D'Erlon's Assault with Muskets and Shakos: Part Two, the Crisis

Got in a few more turns today and things are shaping up nicely.

The French advance continued apace, driving back the  ever thinning Allied skirmish line.

All the while the French guns were slowly whittling down the Allied batteries on the ridge.

The French skirmishers soon reached the top the ridge and the Allied gunners withdrew.

The hedge and road were now held only by two under strength Dutch/Belgian battalions and a few companies of the Rifles.

When the first French battalion reached the hedge they were met with an effective volley from the Belgians. The commander of the battalion fell and the unit fell into disorder.

Still their return fire sent the Belgians running...

...right into the Scots who also took flight!

This most unexpected development  left a bit of a hole in the Allied line.

Things seemed to be going my way. With 12 battalions in various states of readiness bearing down on the two remaining British battalions holding the ridge line things really couldn't be going much better.

The British battalions extended right and left to lessen the gap left by the Scots.

My left hand brigade reached the hedge while the remaining skirmishers exchanged fire with the 21st on my right.

The commander of the 21st fell, and his battalion fell into disorder. Unfortunately I haven't any formed troops near enough to capitalize on the event.

The lead battalion of the right hand brigade is now crossing the hedge and exchanging fire with the 62nd foot.

So far things have pretty much followed the historical script. The details have varied but the overall theme has survived. The French are cresting the ridge and heavily out number the remaining Allied battalions  to their front.

Now the stage is set for the British cavalry charge. I finally decided to leave the Lueneberg battalion out of the struggle, so the main change from the historical battle is that the two French cuirassier regiments that will face the Household cavalry will be fresh.

Not sure if that will change anything. I am keen to find out though.

Hopefully more tomorrow.