Part I: A Companion Essay for the Quatre Bras Scenario of Prelude to Waterloo

Using Picton's 5^th Infantry Division on the map of Quatre Bras, a battle in the Waterloo Campaign of 1815, this document illustrates the principles discussed in the British infantry tactics article Fire Tactics - Picton's Division. Further items from some of the other articles in the series are mentioned as well.

Opening Deployments

Picton's 5^th Division is deployed on the field southeast of Quatre Bras, to defend the line of Gemincourt brook. Assume there are other units more or less covering the flanks but facing other French forces. Opposite, Foy's 9^th Division prepares to force passage of the brook, to give Pire's supporting cavalry division room to deploy on the open ground north of it.

British Positions

Looking first at Picton's deployment, Pack's 9^th British brigade is on the British right (A), Kempt's 8^th British brigade is on the left (B) but with the Royal Green Jackets fighting as lights. Best's 5^th Hanoverian brigade is in reserve closer to the crossroads (C).

British Position A. Pack's 9th British Brigade B. Kempt's 8th British Brigade C. Best's 5th Hanoverian brigade D. Skirmish line

The front of the division position is screened by a skirmish line (D), thickened by the Greens (assuming they haven't been detached elsewhere). The main position is drawn up in two lines of line-formation battalions laid out in the famous 'checkerboard', with the rear-rank battalions ready to advance to the gaps between the forward ones if warranted. A variant would have the 1/79^th, on the left of the division, in the second rank and deploy it to extended line to give 8 battalions in effect. Leaders are initially with the rear-rank battalions, which are sheltered from LOS and artillery in the low ground north of the east-west brook road. The Hanoverians, in two columns, shelter in the next gully northward, right by the crossroads.

Notice how the Green's rifles also reach clear across the 'stadium' of the brook depression, to the ridge opposite. If you select the hex the French battery is in (34,35) and see what hexes are visible from that crest position, you will see that the rye hides all but the British skirmish line from the French on the south bank. The rear rank and reserve is even hidden from view of the hills on the French left, (24,35 or 28,38), but the front rank is at least covered from the men directly opposite. Foy sees a skirmish line; higher ups tell him it is supported by what looks like a British brigade in line, back in the rye. That is all he knows at first, although he can guess much of the rest.

French Positions

Looking next at Foy's deployment, he plans to attack in waves. This is mostly because of the poor terrain - much rough, a stream to cross, up-hill and rye, and the British looking down on the advancing French. Foy fully expects the first wave may falter in disorder and be unable to advance, while more men with them would only make the disorder general. But he hopes it will get him a foothold on the north bank and disorder the British, allowing his second wave to push up onto the high ground when it relieves them.

	French Position N. 4e Legere O. 100e Ligne P. Gauthier's 1st Brigade Q. Pire's 2nd Cavalry Division

His 2^nd Brigade (Jamin) will lead off, with the 4^th Light on the right (N) and the 100^th Line on the left (O). The lights at this point are in a supported skirmish line formation, with their 1st battalion not yet deployed and instead supporting the other two. The 100^th Line starts off in a regimental column to manuever across the stream, Foy leading it personally. Behind this brigade is the 1st Brigade (Gauthier), out of rifle shot and mostly sheltered in the rye (P). They are deployed in three columns across the front, the flank ones each regimental strength, the center one only a battalion. The single battalion in the center is intended to switch to line formation once across the stream, to transform the whole 1^st Brigade formation into a large 'ordre mixte' deployment of column-line-column. But that is planned for the second wave. Once the British are forced back from the crest and rifles therefore no longer bear on the slopes, and assuming there is room and order enough, Pire (Q) will cross the stream and then try to re-order has best he can in the low ground, sheltered by the French infantry ahead. When he is reformed, he will charge, sweep away the British, and win the day. That is the French plan, anyway.

[Written by Jason Cawley. Courtesy of The Napoleonic Wargame Pages.]