The Campaign of Waterloo: A Military History: Third EditionRopes, John Codman
History
The Campaign of Waterloo: A Military History: Third Edition
Ropes, John Codman
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
This army was organized, as we have said above, into two corps and a
reserve, in addition to which was a large body of cavalry, and a
small force of reserve artillery. There were six (so-called) British
divisions in the army, only one of which, the 1st, Cooke’s, was
composed entirely of British troops,—the Guards; the others contained
troops of the King’s German Legion and Hanoverians. To each of these
divisions were attached two batteries. Six troops of horse-artillery
were attached to the cavalry.
The 1st and 3d British divisions, those of Cooke and Alten, with the
2d and 3d Dutch-Belgian divisions of Perponcher and Chassé, composed
the 1st Corps under the Prince of Orange. They covered the front of
the army from Quatre Bras to and beyond Enghien, occupying the country
in and around Nivelles, Roeulx, Soignies and Braine-le-Comte. They
numbered 25,233 men, with 48 guns.
The 2d and 4th British divisions, those of Clinton and Colville, with
the 1st Dutch-Belgian division of Stedmann, and Anthing’s Indian
brigade, constituted the 2d Corps under Lord Hill. They continued the
line of the army to the north and west, occupying the country in and
around Ath, Grammont and Audenarde. They numbered 24,033 men, with 40
guns.
The Reserve, or rather that portion of it destined for service in
the field, and not counting the troops on garrison-duty, was under
the immediate direction of the commander-in-chief. It was composed
of the 5th and 6th British divisions, those of Picton and Cole, of
the Brunswick Corps under the Duke of Brunswick, and of the Nassau
contingent under General Kruse. They numbered 20,563 men, with 64 guns.
The British and King’s German Legion cavalry was composed of seven
brigades, the whole under Lord Uxbridge. They numbered 8,473 men. To
this corps were attached, as has been stated, six horse batteries. This
cavalry was stationed mainly in rear of the 2d Corps, near Ninove and
Grammont; but one brigade under General Dörnberg was at and in the
neighborhood of Mons.
The Hanoverian, Brunswick and Dutch-Belgian cavalry were attached
respectively to the various divisions of these troops. They numbered
6,009 men, with one horse-battery of 8 guns.
To recapitulate:—
1st Corps: Prince of Orange 25,233 Men
2d Corps: Lord Hill 24,033 „
Reserve 20,563 „
Lord Uxbridge’s cavalry corps 8,473 „
Other Cavalry 6,009 „
Artillery—196 guns 8,166 „
Engineers, &c. 1,240 „
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Total as above given 93,717 „
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