were placed at
intervals between the infantry, and on various commanding points along
the ridge.

The duke had expected to be attacked early, as it was of the utmost
importance to Napoleon to crush the British before the Prussians could
come up; but the rain, which began to hold up as daylight appeared,
had so soddened the deep soil that Napoleon thought that his cavalry,
upon whom he greatly depended, would not be able to act, and he
therefore lost many precious hours before he set his troops in motion.

From the British position the heavy masses of French troops could be
seen moving on the opposite heights to get into the position assigned
to them; for it was scarcely a mile from the crest of one slope to
that of the other.

In point of numbers the armies were not ill-matched. Wellington had
forty-nine thousand six hundred and eight infantry twelve thousand
four hundred and two cavalry, five thousand six hundred and forty-five
artillerymen, and one hundred and fifty-six guns. Napoleon, who had
detached Grouchy with his division in pursuit of the Prussians, had
with him forty-eight thousand nine hundred and fifty infantry, fifteen
thousand seven hundred and sixty-five cavalry, seven thousand two
hundred and thirty-two artillerymen, and two hundred and forty-six
guns. He had, therefore, four thousand three hundred men and ninety
guns more than Wellington. But this does not represent the full
disparity of strength, for Wellington had but eighteen thousand five
hundred British infantry including the German legion--who having
fought through the Peninsular were excellent troops--seven thousand
eight hundred cavalry and three thousand five hundred artillery. The
remainder of his force consisted of troops of Hanover, Brunswick,
Nassau, Holland, and Belgium, upon whom comparatively little reliance
could be placed. The British infantry consisted almost entirely of
young soldiers; while the whole of Napoleon's force were veterans.

As early as six o'clock in the morning both armies had taken up the
positions in which they were intended to fight. The British infantry
were lying down, the cavalry dismounted in their rear, and so
completely were they hidden from the sight of the French that Napoleon
believed they had retreated, and was greatly enraged at their having,
as he supposed, escaped him. While he was expressing his annoyance,
General Foy, who had served against the duke in the Peninsula, rode up
and said:

"Your ma