Quatre Bras

Dated: Sept 8, 2002.

This is a text contribution from contributor Mr. Andreas Kopp, (Austria).

A lot of articles, books and essays are written about the engagement at Quatre Bras on 16. June 1815. Especially the case of d'Erlons Corps with its marches and countermarches fills several pages.

But the things that really interested a wargamer, the Order of Battle and the beginning of the engagements of the several units, are spread in several books and it is a hard job to recreate a true picture of the events.

Because a lot of persons in the english speaking world don't know the book of the german author Detlef Wentzlik, Waterloo. Der Feldzug von 1815, Hamburg 1997 it's time for me to refer on this book again. The following article is based on this book (also on David Hamilton-Williams, Waterloo New Perspectives. The Great Battle Reappraised, 1993). In it you can find a full order of battle of the different armies, i.e. the french, allied and prussian. The arrivings of the different troops at Quatre Bras are also taken from this source ( I have to excerpt them from the main text). I put these sources in a tabellarian form which I have'nt have found till yet. So I want to help the wargamers and the collectors of miniature figures, who use their soldiers for tabletop wargaming, to find a true picture of Quatre Bras, the prelude to Waterloo. 

The Battle of Quatre Bras

16. June 1815 – 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. 

The French Army (mostly the II. Corps of the L'Armee du Nord): Marshall Ney, Prince of the Moskwa 

II. Corps Reille 

5. Inf. Division Bachelu ( Starts at 2 p.m.)
   1.Brigade Husson
     •3rd Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 573 soldiers, 2nd Battalion: 572 soldiers
     •61st Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 429, 2nd Battalion: 429
  2.Brigade Campi
     •72nd Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 488, 2nd Battalion 487
     •108th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 467, 2nd Battalion 467, 3rd Battalion: 467
  Artillery
    •18th Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzers

9. Inf. Division Foy ( Starts at 2 p.m.)  
  1.Brigade Gauthier
     •4th Light Regiment: 1st Battalion: 545, 2nd Battalion: 544, 3rd Battalion: 544
     •92nd Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 534, 2nd Battalion: 534
  2.Brigade Jamin
     •93rd Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 496, 2nd Battalion: 495, 3rd Battalion: 495
     •100th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 496, 2nd Battalion: 495, 3rd Battalion: 495
  Artillery
    •1st Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzers    

2. Cav. Divison Pire ( Starts at 2 p.m.)
  1.Brigade Huber
     •1st Chasseurs à Cheval: 485
     •6th Chasseurs à Cheval: 560
  2.Brigade Wathiez
     •5th Lanciers: 412
     •6th Lanciers: 405
  Artillery
     •2nd Company of 4th Horse Art.Reg.: 4 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzers  

Artillery Reserve II. Corps ( Starts at 2 p.m.)
   •7th Company of 2nd Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 12 p. canon, 2 x 6 inch howitzers    

6. Inf. Division Prince Jerome Bonaparte (Starts at 3 p.m.)
  1.Brigade Bauduin
    •1st Light Regiment: 1st Battalion: 630, 2nd Battalion: 629, 3rd Battalion: 629
     •2nd Light Regiment: 1st Battalion: 586, 2nd Battalion: 585, 3rd Battalion: 585, 4th Battalion: 585
  2.Brigade Aulard
    •1st Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 599, 2nd Battalion: 598, 3rd Battalion: 598
     •2nd Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 599, 2nd Battalion: 598, 3rd Battalion: 598
  Artillery
     •2nd Company of 2nd Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzers    

III. Cav. Corps Kellerman (partly) 

11. Cav. Divison L'Heretier ( Starts at 5.20 p.m)
  2. Brigade Guiton
     •8th Cuirassiers: 452 •11th Cuirassiers: 325
  Artillery
     •3rd Company of 2nd Horse Art.Reg.: 4 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

12. Cav. Division d'Hurbal ( Starts at 8.20 p.m.)
  1.Brigade Blancard
     •1st Carabiniers: 433 •2nd Carabiniers: 409      

 The Allied Army:
  The Duke of Wellington (Wellington starts at 3 p.m, coming from his meeting with Fieldmarshall Blücher) 
  Second in command William, Prince of Orange (I. Corps) 

