La Haye Sainte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids La Haye Sainte |
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La Haye Sainte as seen from the road
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| General information | |
| Location | Charleroi-Brussels road, near Waterloo, Belgium |
| Owner | Private |
| Technical details | |
| Material | sandstone and red brick |
| Known for | Battle of Waterloo |
La Haye Sainte is an old farmhouse with a strong wall around it. It sits at the bottom of a small hill on the main road between Charleroi and Brussels in Belgium. The name might come from Jesus Christ's crown of thorns or a nearby thorny bush. This farm looks almost the same today as it did on June 18, 1815. On that day, it played a super important part in the famous Battle of Waterloo.
About 400 soldiers from the King's German Legion defended La Haye Sainte during the battle. They were greatly outnumbered by the French army attacking them. Even so, they held out until late in the afternoon. They only had to leave because they ran out of ammunition. If Napoleon Bonaparte's army had captured La Haye Sainte earlier, they likely would have broken through the middle of the Allied army. This would have meant a defeat for the Duke of Wellington's army.
When the French finally took La Haye Sainte in the early evening, it gave them a strong spot. From here, they could launch a big attack on the Allied center. But Napoleon was too late! By this time, Blücher and the Prussian army had arrived. The French army, now outnumbered, was defeated.
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Why La Haye Sainte Was So Important
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The main road from La Belle Alliance went right past La Haye Sainte. This was where Napoleon had his headquarters on the morning of the battle. The road then went up to a crossroads on a ridge, leading to Brussels. The Duke of Wellington placed most of his soldiers behind this ridge. This clever move kept most of his army hidden from the French cannons.
The night before the battle, soldiers staying at the farm used its main courtyard door for firewood. So, when the King's German Legion (KGL) arrived, they had to quickly make the farm stronger. They used whatever they could find to block the gaps.
The troops defending the farm were from the 2nd Light Battalion KGL, led by Major Georg Baring. Parts of the 1st Light Battalion KGL also helped. Later, they got support from other units. Most of these soldiers used a special gun called the Baker rifle. This rifle was very accurate and could shoot twice as far as the French muskets. French muskets were quicker to load, but the Baker rifle was much better for hitting targets from far away.
Both Napoleon and Wellington made big mistakes about La Haye Sainte. Napoleon didn't send enough soldiers to capture the farm early on. Wellington, on the other hand, didn't realize how important the farm was until it was almost too late.
French Attacks on the Farm
Around 1:00 PM, the French started firing their big cannons. Then, d'Erlon's soldiers marched forward. The French managed to surround La Haye Sainte. Even though the farm's defenders caused many French casualties, the French attacked the left side of Wellington's line. As Wellington's center began to weaken, La Haye Sainte became very vulnerable.
Picton's division was sent to help. As the French were pushed back from La Haye Sainte, heavy cavalry (soldiers on horseback) also attacked. These actions helped relieve the pressure on the farm.
At 3:00 PM, Napoleon ordered Marshal Ney to capture La Haye Sainte. But Ney got caught up in a huge cavalry charge with 8,000 horsemen. This attack was brave but didn't have infantry or cannons to support it. While Ney was busy with this charge, he failed to take La Haye Sainte.
By 5:30 PM, Napoleon gave the order again for Ney to capture La Haye Sainte. By this time, the French soldiers were very close to the farm buildings.
French Capture and Final Attack
Around 6:00 PM, Marshal Ney, with strong support from cannons and some cavalry, personally led an infantry regiment. They launched a fierce attack and captured La Haye Sainte. The German Legion soldiers defending it had used up all their ammunition. They had no choice but to retreat.
The Allied forces couldn't attack right away because they were formed into defensive squares over the ridge. The French quickly brought up cannons to fire from the farm. However, expert riflemen from the 1/95 regiment, hiding nearby, shot down all the French gunners. This made the French cannons useless.
At 7:00 PM, thanks to the French holding La Haye Sainte, the Imperial Guard was able to climb the hill. They attacked the Allies on the Brussels side of the ridge. This final attack was pushed back. Around 8:10 PM, the French army realized they were beaten, especially with the Prussians arriving. They began to retreat in a hurry. During this French retreat, the Allies recaptured La Haye Sainte. This happened before 9:00 PM, when Blücher met Wellington at La Belle Alliance.
La Haye Sainte Today
Today, La Haye Sainte is a private family home. On its walls, you can see memorials to the KGL soldiers and the French. Across from the house, there is a monument for the officers and soldiers of the KGL.
Images for kids
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Monuments next to La Haye Sainte. The one on the left is for the KGL, and the one on the right is for Wellington's assistant.
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A plaque for the K KGL on the outer wall of La Haye Sainte.
See also
