The 3d division of the Netherlands, lieutenant-general Chassé, (who so gallantly defended the citadel of Antwerp in 1832,) was under lord Hill: its 1st brigade, under colonel Ditmers, was composed of the 33d battalion of Belgian light infantry, and the 2d of the line, with the 4th, 6th, 17th, and 19th battalions of Dutch militia. It occupied the town of Braine-l’Alleud; the 17th was posted a little nearer to the 2d British division, to keep up the communication.
The 2d brigade, under major-general d’Aubremé, composed of the 36th Belgian light infantry, the 3d, the 12th, and the 13th line, and the 10th militia, was at the farm of Vieux-Forêt, beyond Braine-l’Alleud, for the security of our right flank, and to keep open the communication with our detached forces at Hal, etc., for the protection of our extreme right. The 6th British brigade thus detached was composed of the 35th, 55th, 59th, and 91st regiments, under major-general Johnstone, with the 6th Hanoverian brigade, major-general sir James Lyon, and two regiments of Hanoverian cavalry, under colonel Erstorff, and a division of Netherlanders, under prince Frederick of Holland. These troops were thus posted for the protection of Brussels against a coup de main by any detached force of the enemy[28].
The reader will observe that the principal advantages of the allied position were.
1º The junction of the two high-roads immediately in rear of our centre, from which branched off the paved broad road to Brussels, our main line of operation, and the paved road to the capital by Braine-l’Alleud and Alsemberg. This added to the facility of communication, and enabled us to move ammunition, guns, troops, the wounded, etc., to or from any part of our main front line, as circumstances demanded.
2º The advanced posts of Hougoumont, La Haye-Sainte, Papelotte, and La Haye farms, near which no enemy could pass without being assailed in flank by musketry.
3º The continuous ridge from flank to flank towards which no hostile force could advance undiscovered, within range of our artillery upon the crest. Behind this ridge our troops could manœuvre, or lie concealed from the enemy’s view, while they were in great measure protected from the fire of the hostile batteries.
4º Our extreme left was strong by nature. The buildings, hollow-ways, enclosures, trees and brushwood, along the valley from Papelotte to Ohain, thickly peopled with light infantry, would have kept a strong force long at bay. Our batteries on the left on the knoll commanded the valley and the slopes. The ground from those batteries to Ohain, which was occupied till near eight o’clock P.M. by Vandeleur’s and Vivian’s brigades, was admirably adapted for cavalry.
5º Our extreme right was secured by numerous patches of brushwood, trees and ravines, and further protected by hamlets, and by lord Hill’s troops en potence, part of which occupied Braine-l’Alleud and the farm of Vieux-Forêt, on the height above that town.
Between nine and ten o’clock, the French began to take up their position in our front, on an opposite ridge running nearly parallel to ours; their centre being near La Belle-Alliance, about fourteen hundred yards from ours; their right running east along the ridge towards Frischermont. At two hundred yards behind La Belle-Alliance is a cross-road, leading from Plancenoit to the Nivelles road, and intersecting the latter about midway between Hougoumont and Mon-Plaisir, at which point there are now two small houses built, and visible from the allied right wing. It was near this point that the French left terminated.
The French right wing was the 1st corps, under lieutenant-general count d’Erlon, the same, (with the exception of Durutte’s infantry and Jacquinot’s cavalry divisions, which were at Ligny,) that had been marching and countermarching between Gosselies, Ligny and Frasnes on the 16th, and which, up to this time, had not fired a shot during the campaign. It was composed of four divisions of infantry, and one of light cavalry. The 2d or left division, under general Donzelot, had its left upon La Belle-Alliance. It consisted of the 13th light, and 17th, 19th, 51st of the line, and was drawn up, like the whole of their front, in two lines about sixty yards apart. On their right was the 1st division, under general Alix: the 28th, 54th, 55th, and 105th of the line. On their right was the 3d division, under lieutenant-general Marcognet: the 21st, 25th, 45th, and 46th of the line. On their right was the 4th division, under general Darutte: the 8th, 29th, 85th, 95th of the line. The 1st division of cavalry, under general Jacquinot, was on the right of this corps: it consisted of the 3d and 7th light dragoons, and the 3d and 4th lancers, with seven batteries to the corps.