I.Army Corps, The prince of Orange

2nd dutch-belgian Inf. Division Perponcher ( Starts at 2 p.m.)
  1.Brigade Bijlandt
     •27th dutch Hunter Battalion: 809 soldiers
     •7th belg. Line Battalion: 801
     •5th dutch Militia Battalion: 488
     •7th dutch Militia Battalion: 675
     •8th dutch Militia Battalion: 566
  2.Brigade Sachsen-Weimar
     •2nd Nassau Regiment: 1st Battalion: 903, 2nd Battalion: 903, 3rd Battalion: 903
     •Regiment Orange Nassau: 1st Battalion: 791, 2nd Battalion: 790
     •Nassau Volunteer Hunters Corps: 177
  Artillery
     •Bijleveld Horse Art (Part A): 2 x 6 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer
     •Bijleveld Horse Art (Part B): 4 x 6 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer
     •Stievenart Foot Art. (Part A): 6 x 6 p. canon
     •Stievenart Foot Art. (Part B): 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

Army Reserve Corps 

5. Inf. Division Picton
  8. british Brigade Kempt (Starts at 3 pm; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
     •I. Battalion/ 28th Foot: 567
    •I. Battalion/ 32nd Foot: 522
     •I. Battalion/ 79th Foot: 483
     •I. Battalion/ 95th Fott (Rifles): 418
  9. british Brigade Pack
     •III. Battalion/ 1st Foot: 455
     •II. Battalion/ 44th Foot: 512
     •I. Battalion/ 42nd (Royal Highlanders) Foot: 364
     •I. Battalion/ 92nd Foot: 434  

6. Inf. Division Cole
  4. hannoverian Brigade Best (Starts at 3 pm; comes from the N, direction Brussels)
     •Militia (Landwehr) Battalion Verden: 642
     •Militia (Landwehr) Battalion Lüneburg: 647
     •Militia (Landwehr) Battalion Münden: 680
     •Militia (Landwehr) Battalion Osterode: 700
  Artillery (detached from 4. Inf. Division Colville)
     •Hann. Foot Battery Rettberg (Part A): 1 x 9 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer
     •Hann. Foot Battery Rettberg (Part B): 4 x 9 p. canon  

Dutch-Belgian Cav. Divison de Collaert
  2nd Light Cavalry Brigade van Merlen (Starts at 3 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •5th belgian Light Dragoons: 441
     •6th dutch Hussars Regiment: 641  

Brunswick Kontingent Friedrich Wilhelm von Braunschweig
  Avantgarde Battalion: 961(Starts at 3.20 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
  Light Brigade Olfermann (Starts at 3.20 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
     •Guard Battalion: 691
     •2nd Light Inf. Battalion: 691
  Line Brigade Buttlar
     •1st Line Battalion: 691
     •2nd Line Battalion: 691
     •3rd Line Battalion: 691
  Brunswick Hussars: 730
  Uhlans Squadron: 249 

I. Army Corps 

3 .Inf. Division Alten
  5. british Brigade Colin Halkett (Starts at 4.20 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •II. Battalion/ 30th Foot: 649
     •33. Foot: 596
     •II. Battalion/ 69. Foot: 577
     •II. Battalion/ 73. (Higlanders) Foot: 538  

1. Hann. Brigade Kielmannsegge (Starts at 4.40 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •The Duke of Yorks 1st Field Battalion: 632
     •Field Battalion Grubenhagen: 643
     •Field Battalion Bremen: 533
     •Field Battalion Verden: 559
     •Field Battalion Lüneburg: 617
     •Feldjäger Korps: 331 
  Artillery (Starts at 4.40 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •Lloyd's Foot Battery: 5 x 9 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer
     •Cleeves' KGL Foot Battery: 5 x 9 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

