The road from Brussels, passing through the forest of Soignies and the village of Waterloo, reaches the hamlet of Mont St. Jean, where it bifurcates: the one to the right leading to Nivelles, while that which goes straight on leads through Genappe to Charleroi. Nearly three-quarters of a mile from this fork the Charleroi road is crossed at right angles by a cross-country road, leading on the left to Wavre, on the right to Braine-la-Leud. About a quarter of a mile from this cross, and on the right-hand side of the road to Charleroi, is the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte, with a garden or orchard running along the road. On the opposite side of the road was a knoll with a sandpit at its base, and behind this sandpit was a strong hedge running parallel to the Wavre road for about 140 yards. In the sandpit were placed two companies of the 1st Battalion under Brevet Major Leach; another company, William Johnston’s, lined the hedge; and the remaining three companies lined the Wavre road from its junction with that leading to Charleroi. As the Battalion formed column to move up to this position, a shot from one of the enemy’s guns struck a rear-rank man of the rear company. He was the first man of the Battalion who fell at Waterloo. A party of men under George Simmons were sent to cut wood to form an _abattis_, which the Riflemen constructed on the Charleroi road, at the point where the hedge abutted on it. [Illustration: _Pl. I._ WATERLOO 18^{TH} JUNE 1815 From 4.30 to 6.30 o’clock, p.m. _E. Weller, lith., London._ _London: Chatto & Windus._ ]