ecccccceee © pecccccccccccocced Histofig : Empire - Book on line : Waterloo Alternative History Pagina | de 1 Premier Empire - Napoléon Napoleon's Waterloo Campaign An Alternative History by Steven Marthinsen Chapter :0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14- 15-16-17 by Steven Marthinsen Copyright 1997-1999 Ai nape repirtet and ratifies withthe permiion of the Uritet State Witary Aeademy, NestPoint, ‘New http://www. histofig.convhistory/empire/livres/book_01_00.html 29/11/2001Histofig : Empire - Book on line : Waterloo Alternative History 10 Pagina 1 de 22 Premier Empire - Napoléon Napoleon's Waterloo Campaign _ An Alternative History by Steven Marthinsen Chapter :0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-18-16-17 CHAPTER 11: GROUCHY'S WING FIGHTS 7 7 - : General of Division Gerard, commander of the IV Corps, describes his own feelings as he reached and fought the Prussians at Lasne fad great faith in the Emperor. He was aman who gave everything to France and for that reason I would follow him always. His choice of Marshal Grouchy to command our force left us al a bil perturbed and | fool was potentially @ great mistake. Some have said that | am not the most tactful of men but at least the AAs the slopes returned to a sad calm on the field of Mont St. Jean, another battlefield was also returning to Amore normal state. Near Lasne, the men of Gerard's IV Corps had spent the last few hours fighting hard {or their position against an enemy attacking from two sides but had nonetheless repulsed their attackers briliantly and even had inflicted heavy losses on him. While not an inexpensive victory, Gerard had reason to be proud of his men knowing that they had attracted the attention of two Prussian corps and dragued them away from the main fight at Mont St. Jean; he did not know as yet that his actions had in fact civerted all three from Napoleon's battle. As he sat at his headquarters table by a melting candle and planned what pe would do in the morning, he could reflect that the eighteenth had really been his day and that he had held the fate of France in his own hands. Sighing, he couldn't repress a Satisfied grin, an expression that was quickly followed up by a wide yawn. While the evening was quiet now, only a short while before he and his IV Corps had been in a potentially dangerous situation as General Bulow’s men repaired to the Bois de Paris while Pirch’s attempted (0 get a fib on their own situation and infict some damage on them. Gerard was determined that this should rot Sceur. Having done everything he could to get his men to the field and into the fight, he was just as gelermined not to lead them to a disaster. Knowing from his own scouts and a courier from Soult that Bulow had retired back into the forest, he prepared his own men for the attack on Pirch. if he could push the Prussians back against the brook with enough strength, there was. a good chance he could crush them before Bulow could make himself felt wherever he might appear. Taking in the situation and decidiig uickly, Gerard gave the order to launch the main attack. Fych’s men had been caught half over the brook by Gerard and had since been retarded in bringing their ful force over due to the French cavalry dominance of the field which had tumbled more than one rogiment of Wahlen-Jurgass’ away from the fight sometimes even impeding their own comrades. Now, the French Cavalry had been pulled back and was replaced by a battery of guns that was having a fine time of it playing on his massed brigades and, disturbingly, the sole bridge over the roaring water. French howitzers had for some time naw been looping shells onto the wooden structure and one fre had already been put Out forcing the Prussian general to designate a detachment to watch for more..If the bridge wes blocked ‘and made impassable, his corps would be split in two permanently and left to the mercies of the French Here, Pirch had a problem. His one main thought was that he should unite his whole foree, fighting together obviously gave them the best chance against the French, The problem was as to where they Should unite. If he pulled his forces over the brook, he would be violating Blucher’s orders to engage and http://www. histofig.com/history/empire/livres/book_O1_11.html 29/11/2001Histofig : Empire - Book on line : Waterloo Alternative History 10 Pagina 2 de 22 i'was now obvious that three separate battles were being waged and while Wellington and Thieianacn thelr corse“ Baecolding. the barb in their own tal appeared ready to do some serious damage to one of fret corps. Blucher, with Gneisenau's formal blessing, had allowed Bulow's men to regroup i the Bers oe [pat preparatory to an assault against this French force through Couture as another bridge had bees Back at Lasne, Gerard realized that he would not be receiving any help from the main army but this fowledge did not deter him in any way; from the beginning of the march he knew what riske he would be number of Prussians. Lowering his telescope after scanning the enemy forces deployed north of him, the mounted Gerard figured he faced approximately two Prussian infantry brigades and some cavalry supported by cannon ihe visions of Hulot and Vichery were ready. Unlike the hesitant Prussians, these two French units were {ull of confidence in their leader and now, for the first time, they believed in themselves. Honed in battle ot Samy Spe.nOM playing an active role in the fighting on the eighteenth, the regiments of the IV Gorps really seemed to have come together as single units rather than collections of separate battalions As & Gonsequence, the men were ready to take on the Prussians, no matter what their numbers, and crush them. The officers and men in the divisions also felt they had one more significant advantage. The last fag anese enemies had met, the Prussians had been defending an essentially fortified riverine where they had given a good account of themselves, then again so had the Spanish in similar circumstances, The grea! difference now was that the men of Blucher's army were in the open where the superior lactical bilities of the French army would come into play. Already General Vallin had demonstrated thet ually when he swept the fled of the Prussian horsemen; the weight of an entire corps attack. i was felt woul! be tremendous Knowing his design was to push the enemy into a pocket around the bridge which he had under howtos {fe: Gerard had decided to use an oblique order of attack, ironically enough a Frederickan strategy, win the 13th Infantry Division hitting the Prussians first thus causing them to retreat westward towards the bridge before the 14th would engage. It was a good plan as it would take advantage of the superior Position of his divisions and cover his men from heavy artilery fre as they closed to musket range. Also, i http://www. histofig.convhistory/empire/livres/book_O1_11.html 29/11/2001Histofig : Empire - Book on line : Waterloo Alternative History 10 Pagina 3 de 22 nemy was weak rather than allow him to remove his forces back to any. ince chose for later actions. Besides, Napoleon wanted commanders who were capable of perce ving when it was @ good moment to take a risk; aggressive leaders were in general more succescful fort Saytious ones especially in the French army. Vandamme had been captured after the battle of Kulm in 1813 but his reputation had not been sulled at all as he could have been decisive in the outcomerel the Gampaign, This in mind, the commander of the IV Corps waiched his soldiers move up to strike the Prussian brigades. {Hulot’s and Vichery's division were deployed exactly the same with their frontages arranged in battalion satin.