The sculpting etc. is superb. Did Cuirassiers ever break a British Square though? KGL Cavalry broke two French squares in the closing stages of Salamanca
Mike.
Hi Mike, Although squares are generally considered impregnable it would largely depend on the reliability of the troops, the discipline of the officers and whether the attack was being supported by artillary / infantry.
The incident of the 69th at Quatre Bras that Alan quotes may not be that simple. In his book "A desperate business" Ian Fletcher quotes Lieutenant Pigot of the 69th as saying ""Captain" Lindsey halted the grenadier company, and companies 1 and 2, in
the act of forming square, in order to face about and open fire on the cuirassiers 'but for that we should have got into square, as it was these companies ( that) were really cut down."
This incident could be therefore depicted with the castle miniatures model.
Allthough the squares at Waterloo are said to have been unbroken it's worth noting that contrary to the popular belief that the French cavalry were unsupported, they did have some horse batteries which blasted the squares while the cavalry were regrouping.
Andrew w Field in his book "Waterloo the French perspective"quotes a French lancer as saying " It has been said that the Dragoons and Mouunted grenadiers...broke several squares.....(but) personally I did not see it"
To avoid French bias,Field then goes on to quote only allied sources. Constant-Rebecque comments on the Nassau contingent composed of young and inexperienced troops who he said had to be "brought back several times" and who were put into "complete disorder when a shell exploded amidst their ranks"
Field also quotes Beamish's history - "the two squares formed by Kielmansegge's brigade were terribly mutilated .......and an opening was almost effected in this part of the Allied line for one flank of the right square was swept away, the square being reduced to the form of a triangle.......and the left square fell back
nearly broken."
More tellingly, Field quotes a KGL officer as saying "While busy keeping the men firm in their ranks closing up the vacuities as the balls (cannon) swept off the men...a regiment of cuirassiers darted like a thunderbolt among us". Field concludes that the square must have been broken but reformed after being saved by a counter charge by the Horse Guards.
A "British soldier" is also quoted as saying "The next square to us...were unfortunately broken into and retired in confusion followed by the Cuirassiers but the Life Guards coming up the the French....were obliged to retrograde and the 33rd and 69th returned their position in square.
Due to the Regiments quoted this last quote could also refer to the Quatre Bras incident but the Horse Guards involvement doesn't support that.
Overall, solitary eye witnesses reports, in isolation, cannot always be taken at 100% veracity due to the confusion of battle, Regimental pride and blatant self publicity which could be being exercised. I personally think squares, under the right (or wrong), circumstances could be broken, but it would be the rare exception.
David
