The French fight the British to a draw at Quatre-Bras, but defeat the Prussians at Ligny. Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher rejects the advice of his chief of staff, General August von Gneisenau to retreat and instead moves north to Wavre to keep contact with Wellington. Napoleon, enraged that Ney has let Wellington withdraw to ground of his choosing, directs 30,000 men under Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy to pursue Blücher and keep the Prussians from rejoining the British, while he leads his remaining force against Wellington.