some troops coming from the "Military House" (Royal Guard) two Light Infantry Regiments raised :
Royal Chasseurs 2 squadrons x 2 companies 31 officers 461 other ranks
both light infantry regiments at 2 battalions x 5 companies (4 chasseurs 1 voltigeurs) 67 officers 1194 other ranks each
Régiment de la Couronne
Régiment du Nord
the hard reality was not enough men, maybe 600 cavalrymen 1500 infantrymen and lot of staff officers, missing horses and rifles, and for artillery maneuvers gathering milk carts near Aalst to do the battery school with such improvised caissons.
actually nor the Coalised nor the King Louis XVIII himself either wished to use his small military force reorganized in Alost and Termonde and partially dressed with prussian uniforms, however several French royalists officers were sent to the battlefield of Waterloo such as
Captain Frédéric Louis François de Lauthonnye (1789-1860)
in his memories he describes a parade for Wellington before the 18th june, at the moment of the battle they choose to flee, alarmed by british runaways who caused a panic, he was then sent to the battlefield near Wellington
The Duke of Berry went there with all the troops who were under his command. At eleven o'clock, every forces of Louis XVIII, with the exception of the guards who were in service to him, were gathered. This small army set out battle on a single line The artillery at the head composed of 60 men, 5 officers and a colonel. Officers without troops composed of around a hundred former emigrés, most of whom had always followed the Bourbons, very brave people, but take away Colonel Rumilly, not one was in a position to command a section. Then, the volunteers made up of law and medical students, and some young family members, in all about 60. An infantry battalion of 600 men composed of soldiers who had deserted, convicts and others who, to avoid going to the fire, had crossed the border, a horse grenadier regiment of 800 men composed of guards and former grenadiers of La Roche Jacquelin, the regiment all in colback was superb, well mounted and maneuvered very well; plus 200 Gardes du Corps , in total 1800 men, let's say 2000 and that's a lot.
(…) We looked, being unarmed, like prisoners of war (…)
I cannot describe the effect that the sight had on my morale of these foreign uniforms, especially the prussians. I was ashamed to think that we seemed to be under their orders. Strength by my senior parents and my father, I was forced to emigrate. but I cannot recommend enough to my nephews, through the attachment attitude that I bear to them, to never, out of opinion, follow my example. A truly French heart like theirs would have, I'm sure, too much to suffer. (…)
The Battle of Waterloo could be heard perfectly from Aalst. A such heavy cannonade made my heart tremble and gave it a the darkest sadness. "How," I said to myself, "to see my country, I must want my fellow citizens to be beaten : no, since I was forced to make the mistake, I will suffer the consequences. I hope and I wish so that these proud English be crushed. »
a very serious alarm took place; a mass of Englishmen on foot and on horseback, gunners who had cut the lines, ran headlong to the ground crossing the city and spouting that Buonaparte had won the battle, that he had entered Brussels. The Duke of Berry, accustomed to misfortune, lost his head and gave the order to recall to leave immediately for Ghent.
I had the honor of observing that he seemed imprudent and hardly worthy of relying on fugitives. My colonel supported my opinion "What to do then," he said. Wait and send a brave officer who can be counted on on the field of combat battle? » the duke said, "Lauthonnye, go at full speed and see Lord Wellington.
– My lord, I promise you. » »
The road to Ghent was crowded with fugitives; all the drivers of the food and powder boxes had received the order to retreat, which prevented me from going as fast as I could want.
However, I was near Lord Wellington at four hours. I told him that I came from the Duke of Berry to ask his orders, which the enormous number of fugitives had caused fear to the prince that the battle was lost. He answered me with an air of remarkable sadness "You, who know war, captain, you see, my reserve is committed, everything therefore depends in this moment of God's will. I lost a lot of people, French troops fight fiercely. » From position where was Lord Wellington, I could dive on both armies.
Seeing the beautiful charges of our grenadiers, hearing the cry of "Long live the Emperor!" my hair stood up, tears abundant flows and I was tempted to approach the legs of my horse and to go join these brave men. Wellington noticed of my emotion and said to me "Captain, go and tell the prince to stay in Aalst; if fortune is unfavorable to me, he will be notified in time to make his retrograde movement. » I galloped away with ulcerated blood. In Aalst, the prince was no longer there. The inhabitants agonized over me with stupidities and treated me, like an emigré, at such point that I thought it prudent to put my sword in hand (…)
ponders nirvana.