It is getting very rare to find a lower priced box these days due to Ebay Sharks making a killing on postage charges. Some boxes are over £30.00. However to he who waits a chance often comes. So I took fresh opportunity when it presented itself and bought another box of the Highlander Flank Company priced at £22.75 postage free. So adding another 60 to the rolls of Waterloo,that gives me 120 aggressive Scots to charge alongside the British Heavy Cavalry Brigade smashing their way into the French Columns.
Sure its only in written form as yet,but descriptive writing is the style to grab the imagination of others well before any painting begins.
BRITAINS TOY FIGURES with the correct pose.
The Scots Greys Dragoons were given the full credit for that action,by Wellington and Historians past and present. However after looking into it, under Lord Uxbridge`s orders all the Heavy Cavalry held in reserve were committed. Plus General Pictons infantry The Scots Bastards as they were often rudely referred too,were also there in the thick of it. Others too were caught up into it too.
The French 12 and 8 pounders had been firing for over two and a half hours pasting the heck out of General W.F. Count Van Bijlandt`s Brigade from the 2nd Netherlands Infantry Division. These were positioned on the forward sloop in full view of the French Gunners . This unlucky mixed bag of raw green troops and militia were being cut to pieces by iron chain, Horse shoe nails, canister with musket ball and the solid 8 and 12 pounder shot. They had been in action at Quatre Bras the day before and had acted bravely well and were commended for it, but they were still green troops. On the far side sloop most British and Allied troops were ordered to lay down. I cannot comprehend why these brave lads one and all were ordered to stand their ground,and by who? But stand they did.
Later when they were ordered to fall back to the far sloop, it was seen as a retreat by Ney who ordered the massed cavalry attack and further attacks throughout that bloody afternoon.
Around 1.30 pm
d` Erion`s 1 Corps was ordered to begin the main assault against Wellingtons Line.
A constant sea of blue and white filtered its way through the now silent French Grand Battery of 84 Guns and hundreds of supply limbers. They the French reformed and advanced in four massed columns consisting of 200 men in the front line and stacked up behind these another 24 or 27 well packed rows followed.
( I hope I get the all names right? )
With Marshal Ney and d`Erion`s in front
Joachim Quiots 1st Infantry Division lead the attack.
Then followed in succession came General Francois-Xavier Donzetot`s
2nd Infantry Division.
Then General Pierre-Louis Marcognots 3rd Infantry Division.
Finely followed by General Joseph-Francois Durutte`s 4th Infantry Division.
Both flanks were protected by hundreds of French Cuirassiers and French Line Lancers.
There was mud that sucked off boots and shoes and clogs alike as they advanced. It built up claylike in formation upon the soles of boots with every step made,making them darn heavy, and nowhere was there to scrap the build up off.
The men of the 95th Rifles were picking these guys off while they reformed and advanced in solid line of gun site. A fairground shooting gallery comes to mind, knock one down and another steps forward. As the columns came on the Riflemen fell back to the sandpit up the forward sloop. Two British Guns placed upon the road just past La Haye sainte, boomed out their own flaming shot into the French now attacking that farm below them. Finally they fired their last shot and took a wheel off both Guns sending them rolling down the road cram -packed with French troops. The orders were given Take a wheel off the Guns rather than spiking them. Only Captain Mercer would disobey that order of the day.
Leaving the drifting smog of that place.
I hope to see you again next time. BB