La Haye, Lasne facts for kids
La Haye was once a farm in a small village in Lasne, Belgium. It was sadly destroyed by fire in 1910. But before that, it played a very important role in one of history's most famous battles: the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. During this battle, the La Haye farm was a strong, defended spot that helped form a protective wall on the far left side of the battle line held by the Duke of Wellington's army, which included British soldiers and their allies.
La Haye's Role in the Battle
The La Haye farm was part of a key defensive line on the eastern (left) side of the Anglo-allied army's position. This strong defense also included three other places that were quickly made ready for battle.
Other Key Defense Points
- Just under 150 metres (160 yd) to the west of La Haye was Papelotte farm. Like La Haye, it was located on the northern side of a shallow valley.
- About 430 metres (470 yd) to the east was the small village of Smohain. In this area, the valley became a narrow passage with a muddy stream at the bottom.
- The fourth important spot was the ruined Châteaux Frischermont. This castle, which was similar to the more famous Châteaux Hougoumont (located on the other side of the battle line), was about 700 metres (770 yd) to the south-east, on a small hill on the other side of the valley.
Who Defended La Haye?
Throughout the day of the battle, these strong defense points were held by soldiers from the Anglo-allied army. They were commanded by Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar. Later in the day, around 7:30 PM, the first group of soldiers from the Prussian I Corps, led by General Zieten, joined forces with the Anglo-allied army in this area. This link-up was very important for the final outcome of the battle.
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