Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Elba and the Hundred Days, 1814-1815; Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
The Fourth Division was the next on the right, having its Head Quarters
at Audenarde on the Scheldt, and occupying also Renaix. One Brigade
of this Division (the Sixth Hanoverian) garrisoned the fortress of
Nieuport on the coast. The First Dutch-Belgian Division was cantoned in
villages bordering upon the high road connecting Grammont with Ghent;
and the so-called Indian Brigade occupied villages between this line
and Alost.
The Reserve consisted
of the Fifth Division, under Lieutenant General Sir THOMAS PICTON;
of the Sixth Division, under Lieutenant General the Hon. Sir LOWRY
COLE;
of the Brunswick Division, under the Duke of BRUNSWICK;
of the Hanoverian Corps, under Lieutenant General VON DER DECKEN;
and of the Contingent of the Duke of NASSAU, which comprised the 1st
Regiment of Nassau Infantry, containing three Battalions, and forming
a Brigade under the command of General VON KRUSE.
The Fifth and Sixth Divisions, and the Brunswick Division, were
quartered principally in and around Brussels, excepting the Seventh
Brigade, which together with VON DER DECKEN's Corps, the 13th Veteran
Battalion, the 1st Foreign Battalion, and the 2nd Garrison Battalion,
garrisoned Antwerp, Ostend, Nieuport, Ypres, Tournai, and Mons; and VON
KRUSE's Nassau Brigade was cantoned between Brussels and Louvain.
Of the fortresses already mentioned, those which had not been destroyed
by the French when they gained possession of the country in 1794,
namely, Antwerp, Ostend, and Nieuport, were strengthened, and each
rendered capable of holding out a siege. By taking every possible
advantage offered by the remains of the old fortifications, and by
the continued employment of 20,000 labourers, through requisitions on
the country, in addition to the military working parties, and by the
accession of artillery and stores from England and Holland, the towns
of Ypres, Tournai, Mons, Ath, and the Citadel of Ghent, were placed
in a state of defence, and a Redoubt was constructed at Audenarde to
protect the Sluice Gates, which afforded the means of inundating that
part of the country.
* * * * *
The Cavalry of the Anglo-Allied Army, commanded by Lieutenant General
the Earl of UXBRIDGE, consisted of seven Brigades, comprising the
British and the King's German Legion; of a Hanoverian Brigade; of five
Squadrons of Brunswick Cavalry; and of three Brigades of Dutch-Belgian
Cavalry.
The British and King's German Legion Cavalry, with the Hanoverian
Brigade, were stationed at Grammont and Ninove, and in villages
bordering upon the Dender. The Brunswick Cavalry was dispersed in
the vicinity of Brussels. The First Brigade of Dutch-Belgian Cavalry
was cantoned in the neighbourhood of Roeulx; the Second Brigade, in
villages between Roeulx and Mons; and the Third Brigade, partly on the
south side of Mons, in the direction of Maubeuge and Beaumont, and
partly between Binche and Mons.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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