Black Watch Sergeant, Waterloo Campaign, 1815

Black Watch Sergeant during the Waterloo Campaign 1815.

15th June 1815, to the total surprise of the Allied Commanders, Napoleon's French Army marched on Belgium and the Low Countries to free them of their 'royal tyranny'. The 42nd Highlanders as part of Pack's Brigade marched out of Brussels at 4am on the 16th with pipes playing and drums beating. They were heading for the crossroads at Quatre Bras where Wellington's skirmishers had run into Napoleon's advanced guard.

By early afternoon Pack's Brigade arrived and were immediately ordered into positions across the front of the French who outnumbered them considerably and were reinforcing rapidly. Standing in a chest high wheat field the 42nd formed line to engage the French infantry to their front. Meanwhile an enemy light cavalry regiment, who previously had ridden deeply into the British rear were repelled, and on their way back to their front line took the chance of thundering into the rear of the forming Black Watch. At the last moment the Highlanders saw the threat and set about reforming into a square to repel the enemy cavalry. The French meanwhile, spurred into the attack and burst into the middle of the half formed position chaos ensued with the regiment defending itself from both the firepower of the French infantry and the lances of the cavalry within. Such was the courage, discipline and steadfastness of the regiment that it held its discipline and in a desperate fight fought off both the enemy cavalry and infantry.

With the Commanding Officer killed and casualties massing the 42nd joined with the 44th to form a single square on a low ridgeline. Marshall Ney increased the tempo of the attacks and sent massed French cavalry to sweep aside the British Infantry. Cut off from their own cavalry the British Infantry were left to hold off the French. In a climactic 4 hours the British just held their ground, infantry squares were combined and troops fought across the fields in support each other. Both sides blazed away in a battle of attrition. The Battle of Quatre Bras had became a battle of reinforcements with both sides rushing men into action. The British had to hold to support the Prussians to their left at Ligny, the French had to break the line to split the allies and march on Brussels.

After sunset the fighting died down and both sides surveyed the dreadful scene of the Battle. Casualties were unprecedented, 300 officers and men of the Black Watch were killed or wounded and no regiment was singled out for more praise by Wellington than the 42nd Highlanders.
On the 17th June Wellington and the British withdrew back towards the very outskirts of Brussels to make a stand at Waterloo.