Post by Graeme on Apr 1, 2018 15:15:56 GMT
Chris.
I've been comparing Clayton's text with Adkin in "The Waterloo Companion".
Clayton says: "About two miles into Belgium Maigrot's men encountered six hundred Westphalians defending the bridge over the Sambre at Lobbes and drove them across the river to the north bank"
And later: "Pire's dripping cavalry trotted forward until the imposing walled town of Thuin loomed out of the mist"... "The defenders were six hundred fusiliers-light infantry-of the 2nd westphalian Landwehr led by Major von Monsterberg, with orders not to abandon his post prematurely. Monsterbergs fusiliers were defending a strong position and it took time to dislodge them. Maigrot's better trained veterens stormed up narrow paths into the upper town, but it took nearly an hour and some sharp street fighting to make the Westphalians escape eastwards".
Later still he says that the Guard light cavalry: "trotted off towards Frasnes, four and a half miles further north up the Brussels road, followed eventually by Maigrot's light infantry and the rest of General Gilbert Bachelu's Division which was leading Reill's Corps".
Adkin in "The Waterloo Companion", Section One "The Campaign" in the subsection entitled "Thursday 15 June 1815" (page 30 in my edition) says:
"The first clash came near Thuin shortly after 3.30 a.m. Here the leading elements of Jerome Bonaparte's 6th Division opened fire on the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Westphalian landwehr regiment. They were part of the 2nd Brigade of Lieutenant-General von Ziethens I Corps" ( he has the 2/1 Landwehr in the 1st Brigade in his OOB).
I think both authors are writing abvout the 2nd Legere but Clayton has them in Bachelu's Division and Adkin as you said believes they are part of Jerome's. Perhaps Adkin has made a mistake about the transfer or perhaps one of jeromes units was put in the vanguard, possibly because at 4 battalions the 2nd Legere were the strongest of the French infantry units.
Either way, I think that the 2nd Legere was the leading infantry of Reill's advance, who were engaged in the first skirmishes with westphalian Landwehr in the vicinity of Thuin and subsequently were the first French infantry to arrive at Quatre Bras. And also opened the battle the next day with the attack on Piraumont. You just have to decide who's command to put them in.
I've been comparing Clayton's text with Adkin in "The Waterloo Companion".
Clayton says: "About two miles into Belgium Maigrot's men encountered six hundred Westphalians defending the bridge over the Sambre at Lobbes and drove them across the river to the north bank"
And later: "Pire's dripping cavalry trotted forward until the imposing walled town of Thuin loomed out of the mist"... "The defenders were six hundred fusiliers-light infantry-of the 2nd westphalian Landwehr led by Major von Monsterberg, with orders not to abandon his post prematurely. Monsterbergs fusiliers were defending a strong position and it took time to dislodge them. Maigrot's better trained veterens stormed up narrow paths into the upper town, but it took nearly an hour and some sharp street fighting to make the Westphalians escape eastwards".
Later still he says that the Guard light cavalry: "trotted off towards Frasnes, four and a half miles further north up the Brussels road, followed eventually by Maigrot's light infantry and the rest of General Gilbert Bachelu's Division which was leading Reill's Corps".
Adkin in "The Waterloo Companion", Section One "The Campaign" in the subsection entitled "Thursday 15 June 1815" (page 30 in my edition) says:
"The first clash came near Thuin shortly after 3.30 a.m. Here the leading elements of Jerome Bonaparte's 6th Division opened fire on the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Westphalian landwehr regiment. They were part of the 2nd Brigade of Lieutenant-General von Ziethens I Corps" ( he has the 2/1 Landwehr in the 1st Brigade in his OOB).
I think both authors are writing abvout the 2nd Legere but Clayton has them in Bachelu's Division and Adkin as you said believes they are part of Jerome's. Perhaps Adkin has made a mistake about the transfer or perhaps one of jeromes units was put in the vanguard, possibly because at 4 battalions the 2nd Legere were the strongest of the French infantry units.
Either way, I think that the 2nd Legere was the leading infantry of Reill's advance, who were engaged in the first skirmishes with westphalian Landwehr in the vicinity of Thuin and subsequently were the first French infantry to arrive at Quatre Bras. And also opened the battle the next day with the attack on Piraumont. You just have to decide who's command to put them in.
[/url]
[/url]
[/url]