Hougoumont

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For other usage, see Hougoumont (disambiguation).

View of the Hougoumont farm from the north

Château d'Hougoumont is a large farmhouse situated at the bottom of an escarpment near the Nivelles road. The escarpment is where British and other allied forces faced Napoleon's Army at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815.

Before the battle started, Hougoumont and its gardens, located on the allies' right flank, were hastily fortified. It was garrisoned by the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, part of General John Byng's 2nd Brigade of Guards, the rest of which were positioned in its rear. The Coldstream Guards was for some time under the command of Lieut. Colonel James Macdonnell, and afterwards the command of Colonel Home.

Napoleon planned to draw Wellington's reserve to Wellington's right flank in defence of Hougoumont and then attack through the centre left of the British and allies' front near La Haye Sainte. The battle started at 10:00 with a furious attack upon Hougoumont. This first attack failed and it set a pattern for the rest of the day.

Wall of the Hougoumont farm

Hougoumont became a battle within a battle. Throughout that day its stubborn defence drew thousands of valuable French troops, but did not draw in Wellington's reserves as Napoleon had anticipated. The French forces sent in to attack Hougoumont included:

nearly the entire II Corps under the command of General Count Honore Reille, consisiting of detachments of the 6th Division under the command of Jerome, (Napoleon's brother), the divisions of Comte Maximilien Foy (9th), Guilleminot and Joseph Bachelu (5th).
Kellermann's cavalry corps

Maréchal de Camp Baudouin's 1st Brigade of the 5th Division failed to enter Hougoumont on the north side. General de Brigade Baron Soye's 2nd Brigade of the 6th Division managed a small breach on the south side but could not exploit it. Sous-Lieutenant Legros, wielding an axe, managed to break through the north gate. Macdonell and other Guards managed to shut the gate, trapping Legros and about 30 other soldiers of the 1st Legere inside. All of the French who entered, apart from a young drummer boy, were killed in a desperate hand to hand fight.^[1]

The name "Hougoumont" is derived from "Gomme Mont" which means "Gum hill". It was built on a little hill with pine trees around it, from which pine gum was collected to make turpentine.

In June 2006, the farm appears to be in a degraded state. The walls which where once near pristine white are now a dirty yellow. Several walls are cracked and parts are clearly damaged, most notably the right-hand door post of the main entrance.

Gate on the south side	Remembering the Coldstream Guards	Gate on the north side attacked by French 1st Legere defended by British Guards	Hougoumont
Wall on the south side