about five o'clock in the evening
Why it was not battered to pieces with artillery no one knows . At any rate , it occupied practically the whole of Reille 's corps during the whole long afternoon of fighting . The space between Hougomont and La Haye Sainte was about a thousand yards . La Haye Sainte was assaulted also but , to anticipate events , it held out until about five o'clock in the evening , when , after another wonderful defense , it was carried . The French established themselves in it eighty yards from Wellington 's line . Meanwhile the French had not confined their efforts to the isolated forts , if they may be so called , on Wellington 's center and left center . After a tremendous artillery duel d'Erlon 's men had been formed up for that massed attack for which the Emperor was famous , and with which it was expected the English line would be pierced and the issue decided .