, while the other troops remained on the march.

A short while later, General Graf Bülow von Dennewitz send message that his endangered centre needed reinforcements urgently, and proposed to advance the whole cavalry there first. It advanced at the trot, followed by the 5th and 6th Brigade at double pace. In the meanwhile, the arrival of the 1st Army Corps on the battlefield had relieved pressure on the right wing and the centre of 4th Army Corps, and its exposed left flank still needed support. To that purpose, 5th Brigade advanced against Planchenoit, and 6th Brigade remained somewhat behind to maintain communications with the centre of 4th Army Corps.

Favoured by the terrain the troops could advance unnoticed. And totally unexpected, 5th Brigade all of a sudden appeared on the heights about three hundred paces from Planchenoit. Gone over into a fighting retreat, and not arrived at a position useful for defence yet, three or four [enemy] battalions approached them, debouching from the village.

Although the battle had already been won strategically; the slightest hesitation of us in Planchenoit, the hoped for splendid advantages caused by the necessary precipitate and disorderly retreat of the enemy could be lost again. Therefore, the commanding general immediately ordered a bayonet attack, forbade to fire, and placed himself at the head of his troops.

Planchenoit, weakly held by our troops and much stronger by the pressing enemy, was captured, and the fur caps of the Old Guard fell under the beats of the Pomeranian musket butts. Rashly the pursuit was undertaken. Enemy fire fell silent. Only solitary cannon shots along the whole line marked in the fallen darkness the direction of his confused rout.

On the 19th before sunset, Captain von Goschitzky, now Major in the 30th Infantry Regiment, stood with the tirailleurs of the 1st Pomeranian Fusilier Battalion behind Frasnes against Pont enigue loup; of all troops taking part in the pursuit maybe the only ones without any loot.

The 6th and 8th Brigade did not participate in the fighting. A small part of the cavalry followed the 5th Brigade through Planchenoit.

Far from trying to deprive the 4th Army Corps of the honour of their stubborn and brave fighting around Planchenoit, it is an honour to the 2nd Army Corps for having participated in the recapture of Planchenoit, and for having been able to support their brothers in arms at the moment that enemy superiority nearly managed to take away from them the price won by their courage.”

Source: Militair-Wochenblatt, 2. Jahrgang (Berlin 1817), No. 68, p.326-327.

© Geert van Uythoven