Waterloo campaign: start of hostilities facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waterloo campaign: start of hostilities (15 June)
Part of the Waterloo campaign
A portion of Belgium with some places marked in colour to indicate the initial deployments of the armies just before the commencement of hostilities on 15 June 1815: red Anglo-allied, green Prussian, blue French
Date 8–15 June 1815 Location In and around Charleroi, Belgium Result French Army of the North captures its objectives
Belligerents
France	Prussia
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon	General Graf von Zieten
Strength
Army of the North	I Corps
Casualties and losses
300–400	1,200

The Waterloo campaign began with a surprise attack by the French Army of the North. This army was led by Napoleon Bonaparte. French soldiers started moving from their bases on June 8. They gathered near the border between France and Belgium. Their goal was to attack two enemy armies in Belgium. These were the Anglo-allied army, led by the Duke of Wellington, and a Prussian army, led by Prince Blücher.

Fighting started early on June 15. French soldiers crossed the border and met Prussian outposts. These were soldiers from the Prussian I Corps, led by General Zieten. For the rest of the day, the Prussian I Corps fought as it slowly retreated. The French Army of the North was much larger. By midnight, the French had moved north through Charleroi. They successfully crossed the Sambre river. This was the only major river between them and Brussels.

At 7 PM on June 15, Marshal Ney met Napoleon near Charleroi. Napoleon ordered Ney to lead the left side of the French army. Ney's job was to push north towards the Anglo-allied army. Napoleon would advance towards the Prussians. The advance continued until dark. It slowed as enemy troops got more support. The French planned to attack again on June 16. The Anglo-allied army planned to stop them at Quatre Bras. The Prussian army planned to stop them at Ligny.

Why Napoleon Attacked Belgium

On March 1, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte returned to France. He had escaped from the island of Elba. He marched towards Paris. The king, Louis XVIII, fled when it was clear Napoleon would arrive.

Other European leaders met at the Congress of Vienna. They declared Napoleon an outlaw. They agreed to send large armies to fight him. Each country promised at least 150,000 soldiers.

The European powers planned to invade France on July 1, 1815.

• Britain and Prussia would gather their armies in Belgium.
• Russia would send an army through Germany.
• Austria would send two armies to the French borders.
• Other German states would also gather troops.

Napoleon knew his enemies were preparing for war. He had two choices. He could wait for them to attack Paris. Or, he could attack them first. He chose to attack. He decided to strike the two armies in Belgium. They were close to the French border.

The Prussian army, led by Prince Blücher, was southeast of Brussels. Its main base was in Namur. The Anglo-allied army, led by the Duke of Wellington, was southwest of Brussels. Its main base was in Brussels. Wellington's army included soldiers from Britain, Hanover, Brunswick, the Netherlands, and Nassau.

Napoleon's Battle Plan

Napoleon decided to attack the enemy forces in Belgium. He had several ways to do this. The enemy leaders knew an attack was coming. But they didn't know when or where.

Napoleon had spies. He knew how spread out the enemy armies were. He also knew the two armies had different supply bases. Their generals had different styles. Napoleon's only chance was to move fast and win quickly. He had to defeat each army separately. He needed to be stronger at the point of attack.

Napoleon decided to attack between the Sambre and Meuse rivers. This would split the enemy armies. He planned to move quickly between them. He would defeat each army before they could join forces.

Napoleon chose the direct road to Brussels through Charleroi. This road was between Wellington's left side and Blücher's right side. The Prussians were guarding Charleroi. The Anglo-allies were further north at Frasnes-lez-Gosselies. Napoleon planned to defeat the Prussian army first. Then, he would attack the Anglo-allied troops before they were ready.

Napoleon's main goal was to keep the two armies apart. He wanted to destroy them both. He hoped to take Brussels. He also wanted to encourage people in Belgium to join his side. He wanted to add Belgium back to France. He also hoped to get more time to train new soldiers from France.

French Army Gathers (June 8–12)

French army groups started moving towards the border. The IV Corps left Metz on June 6. They were ordered to reach Philippeville by June 14. The Imperial Guard marched from Paris on June 8. They arrived at Avesnes on June 13. Other corps also arrived at their meeting points by June 13.

Napoleon joined the army on June 13. He had left Paris early on June 12. The different army groups met on the same day. This showed Napoleon's skill in planning movements. The soldiers were tired but excited. Their spirits were high when they heard the Emperor had arrived.

