 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
                             
|
Wellington’s Lack of Haste.It appears that the Duke of Wellington did not consider an offensive by Napoleon.[1] He seems to have dismissed the idea to such an extent that when the rumours of the French concentration reached him on the 13th June, and of Napoleon himself being at Maubeuge, ‘he took Lady Jane Lennox to Enghien for a cricket match and brought her back at night, apparently having gone for no other object but to amuse her.’[2] The Duke was to receive yet more news of French movements on the 14th, but still did nothing until 3 p.m. on the following day.[3] This time it was not a rumour, but a definite report informing him that the Prussians were being attacked. He at last ordered a concentration of his divisions at their respective designated areas where they were to hold and be ready to move at a moments notice. It was only then that the Prince of Orange was told to collect his 2nd and 3rd Divisions at Nivelles.[4] When a dispatch was received that evening from Marshal Blücher setting out the Prussian commander’s intention to make a stand with his army at Sombreffe, Wellington, instead of conforming to the Prussian plan and moving his army to their support, ordered the 3rd Division to move towards Nivelles; the 1st Division to Braine-le-Comte; the 2nd Division and the 4th Division and the cavalry to Enghien. By these orders the Duke’s army was concentrating away from the Prussians, and shows that he still considered that the French intended to make a turning movement towards Mons and Ath. There can be no doubt that the Duke had indeed been “ Humbugged” by Napoleon. After sending out these orders Wellington made his way to the Duchess of Richmond’s ball, arriving just after 10 p.m. and remaining there until 2 a.m. in the morning. Only upon receipt of a report from General Dörnberg, who was at Mons, telling him that the French had moved on Charleroi with all their forces, and that there was no threat in the direction he anticipated, did Wellington then order, ‘the whole army to march on Quatre-Bras.’[5]
[1] See, Sir Herbert Maxwell’s, The Life of Wellington, Vol. II, page 10. Quoted in J.F.C.Fuller, The Decisive Battles of the Western World, footnote 3, page 502 [2] Ibid, page 502 [3] Ibid, page 502 [4] See Lady Elizabeth Longford, Wellington, The Years of the Sword, page 499. Here one is informed, albeit unintentionally, how Wellington still lingered over his dinner, replying to toasts. [5] J.F.C.Fuller, The Decisive Battles of the Western World, page 503. In fact Wellington still retained some 17,000 troops at Hal, still believing that Napoleon would attempt to turn his flank. These troops took no part in any of the battles fought on the 16th –18th June. |
|||||||
|
||||||||