Army Reserve Corps 

Nassau Reserve Kontingent Kruse (Starts at 4.40 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
    1.Nassau Regiment: 1st Battalion: 948, 2nd Battalion: 947, 3rd Battalion: 947

I. Army Corps 

1 .Inf. Division Cooke
  1.brit. Brigade Maitland (Starts at 5 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •II. Battalion/ 1st Foot Guards: 798
     •III. Battalion/ 1st Foot Guards: 840
  2.brit. Brigade Byng
     •II. Battalion/ Coldstream Guards: 1121
     •II. Battalion/ 3rd Foot Guards: 1147
  Artillery
     •Sandham's Foot Battery: 5 x 9 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer
     •Kuhlmann's KGL Horse Artillery: 5 x 9 p. canon, 1 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

Cav. Corps Uxbridge

6. Cav. Brigade Vivian (Starts at 7.20 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •10th Hussars: 454
     •18th Hussars: 455
     •1st KGL Hussars: 706    

Army Reserve Corps 

Brunswick Kontingent Friedrich Wilhelm von Braunschweig
  Light Brigade Olfermann
     •1st Light Inf. Battalion: 691 (Starts at 7.30 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
     •3rd Light Inf. Battalion: 691 (Starts at 7.30 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
  Artillery
     •Heinemann's Brunswick Horse Battery: 8 x 6 p. canon (Starts at 7.30 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)
     •Moll's Brunswick Foot Battery: 8 x 6 p. canon (Starts at 7.30 p.m.; comes from the north, direction Brussels)  

I.Army Corps  

3. Inf. Division Alten
  2. KGL Brigade Ompteda (Starts at 7.30 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •1st Light KGL Battalion: 519
     •2nd Light KGL Battalion: 463
     •5th Line KGL Battalion: 529
     •8th Line KGL Battalion: 636  

Cav. Corps Uxbridge
  4. Cav. Brigade Vandeleur (Starts at 8.20 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •11th Light Dragoons: 456
     •12th Light Dragoons: 452
     •16th Light Dragoons: 465
  1.Cav. Brigade Somerset (Starts at 9 p.m.; comes from the west, direction Nivelles)
     •1st Life Guards: 265
     •2nd Life Guards: 267
     •Royal Horse Guards: 296
     •1st Dragoon Guards: 588  

If you are also interested, my dear readers, in more speculative events, I will put also the complete Order of Battle of d'Erlon at the end of this table. Maybe you like the great what if's in history, and because of that, d'Erlon will play the decisive role at Quatre Bras. His troops will arrive on the battlefield at about 5.30 p.m.. 

I.Corps Count d'Erlon

1.Inf. Division Quiot
  1.Brigade Quiot
     •54th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 481 soldiers, 2nd Battalion: 481
     •55th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 574, 2nd Battalion: 574
  2.Brigade Bourgeois
     •28th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 449, 2nd Battalion: 449
     •105th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 492, 2nd Battalion: 491
  Artillery
     •20th Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer

2.Inf. Division Donzelot
  1.Brigade Schmitz
     •13th Light Regiment: 1st Battalion: 625, 2nd Battalion: 625, 3rd Battalion: 625
     •17th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 529, 2nd Battalion: 528
  2.Brigade Aulard
     •19th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 516, 2nd Battalion: 516
     •51st Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 584, 2nd Battalion: 584
  Artillery
     •10th Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

3. Inf. Division Marcognet
  1.Brigade Noguès
     •21st Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 519, 2nd Battalion: 518
     •46th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 444, 2nd Battalion: 444
  2.Brigade Grenier
     •25th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 487, 2nd Battalion: 487
     •45th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 502, 2nd Battalion: 501
  Artillery
     •19th Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

4. Inf. Division Durutte
  1.Brigade Pégot
     •8th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 492, 2nd Battalion: 491
     •29th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 573, 2nd Battalion: 573
  2.Brigade Brue
     •85th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 516, 2nd Battalion: 515
     •95th Line Regiment: 1st Battalion: 550, 2nd Battalion: 550
  Artillery
     •9th Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