On June 14, the French army camped in three main spots:

• The left side, about 44,000 men, was at Solre-sur-Sambre.
• The center, about 60,000 men, was at Beaumont. This was Napoleon's headquarters.
• The right side, about 16,000 men, was near Philippeville.

The army camps were set up to hide their fires. This kept enemy scouts from seeing them. Napoleon also gave a speech to his army. He reminded them of past victories and boosted their morale.

June 13: Prussian Alert

Napoleon had hidden his army's movements well. He made his border posts stronger. But on the night of June 13, the Prussians noticed something. They saw the light from French campfires in the sky. These fires were near Walcourt, Beaumont, and Solre-sur-Sambre.

Spies and soldiers who left the French army also gave reports. They said Napoleon was expected to join the army that evening. They also said that French troops had crossed the river at Solre-sur-Sambre. An attack was expected on June 14 or 15.

June 14: First News and Orders

On June 14, Dutch-Belgian Major-General van Merlen sent important news. He was stationed near Mons. He found that French troops had moved towards Philippeville. He sent this news to the Prussian General Steinmetz. Steinmetz then sent it to General Zieten at Charleroi.

Other Prussian generals also reported French troop movements. They said the French army had gathered near Beaumont. They estimated it was 150,000 men. They also heard that Napoleon had arrived.

Zieten immediately sent this information to Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington. However, the Coalition commanders still didn't know exactly where the main attack would be. So, they didn't change their plans yet. They waited for more clear information.

Blücher Orders His Army to Gather

Zieten's troops stayed ready all night. They gathered at their meeting points. Later, Zieten's outposts reported strong French columns. This suggested an attack the next morning. Blücher received this news between 9 PM and 10 PM on June 14.

By 11 PM, orders were sent for other Prussian corps to march. The II Corps was to march from Namur to Sombreffe. The III Corps was to march from Ciney to Namur. An order was also sent to Bülow at Liège. He was told to prepare his corps to march to Hannut.

Zieten was told to wait for the French at the Sambre river. If forced to retreat, he was to do so slowly. He needed to retreat towards Fleurus. This would give the other Prussian corps time to gather.

Map of the Charleroi fortress (c. 1775) by Joseph de Ferraris.

Blücher and Wellington knew large French forces were near Charleroi. But they also thought it could be a trick. The real attack might be somewhere else, like Mons.

Wellington did not change his army's positions. But Blücher immediately ordered his army to gather at Sombreffe. This village was on the Nivelles-Namur road. From there, they could move to Charleroi if needed. They could also quickly support Wellington if the attack was by Mons.

June 15: Fighting Begins

Early on June 15, the French army began its march. They moved towards the Sambre river in three columns.

Hostilities Commence

Around 3:30 AM, the French left column met Prussian troops. They fired on the Prussian outposts near Lobbes. This was the start of the campaign. The sound of cannons was heard at Charleroi. Zieten immediately sent messages to Blücher and Wellington. He told them that fighting had begun. He said he would pull his corps back if needed.

Zieten's report reached Wellington in Brussels at 9 AM. It reached Blücher in Namur between 8 AM and 9 AM. Wellington was put on alert. But he waited for more information. Blücher was confident in his decision to gather his corps at Sombreffe.

Before 10 AM, an order was sent to the Prussian III Corps. It was told to continue its march towards Sombreffe on the morning of June 16. At 11:30 AM, another message was sent to Bülow. It announced the French advance. It asked his IV Corps to march to Gembloux by daybreak on June 16.

Prussian Outposts Retreat

Meanwhile, the Prussian I Corps fought the advancing French. Prussian troops at Maladrie bravely held their ground for over an hour. But they were outnumbered and forced to retreat to Thuin.

Thuin was defended by the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr. They fought fiercely but had to retreat around 7 AM. They moved towards Montigny-le-Tilleul. The French captured Thuin. The retreat continued towards Marchienne-au-Pont. But the Prussians were attacked by French cavalry. Many Prussian infantry soldiers were cut down or captured. The 3rd Battalion suffered heavy losses.

Other Prussian posts also fell to the French. The Prussian battalion at Lobbes retreated when Thuin was taken. They pulled back across the Sambre river.

