ten o'clock before
Sacken 's men had started after breakfast in a rather leisurely way , and they had not progressed very far when Nansouty surprised them . The French rode down the advance regiments , threw the heads of the columns into confusion , and then galloped back to the shelter of the wood . Believing that he was about to be attacked in force , Sacken deployed , wasting much valuable time before he discovered this was only a cavalry feint , whereupon he moved forward . It was ten o'clock before he reached a large farm called Haute-Épine . By that time Napoleon was ready for him . He had left Marmont back at Champaubert to hold back Blücher . He threw Mortier forward on the Château-Thierry road to check Yorck .