van Merlen's Brigade

Rushing to support the units at Quatre Bras

Major General Baron Jean-Baptiste van Merlen commanded the 2nd Netherlands Light Cavalry Brigade made up of the Belgian 5th Light Dragoons and Dutch 6th Hussars. He had earlier fought against the British in Spain on the French side. Made a French General in 1814, he returned to his homelade in the Netherlands after the first abdication to take a command in the new Netherlands army.

The 5th Light Dragoons suffered heavy casualties in clashes with the French at Quatre Bras. On engaging with the 6th Chasseurs for Pire's Division, the French recognised the unit and called on their old comrades to defect. Merlen refused and ordered a charge. As it pulled back unsuccessful, their green uniforms were mistaken for the French Chasseurs by some British troops and they suffered further casualties form friendly fire.

Van Merlen and the Dutch 6th Hussars 

The 6th Dutch Hussars also took heavy casualties during Quatre Bras. At waterloo they helped repulse the French Cavalry attacks. Over the two battles they lost 45% of their strength in casualties.

Mark Adkin reports in "The Waterloo Companion"  - During a melee at Waterloo he defeated a French General he knew well, but released him saying "General, this is my side of the battle, yours is over there. Take care of yourself; farewell!" Shortly after Merlen was wounded and died a few hours later.

Belgian 5th Light Dragoons

Dutch and Belgian Artillery and Limbers

Dutch Horse Battery

Perponcher's 2nd Netherlands Division had two batteries of artillery at Quatre Bras - a Dutch Horse battery and a Belgian Foot battery. Each had six 6 pounders and two howitzers.

The Belgian Foot battery was over run by French Lancers and suffered heavy losses. Only two guns made it to Waterloo from that battery. They were deployed on the extreme left flank at Waterloo and saw no further action.

The guns are British from Redline. The crew are Redline French Line Foot and Horse artillery. The limber crew and horses are from Old Glory French Cassion team spares.

There were some spare riders and horses from the French cassions with suitable uniforms for the limber crews. A different paint scheme and they were ready to go. I like their uniform - dark grey with black collars and cuffs and red piping and turnbacks.

The Belgian Foot Battery

I needed to scratch build the limbers out of some balsa wood, tongue depressors and toothpicks, using some spare artillery wheels I had. It was easier than I thought, not bad for a recycling effort.

Base materials for the limbers - a Redline one as a guide

Seats cut from balsa, floors from a tongue depressor

Glued up

Axels made from tooth picks and left over wheels

Ready for priming

Finished limbers

Supporting the battery

Belgian Foot Artillery waiting for the French to arrive

Belgian Militia and Jaegers

Belgian Militia and 27th Jaegers

The last part of Bylandt's Brigade infantry is done - three battalions of Belgian Militia - 5th, 7th  and 8th as well as the 27th Jaegers. They now join the 7th Belgian line. I also painted up some Skirmishers for the 2nd Brigade.

I used greatcoated British in Stovepipes from Redline for the Militia. There were some minor conversions in some figures for the field caps to give a more Militia look. I cut the shako off above the brim and flattened a small ball of greenstuff to make the cap. Painted them blue with an orange band. Works for a few in the battalion, wouldn't want to do a few hundred of them. I also used the Nassau officer for the command.

The skirmishers were using French skirmishers from the Redline range, with the badges cut off and painted in the green uniforms.

I only have some Dutch and Belgian Artillery and Van Merlen's Light Cavalry to complete the Brigade.

Militia command with MG Bylandt

Detail of command with converted drummer

Skirmishers for Saxe-Weimar's Brigade

Skirmish command

Dutch Jaegers made from French line skirmishers 

Saxe-Weimar's Brigade

Bylandt's Brigade 

Perponcher's 2nd Netherlands Division

Some more Allied leaders arrive

A bit like the rush around of mid June 1815, some more leaders have just arrived to join their waiting troops. Maybe they were at the Duchess' Ball.

On the British team we have Picton with his top hat and umbrella, ably supported by an aide trying to find out where they are on the map. Also the Majors General Kempt and Pack, completing their already painted Brigades.

On the Dutch/Belgian Nassau team, we have Major General Perponcher leader of the 2nd Netherland Division, along with another aide desperately looking at the map to find some French. And Prince Bernhard Saxe-Weimar (newly promoted after a horse kicked the previous commander) and Major General Byland.

Nice little figures from Old Glory. Needed a bit of greenstuff under the saddle so that they sat well on the horses.

Division leaders are two on a base and Brigade leaders are based singly 

Saxe-Weimar's Brigade

Saxe Weimar's Brigade

Just finished the 28th Orange Regiment which with the 2nd Nassau Regiment, finishes off Saxe-Weimar's Brigade. Also painted the 7th Belgian Line, part of Byland's Brigade in the 2nd Netherlands Division.

Belgians up close

Nice to paint different colour combinations. For the Belgians, I used the British line (in Belgic shako's funny enough) with a blue, grey and red scheme. They look quite smart. Shame there weren't too many more of them. I am waiting for some British in stovepipes and greatcoats for the Dutch Belgian Militia, just so I can tell them apart easily. Should be quick to paint as well.

I haven't found a flag yet for either regiments . If anyone has any pointers please let me know. I've left the flagpoles bare.

I will work on the conversions for the Brigade leaders and Perponcher a bit later.

7th Belgian line in a line

28th Orange Nassau Regiment

28th Orange Nassau with the 2nd Nassau in the background