| | | 18,090| 2,004| 30| +----------------+-------------------------------+--------+--------+----+ The following is the amount of force which Marshal NEY had actually in the Field:-- +-----------------------------+---------+--------+-----+ | |Infantry.|Cavalry.| Guns| | +---------+--------+-----+ |Fifth Infantry Division | 5,003| | | |Sixth do. do. | 6,591| | | |Ninth do. do. | 4,595| | | |3 Divisional Foot Batteries | | | 24| |1 Reserve Foot Battery | | | 8| |Second Cavalry Division | | 1,729| | |1 Battery of Horse Artillery | | | 6| | +---------+--------+-----+ | | 16,189| 1,729| 38| +-----------------------------+---------+--------+-----+ The cannonade which had opened against the Fifth British Division as it took up its ground, continued with unabated vigour. The French Light Troops were now observed advancing from the inclosures that skirted the foot of their position, and to meet them the Light Companies of the different Regiments of PICTON's Division were immediately thrown forward. On the French extreme Right all further progress was checked by the gallant manner in which the 1st Battalion 95th British Regiment, though opposed by a much superior force, retained possession of the Namur road, which they lined with their Skirmishers, while the Wood in rear was occupied by the Battalion Reserve and the 2nd Brunswick Light Battalion. On the French Left, however, the incessant rattle of musketry in the Wood of Bossu plainly indicated by its gradual approach in the direction of Quatre Bras, that the Dutch-Belgian Infantry were yielding to the fierce onset of the Enemy in that quarter. The protection which the French would derive from the possession of the eastern portion of this Wood for the advance of their masses over the space between it and the Charleroi road, instantly became apparent to the British Commander; in fact, the previous pursuit of the Dutch-Belgian Cavalry along this road proved the expediency of establishing some restraint to such facility for a hostile advance in that direction; and he therefore requested the Duke of BRUNSWICK to take up a position with a part of his Corps between Quatre Bras and Gemioncourt, so as to have his Left resting upon the road, and his Right communicating with PERPONCHER's Division, part of which was deployed along the skirt of the Wood.