1.Cav. Division Jaquinot
  1.Brigade Bruno
     •7th Hussars: 439
     •3rd Chasseurs à Cheval: 465
  2.Brigade Gobrecht
     •3rd Lanciers: 406
     •4th Lanciers: 396
  Artillery
     •2. Company of 1st Horse Art.Reg.: 4 x 6 p. canon, 2 x 5 ½ inch howitzer  

Artillery Reserve I. Army Corps
     •11. Company of 6th Foot Art.Reg.: 6 x 12 p. canon, 2 x 6 inch howitzer    

At the end of this article I have to put some remarks. I think many readers in the States know the comptergame "Waterloo. Napoleons last battle" from Strategy First. This game uses the engine of Sid Meier's Gettysburg, one of the most interesting civil war computergames. Here in Germany it is impossible to get this game. We live in Europe, maybe in France, maybe in Germany, all countries who were involved in the Napoleonic state system, but, the software industry neglect this market. It's not to understand, but so are the facts. So what do you do, if you have not the opportunity to play this new game.

For myself, I allways come back to a meanwhile ancient computer game. It is called Age of Rifles, and it was released some years ago by SSI. The graphics is not a hit, but the game gives you an extraordinary editor. Here you can create your own battlefield maps, your OOB's, your soldiers, everything. It's a real wargaming on computer. The above statistics helps me to create a real OOB for Quatre Bras.

I think like me, a lot of readers are interested in wargaming, maybe with tabletop games, maybe with computer games. I think the above article will help you in the future.

Another fact that is very important for wargamers are the moral effects and the fighting points of the different units, who are involved in a battle. Here something is to say about the dutch-belgian troops at Quatre Bras (and also at Waterloo).

A lot of english books about Quatre Bras and Waterloo are inspired from the Siborne tradition, maybe also from Bernard Cornwells, Sharpe's Waterloo: The dutch-belgian troops are cowards. They ran from the battlefield, searching shelter, crying for help.

This is nonsense (just have a look at the above cited books, and several other publications), and because of that, I have to do some remarks to several units:

The division Perponcher hold the crossroads at Quatre Bras more than an hour against 3 Divisions. 3 of its battalions consisted of relatively weak militia formations. The 27th dutch Hunter Battalion was spread along the whole frontline and it „gave ground grudgingly, disputing every foot with the french skirmishers" (Hamilton-Williams, p. 199). Also Bijleveld's battery acts in a right way. After delivering a devastating canister volley, slowing the french advance, the canons were limbered up, although an ammunition limber was blown up and a howitzer disabled. Stievenart's battery fought also in a right way. An eye witness: „The Captain of the foot battery was killed, several officers killed or wounded, and the horses so rapidly shot down that it was scarcely possible to keep the guns moving." (cited in Hamilton-Williams, p. 199) The 5th dutch Militia hold Gemioncourt farm more than an hour until it was repulsed. Also van Merlens Cavalry acts very well. The hussars wore blue uniforms and the light dragoons green. Mingled with the french cavalry in fight they were mistook for french and the scots of the 92nd and 42nd Highland Regiments opened „friendly" fire. The remains of the brigade were posted behind the british left wing until remounts could be called up from Nivelles.

At last some sentences to William, the Prince of Orange. If someone have read Cornwell's Sharpe's Waterloo you know him as pimpled prince who led his units in line formation to death. It is not clear why he ordered some battalions in line formation. But,... most of the fields had standing crops of tall wheat, rye and corn, the french units were often out of sight. Also the smoke over the battlefield, remember the muzzle-loading muskets, rifles and canons, could lead to misinterpretations. Another possibility is, that he wants to strengthen an attack of Picton versus Gemioncourt. He ordered his troops in line formation to give more bullet power to the attacking forces. One thing is sure: He was a brave man. Leading his troops in attack several times in the battle.

Please remember this when you give the dutch-belgian troops moral and fighting points in your wargame. They were better than their reputation. 

Andreas Kopp, M.A.

Many thanks to Mr. Kopp.

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