Hill
Along a portion of this road, principally consisting of a hollow way, were posted in advance, some Light Troops of the Anglo-Allied Army. They formed a part of the Fourth Brigade of the Fourth Division (under Colonel Mitchell), attached to the Second Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Hill. The Brigade consisted of the 3rd Battalion of the 14th British Regiment (under Lieutenant Colonel Tidy), of the 23rd Fusiliers (under Colonel Sir Henry Ellis), and of the 51st British Light Infantry (under Lieutenant Colonel Rice), which troops were disposed in the following manner.
Along that portion of the Hougomont Avenue which is nearest to the Nivelles road was extended the Light Company of the 23rd Regiment. On its right was an abatis, which had been thrown across the great road; and close upon the right of this artificial obstacle, a Company of the 51st Regiment was posted. Four more Companies of this Regiment, and the Light Company of the 14th, were extended along the hollow way alluded to as stretching across the ridge, on the extreme Left of the French position. The remainder of the 51st stood in Column of Support, about two hundred yards in rear of the hollow way. The 23rd Regiment was stationed on the left of the Nivelles road, on the reverse slope, and immediately under the crest of the main ridge, in rear of the Second Brigade of Guards. The 14th Regiment was posted in Column on the southern descent from the plateau, on which was assembled the Second British Division; and from the view which it possessed of the ground occupied by the 51st, it was well placed as a Reserve to the Light Infantry. In a ravine, descending from the immediate Right of the Skirmishers of the Brigade down into the valley, was posted a Squadron of the 15th British Hussars (under Captain Wodehouse), from which a Picquet was detached to the right of the abatis, as also an intermediate one for keeping up the communication; and some Vedettes were thrown out to the right, having in their front a continuation of the ravine, possessing a more marked and distinct character.
The troops posted upon the plateau already described as situated on the west of the Nivelles road and in front of the Village of Merbe Braine, and which, together with Colonel Mitchell's Brigade, constituted the extreme Right of the Anglo-Allied Army, under the command of Lord Hill, were available either as a Reserve to the main Line of Battle, or as a defence against any hostile attempt upon the Right Flank. They consisted of the main body of the Second Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton. This was composed of the Third British Light Brigade, under Major General Sir Frederick Adam; of the First Brigade of the King's German Legion, under Colonel du Plat; and of the Third Hanoverian Brigade, under Colonel Halkett.
Adam's Brigade, consisting of the 52nd Regiment (under Colonel Sir John Colborne), of the 71st Regiment (under Colonel Reynell), of the 2nd Battalion of the 95th Regiment (under Lieutenant Colonel Norcott), and two Companies of the 3rd Battalion of the latter Corps (under Lieutenant Colonel Ross), was, previous to the commencement of the Battle, posted between the Village of Merbe Braine and the Nivelles road, near where the latter is intersected by the cross road leading to Braine l'Alleud: but as soon as the first attack was made upon Hougomont (with which the Battle opened), it was advanced beyond this cross road, and stood, in Battalion Columns of Companies, at quarter distance, on the plateau; whence it overlooked the Nivelles road, and had a full view of that portion of the main Front Line to which the troops of Clinton's Division formed a Reserve.
Du Plat's Brigade of the King's German Legion, consisting of the 1st Line Battalion (under Major Robertson), of the 2nd (under Major Müller), of the 3rd (under Lieutenant Colonel Wissell), and of the 4th (under Major Reh), stood in Open Column, near the foot of the slope descending towards the Nivelles road.
Halkett's Brigade, consisting of the Landwehr Battalions Bremervörde (under Lieutenant Colonel von der Schulenburg), Salzgitter (under Major Hammerstein), Osnabrück (under Major Count Münster), and Quackenbrück (under Major von dem Bussche Hünefeld), was posted in Contiguous Close Columns of Battalions, on the north side of the plateau, near the village of Merbe Braine.
The Second general Line of the Anglo-Allied Army consisted entirely of Cavalry, British and German. Posted partly on the reverse slope of the main ridge, and partly in the hollows in rear, it was entirely screened from the Enemy's observation. The Brigades were formed, for the most part, by Regiments, in Close Columns of Squadrons, at deploying intervals.