"Waterloo maps" Topic

As I`m intending to make some terrain for a solo replay of d`Erlon`s corps attack at Waterloo, I`ve been looking for the most accurate map of the allied line east of the Brussels road.

I`m looking to determine exactly where the hedges were on that road; were they along both or either sides of it ?

It`s a detail, but it is an important one I think as it limits the movement of troops.
Although the crops seem to have been cultivated right up close to the road since that time and the feature lost in ploughing, I would assume that back then the cuttings along the road became scrubby and a hedge-bank developed.

Michael, there are some sketches in Glovers "unpublished" Siborne letters accompanying some of the letters. I will have a look when I get home later.

The Ferraris maps are detailed but pre-date the battle.

The Ferraris map :

link

Sheet 78 "Braine la Leud",

Click on the blue title, then go to the right side and down on the map.

Cordialement, Loïc

The Ferraris map :

link

No link I;m afraid …

You're right MajorB, here is the link

link

wow! Fantastic. Thanks.

The Ferraris map is gorgeous but not very helpful in this instance. It has some woods that were cleared since.

Adkin gives that level of detail in his maps (e.g. p158) – though I don't know his source. It gives both hedges and embankments.

Interesting that Ferraris does not show the lane to be at all sunken – though does show hedges on both sides for most of it.

Matthew

Will this one do?

link

In my edition of: THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO a series of accounts By a Near Observer – 1815 The panoramic view that was sketched on the 27th August 1815 and included in the book as a pull-out, shows the left of the position almost devoid of any shrubbery or trees.

Paul :)

Here is that scene in monochrome and colour.

Be aware though that there was a hedge running along that position somewhere as the 95th, 79th and 28th amongst others, mention it.

Paul :)

Perhaps it looked something like this?

Paul :)

Mike

Wharton carried out a survey of the battlefield in July 1815 and identifies the locations of hedges as follows:

. West from the crossroads – southern roadside only from 205 metres to 315 metres.

. East from the crossroads – southern roadside only up to 410 metres.

Craan is possibly a better known source. Hedges and sunken roads are identified as follows:

Hedges:

. West from the crossroads – southern roadside only 350 metres to 530 metres.
. East from the crossroads – northern roadside up to 850 metres; southern roadside up to 700 metres (junction of the road down to Papelotte).

Sunken road:

. West from the crossroad 250 metres.
. East of the crossroad southern roadside only from just before the Papelotte road junction extending approximately 375 metres further east.

Allan

Thanks Gents,

I`ve made a note of that Allan… Wharton and Craan seem to contradict one another though ?

Well that's pretty interesting from Allan.

Adkin seems to follow Craan, except he has the Papelotte Road at about 600m from the crossroads.

I have the Kriegsspiel map from 2FatLardies which I think is based on Wharton. Lovely detail on contours, but it does seem to miss out a lot of detail. Especially noticeable around the Plancenoit area.

This shows hedge on south side of road from fork of Papelotte road, but stopping short of the crossroads itself. This is not in fact so different from Craan – it is just that he misses the hedge on the north side – as does the sketch reproduced by dibble.

Thanks for the helpful information chaps,

La Haie Sainte will be on the table also:

If you`ve seen the "Scaled down Waterloo farms" thread,

TMP link

…then you`ll understand why my model is not quite so accurate as most of the others shown here recently on TMP.

I guess that Papelotte and Mont St. Jean Farm will have to follow…

I`ll try and paint these before posting photos next time ;-)

Regards,

Mike