Zieten's Troops Retreat Further

Around 8 AM, Zieten realized the whole French army was moving. He saw that Charleroi was likely the main target. He sent new orders to his brigades.

• The 1st Brigade was to retreat towards Gosselies.
• The 2nd Brigade was to defend the bridges over the Sambre. This would give the 1st Brigade time to retreat. Then, it was to retreat behind Gilly.
• The 3rd and 4th brigades, plus cavalry and artillery, were to gather behind Fleurus.

The 1st Brigade retreated slowly to allow others to catch up. Its left side was protected by a separate column. At Marchienne-au-Pont, the Prussians fought back the French. They then retreated towards Gilly.

Skirmish at Couillet and Charleroi Captured

French cavalry formed the front of the center column. Due to a mistake, the infantry support was delayed. Napoleon led the Imperial Guards forward to support the cavalry. At Couillet, French cavalry surrounded a Prussian company. They forced it to surrender.

Soon after, the French took Marcinelle, near Charleroi. They advanced along a raised road towards Charleroi. The Prussians tried to destroy the bridge. But the French attacked with more force. They captured the bridge and entered Charleroi.

Major Rohr, who commanded the post, left the town. He retreated with his battalion towards Gilly. By 11 AM, the French fully controlled Charleroi. They also controlled the Sambre river above the town.

Prussians Continue Retreat

The Prussian 4th Brigade continued its retreat towards Fleurus. General Jagow, commanding the 3rd Brigade, had left some troops to watch French movements. But when the French took Charleroi, the 1st Brigade's situation became dangerous. Zieten ordered General Jagow to send troops to Gosselies. This was to help the 1st Brigade retreat.

Action at Gosselies

Colonel Rüchel-Kleist found Prussian cavalry at Gosselies. He added his own troops to the defense. He put Lieutenant Colonel Lützow in charge of the town.

When the French gathered enough force at Charleroi, Napoleon ordered an attack on Gosselies. French cavalry reached Jumet, near Gosselies. But Lieutenant Colonel Lützow and his dragoons fought back. They defeated the French cavalry. This gave General Steinmetz time to retreat.

More French cavalry and Guard troops arrived. The French II Corps also moved towards Gosselies. They wanted to cut off Zieten's retreat and separate the Prussians from the Anglo-allied army.

Action at Heppignies

General Steinmetz realized the French were strong enough to cut him off. He sent a battalion to attack the French left side. This distracted the French. He then successfully retreated to Heppignies. He reached Heppignies with few losses.

Heppignies was already held by Prussian battalions. Steinmetz reorganized his men. When the French attacked, Steinmetz pushed them back towards Gosselies. A cannon fight followed. The Prussians kept firing only long enough to cover their retreat to Fleurus.

Action at Gilly

General Pirch II retreated to Gilly as ordered. He gathered the 2nd Brigade there around 2 PM. He took a good position behind a stream. He placed his troops and cannons carefully.

French generals arrived and began their attack around 6 PM. They fired two batteries. Three columns of infantry advanced. They were supported by two brigades of cavalry.

The Fight at Gilly

The Prussian battery fired back at the French. Light troops were already fighting. General Pirch then received orders from Zieten. He was told to avoid a large battle and retreat to Fleurus.

Pirch II quickly began to retreat. But French Imperial Guard cavalry attacked his columns. This attack was led by General Letort.

The Prussian infantry bravely held off the French cavalry. Most of the Prussian force reached the Wood of Fleurus. But one battalion was broken. It lost two-thirds of its men. Another battalion formed a square and fought off several cavalry charges. General Letort was badly wounded in this fight. He died two days later.

Prussian dragoons arrived and charged the French cavalry. This ended the French pursuit. The 2nd Brigade then took a position in front of Lambusart. The fighting ended with a cannonade.

Prussian Retreat Ends

The Prussian 1st Brigade reached Saint-Amand around 11 PM. Other detachments also retreated safely. By 3 AM, the Prussian I Corps had gathered between Ligny and Saint-Amand. They had been fighting and retreating all day. They successfully gained enough time for the other Prussian corps to gather the next day.

Prussian Army Gathers

By 3 PM on June 15, the II Corps had reached its position near Sombreffe. The III Corps spent the night at Namur. The IV Corps, however, was still far away at Liège.

