Brunswick Uhlans at Waterloo
A few years back, I uncovered mention of an incident that may (or - knowing how unreliable some survivors' recollections were - may not) have occurred towards the final knockings of "The Day" in which the Brunswick Uhlan squadron, possibly acting alongside elements of the Avante-Garde Battalion which had been assisting in the defence of the orchard to the north-east of Hougoumont, charged a battery of French (horse?) artillery operating to the east of the orchard and maybe captured one or two guns. Unfortunately, good old "anno domini" took over and I cannot find any reference to this anywhere. I went back to my old standby, Glovers "Archives" (volumes 5 and 8 on the Germans), but could not find any mention of it in either. I am unaware of any members of the squadron leaving diaries or memoires, so can anyone help by directing this poor lost soul to his goal? I am keen to find further confirmation as to the veracity of the action, since I cannot seem to find any reference to it in any reputable source (and my copy of Adkin is temporarily AWOL).
Many thanks,
Brendan Morrissey
Thanks Brendan,
I’ve got a Napoleonic Association booklet “My Military Experiences” by Major Heinrich Wündenberg.
In 1815 he was in the Hanoverian Militia Bn Hildesheim. Of the cavalry attacks he says on page 24 “Our side also made several cavalry attacks. A regiment of lancers attacked a regiment of French cuirrassiers, who only had swords but without leaving their position, beat them off.”
As there was only one lance armed unit in Wellington’s army this ‘regiment’ must have been the two Uhlan squadrons.
So we have an eyewitness to their activity, if only against other cavalry.