Napoleon Victorious! by Peter G Tsouras

Author:Peter G Tsouras [Tsouras, Peter G]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Historical
ISBN: 9781784382087
Publisher: Greenhill Books
Published: 2017-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

8:30 a.m. – Quatre Bras

The courier from Soult found Napoleon just after he arrived at Quatre Bras at the head of the Guard. He could already hear the report of the guns rolling south from Braine l’Alleud. He opened the dispatch quickly. He smiled as he read it. He turned to Berthier. ‘Soult has nailed Wellington to Mont St Jean. I would have thought he would be scurrying north by now. All the better. My brother’s division is locked in battle for the key to Wellington’s retreat, Braine l’Alleud. The rest of Reille’s corps is in support of the Prince. D’Erlon’s corps is threatening the enemy’s other flank.’ At that moment, another courier arrived along the Nivelles road. This time Napoleon positively beamed when he read it. ‘Ah, perfect! The National Guard force and the garrison of Lille have interposed themselves across Wellington’s communications with Ostend and are skirmishing with a British force at Hal.’ He looked back at the glittering body of generals and aides and behind them the bayonets and bearskins of the Guard that filled the road into the distance. ‘Gentlemen, let us make haste, or Soult will win the battle without us!’

Monthion had worked out the march organization to bring as much of the army to the battle as soon as possible. Since the Guard and cavalry filled the roads, Vandamme’s and Gérard’s corps were allowed several hours more sleep after their hard fighting of the day before. Between his map analysis and the aides he sent to explore the roads, he found a parallel route for Grouchy’s cavalry corps to reach the battlefield quickly from Marbais. He had even found a place at the end of the main column for Coutelle and his balloon.

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