Which unit of the French Imperial Guard made the final assault at Waterloo?

The Middle Guard made the final assault by Napoleon’s Imperial Guard at Waterloo. On the evening of 18 June 1815, Napoleon committed several Guard battalions against Wellington’s Anglo-Allied centre in a last attempt to break the coalition line.

The attack included veteran units of the Middle Guard, particularly the 3rd and 4th Chasseurs and Grenadiers. They advanced up the ridge but met concentrated musketry and artillery fire, while Prussian troops were arriving on the French right. The Guard’s advance faltered, and the wider French army began to collapse.

A common mistake is to answer “Old Guard,” because the Old Guard had the highest prestige and formed Napoleon’s ultimate reserve. However, most of the Old Guard did not make this main final assault. Elements of the Old Guard later formed defensive squares around La Belle Alliance and covered the retreat. “Young Guard” is also misleading: it fought earlier in the battle, including at Plancenoit.