Charge of the Imperial Guard at Waterloo Quiz

Answer: 9

Shortly after Napoleon's right flank had been secured at Plancenoit, Napoleon decided to commit the Guard. The leading five battalions were from the Middle Guard, and the three others were from the Old Guard (Chassuers). One battalion of the Middle Guard - the 2nd/3rd Grenadiers - was held in reserve mid way between Hougoumont and La Haie Sainte.

In all, there five in the first line and three in the second. Some 5,000 men on a frontage of about 1 kilometre supported by 16 guns advanced.

Answer: They were formed in square and held at the crossroad south of La Belle Alliance

The remaining contingent of the Guard - The two battalions of the Grenadiers of the Old Guard were positioned near the Emperor (the Guard was never committed to battle except on the orders of the Emperor himself!) to the south by La Belle Alliance. Had they been committed along with the other eight, they might well have made the difference in a breakthrough.

They were not far from Decostor's house and straddled the Genappe Roard along with the Guard Engineers and Marines.

Answer: 600

Tricky one, this! Accounts vary, but not by much. In the Division of Grenadiers (GOC General de Division Comte Louis Friant) there were approximately 4,489 men; this included Old and Middle Guard. The Division of Chasseurs a Pied had 4,789 (GOC General de Division Comte Charles Anotoine Morand.

The actual strength of each battalion varied, and numbered between ranged from 531 (1st/3rd, 2nd/3rd and 4th Chassuers of the Middle Guard) to 654 (2nd/1st of the Chassuers à Pied of the Old Guard).

Answer: The guns of the French artillery

Without doubt the artillery caused the most damage. It is uncertain exactly which units took part in the action (the Imperial Guards had 16 guns in support, but there would certainly have been other guns available), the Guard Horse Artilery were amongst them. Roundshot, shell and canister fell amidst the tightly packed British troops reaping carnage. Halkett's Brigade was audaciously pounded from a distance of less than 100 metres by a battery of Old Guard Horse Artillery commanded by Duchard.

Answer: The Brunswick and Kruse Brigade

Donzelot's attack on the right, west of the Genappe Road, did pose a very real threat to Wellington's flank. The area north of La Haie Sainte had suffered earlier in the assault from d'Erlon's troops. Most of the troops there now were badly mauled or just unreliable. Wellington saw the danger & galloped over, steadied the Brunswickers and halted the Nassauers (who had begun to quit the field).

The presence of the Duke, and maybe the arrival of Vivian's cavalry brigade, not only persuaded them to stay but also mount an attack on the French.

Answer: They had been hard hit by the French at Quatre Bras two days earlier, and lost much of their compliment

The depleted ranks of Highlanders, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire battalions faced the onslaught of the advancing Guard as they topped the ridge. Major-General Hackett ordered a volley, and once the smoke had evapourated, to their disbelief, they saw the "Backs of the Imperials flying in a mass". It was to be short lived, the attack had not failed - yet!

Answer: Major-General Peregrine Maitland 1st (BR) Brigade

As the bearskin-capped Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard rounded the top of the ridge, it seemed as though the British had fled! With shouldered arms they came on. On reaching the crest, from a distance of perhaps 25 metres, the Duke shouted "Now Maitland, now's your time!" Then, from out of the corn rose 1,400 men of the British Guards Brigade, in a line 4 men deep and a frontage of some 250 metres.

A volley thundered down the slope killing the French Regimental Commander Michel and two battalion commanders, Cardinal and Angelet, along with 200 French Guardsmen - 20% of those who had managed to make it thus far up the muddy, bloody slope.

Answer: The 52nd Regiment of Foot (Oxfordshire Light Infantry)

The Chassuers à Pied faltered and halted, Maitland's Guards were ready with fixed bayonets, but the steady, inexorable advance of the 4th Chassuers to their left checked the British. The 52nd commanded by Penninsular veteran Colonel Sir John Colbourne KCB and his 1,130 men (the lagest battalion in Wellington's Army) had been withdrawn under the threat of the French cavalry.

As the Imperial Guard approached, Colbourne spotted the vulnurability of the French formation, and ordered the 52nd out of the tall grain, and wheeled them left parallel to the French line of advance; "To make the column feel our fire!", Colbourne told Adam, his superior.

The Guard halted and right wheeled - thus losing all momentum. Fire poured into them from two sides. The Duke had previously sent an order to Colbourne, but had not yet arrived, to do exactly that! The 52nd along with the 95th Rifles began a bayonet attack. By 19:50 the Guard were in full flight!

Answer: General de Brigade Baron Petit

Although Friant was the Divisional Commander, he was wounded in leading the attack on the ridge. Friant was left behind with the "Oldest of the Old" to guard the Emperor - Napoleon later sought safety in the square of the 1st Battalion. The 1st/1st and the 2nd/1st remained out of the conflict and were positioned either side of the Genappe Road, south of La Belle Alliance.

They numbered about 1,200 men; they had fought in 20-25 campaigns, and four out of five soldiers proudly wore the Legion d'Honneur. Each square was said to be 10 ranks deep.

It would have made a tuly impressive, magnificent sight.

Answer: General de Brigade Comte Cambronne

"****! The Guard dies, but does not surrender!" was said by Cambronne in the retreating, depleted square of the Chassuers on their way to the farm of La Belle Alliance - their numbers now down to less than 200. Although, in later years, after marrying a wealthy English socialite he denied having use any expletive, he was a rough spoken, hard-as-nails soldier, and it was very likely he did use such language. Cambronne was caputured during the rout, in person, by no less than Colonel Sir Colin Halkett!