Orders to Bülow Go Wrong

On June 14, Blücher sent orders to Bülow, commander of the IV Corps. He was told to prepare his corps to reach Hannut in one march. At midnight, a second message told him to gather his corps at Hannut.

The first message reached Bülow at Liège at 5 AM on June 15. He issued orders for his troops to move after breakfast. Around noon, the second message arrived. It changed the corps' destination. Bülow decided to delay the new movement until dawn on June 16. He thought his commanders wouldn't get the new orders until evening. Also, he didn't know fighting had started.

Bülow reported his delay to Blücher's headquarters. He said he would be at Hannut by noon on June 16. But Blücher's headquarters had moved. Another message was sent to Bülow at 11:30 AM on June 15. It announced the French advance. It asked the IV Corps to march to Gembloux by daybreak on June 16. This message also went to Hannut first. It then went to Liège.

Because of these delays, the Prussian IV Corps could not take part in the Battle of Ligny. This might have changed the battle's outcome. Late on June 15, Blücher learned that the IV Corps would not join him the next day.

Prussian and French Losses

The Prussian I Corps lost 1,200 men on June 15. Some battalions were so small they had to be combined. The French forces lost between 300 and 400 men.

Wellington's Earliest News and Orders

The Duke of Wellington first learned of the fighting on June 15. It was from Zieten's report, which reached Brussels at 9 AM. But it only said Prussian outposts were engaged. Wellington wasn't sure if it was a real attack or a trick.

After 3 PM, William, the Prince of Orange, arrived in Brussels. He told Wellington that Prussian outposts had been attacked and forced back. The Prince had ridden to the front himself.

Wellington still didn't take immediate action. But around 4:30 PM, a Prussian officer gave Wellington a message from Blücher. It said the French had attacked Prussian posts and were moving towards Charleroi.

Wellington had been expecting this. Reports from his own outposts showed Napoleon was gathering forces. Wellington decided not to move until the real attack was clear. He then ordered all his troops to gather at their division headquarters. They were to be ready to march.

Wellington ordered his troops to move towards their left side. This was closest to the attack.

• Dutch-Netherlands divisions were to gather at Nivelles.
• British divisions were to move to Braine-le-Comte and Enghien.
• Cavalry was to gather at Ninove.
• Reserve troops were to be ready to march from Brussels.

Prince of Orange Informed

At 10 PM, the Prince of Orange's headquarters received news of the attack at Frasnes. This information was sent to Wellington. The French advance on the Charleroi road had been stopped at Quatre Bras. It was clear that troops needed to gather there immediately.

Wellington's Second Orders

A little before 10 PM, Wellington received another message from Blücher. It announced that the French Army of the North, led by Napoleon, had crossed the Sambre. Other reports confirmed this. At 10 PM, Wellington issued new orders for his troops to march to their left.

• British 3rd Division was to continue to Nivelles.
• British 1st Division was to move to Braine-le-Comte.
• British 2nd and 4th Divisions were to move to Enghien.
• Cavalry was to continue to Enghien.

Outcome of June 15 Operations

Historians believe the events of June 15 were good for Napoleon. He had crossed the Sambre river. He was moving his main forces towards Blücher's army. He was already in front of Blücher's chosen position before the Prussians could fully gather. He was also moving towards Brussels. He had met Wellington's troops. He had placed himself in a strong position. This made it hard for the enemy armies to join up. He could now attack one army with most of his forces. He could hold the other army back with the rest. This was his main goal for the next day.

However, Napoleon's plan had problems. His troops had been marching and fighting since 2 AM. They needed rest. His forces were spread out. Ney's troops were detached. Other corps were also separated. This meant the French would need the whole morning of June 16 to gather their forces. This delay was very valuable for the enemy generals. It gave them time to gather enough troops to stop Napoleon. It prevented him from defeating them one by one.

If Napoleon had been more forceful with his commanders, he might have destroyed the Prussian corps before they could gather. He could have forced them to retreat away from Wellington. Then he could have focused on Wellington's army. But Napoleon did not advance towards Fleurus until around 11:30 AM on June 16. The Prussian I, II, and III Corps were all gathered by then. The Battle of Ligny did not start until nearly 3 PM. Ney also delayed. He did not attack Wellington's forces strongly until around 2:30 PM. By then, Wellington's reserves had arrived at Quatre Bras. They joined the forces already fighting in the Battle of Quatre Bras.