eighth belonged to
Picton's division, which formed part of the reserve concentrated round
Brussels. The first army corps, consisting of the second and third
divisions of Dutch and Belgians, and the first and third of the
British, extended from Enghien on the right to Quatre Bras on the
left. The first British division were at the former town, the third
between Soignies and Roeulx, while the Belgians and Dutch lay between
Nivelles and Quatre Bras.

The second army corps held the ground on the right of the first, and
extended to Oudenarde on the Scheldt. The cavalry, with the exception
of the Brunswick brigade, were posted at Grammont, Mons, and Roeulx,
their outposts being thrown forward as far as Maubeuge and Beaumont.
The Prussians were on the left of Wellington's force, and extended
from Ligny through Namur toward Liege, their advanced posts being at
Charleroi, where Zieten's division had their headquarters. But
although the allied armies thus formed together the arc of a large
circle covering Brussels, they were entirely distinct. The British
drew their supplies from Ostend, on the right of their position, while
Liege on the extreme left was the base of the Prussians.

Napoleon's movements were uncertain. He might either advance upon
Namur and cut off the Prussians from their base, or between Grammont
and Oudenarde, by which measure he would similarly cut the British off
from Ostend; or he might advance from Charleroi direct upon Brussels,
breaking through at the point where Wellington's left joined the
Prussian right. The Duke of Wellington believed that he would attempt
the second of these alternatives, as in that case he would fall upon
the British before the Prussians could come up to their assistance,
and if successful would not only cut them off from the base of
supplies, but would be able to march straight upon Brussels. It was to
defeat this plan that the duke posted the largest proportion of his
British troops along the frontier, holding, however, two British
divisions and the Brunswick and Nassau troops in and round Brussels,
where they were nearly equidistant from any point that could be
attacked, and could be moved forward as soon as the enemy's intentions
became manifest.

By the time that the whole of the forces were assembled Wellington had
ninety thousand men under his orders; Blucher, the Prussian general,
had one hundred and sixteen thousand; while Napoleon had one hundred
and twenty-five thousa