On the Eve of Battle

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"Have a minute, Sir?"

Christian looked up, it was William. Behind was a shabbily dressed figure wearing a bedraggled cloak, the hood pulled up to cover the face and head. Christian thought that unusual given that the morning was hot and humid.

"What is it, William?"

The man stepped closer and spoke quietly, "It's 'er, Sir, the lass who's your friend."

The figure stepped into the barn, throwing off the hood once out of sight of anyone outside.

"Dear Lord, Elsbeth. Why are you here, of all places?"

"Christian, the road to Brussels is choked with traffic, 'tis no place for a lady on her own."

He thought for a moment before he spoke, "I suppose you're right, but ..."

"If I travel with you, I will be safe. Won't I?" She said that with a mischievous glitter in her eye.

Christian, in frustration, rubbed his face with both hands, then looked at William. Before he could speak, William preempted him.

"There's room in the wagon, Sir. She can ride inside, no one'll see her."

"Very well, for the moment though, please stay in here, Elsbeth. I must see to the men."

After William left, Christian began to go out, she grabbed his arm. "A word?"

Tired and anxious as to what lay ahead for the day, Christian stopped and looked at her. She leaned in close. "You are my only friend in this part of the world. I can trust you, yes?"

Not knowing what else to say, he muttered, "Of course, to the death madam, you can trust me."

The smile which lit up her face nearly brought him to his knees, then she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Christian, thank you."

Blushing, Christian left the barn, only to run nearly head on into Thomas.

"Sir?"

"Don't go in there lad ..."

"I know Sir, Will told me."

Sighing, Christian paused, "What is it then?"

"No orders yet, Sir. The colonel expects them soon, but so far brigade is in the dark as to the Duke's wishes. The Baron wants to set off for Mont St. Jean, but the general says we wait.¹"

"Anything else?"

"Lieutenant Colonel von dem Bussche asks that you report to him as soon as you can. 'No rush,' he said."

"All right, make sure everything is ready to move. Frau von Weiding will be traveling with us, incognito mind you."

"Quite, Sir."

"I'm off to the inn then, Frau von Weiding is in the barn make sure she stays out of sight for now."

"Will do, Sir."

The inn was a scene of mass confusion, riders coming and going, aides and staff men rushing in and out. Christian saw his commander, outside under a tree, talking with other officers. He went over and waited patiently.

"Ah, Kaltenweide, I've been called up to the Baron's staff, there were a couple of openings. Men who fell in yesterday's fighting. Unless the Baron wishes otherwise, the 1st Light is yours. For the time being."

"Is the battalion bivouacked in the same place?"

"No, they've been moved to the northeast of Nivelles, along the road towards Lillois. Easy enough to find. You should move there immediately, I suspect the brigade will be ordered to Mont St. Jean shortly."

Christian nodded, it seemed that they were doomed to roam the Belgian countryside before ever seeing the enemy.

Once assigned to command the 1st Light Battalion, then "demoted" and given two companies to man an outpost, now once again in command. If only he knew where his battalion was. Though as luck would have it, he and his small party met up with the 2nd and 3rd Companies on the road to Lillois.

"Herr Major! Good to see you Sir. Going to Mont St. Jean?" It was Captain Herbert von Knorr, commanding 2nd Company, who had hailed him.

Christian saw that both of his old companies were there, he trotted over to where Knorr had called him.

"Mein lieber Capitän Knorr, how good to see you again. Our meeting is fortuitous."

"How so, Herr Major?"

"Your colonel has once again been called away to staff duty and ..."

"You are in command now? That is excellent! We're marching to join up with the remainder of the battalion. They are ..."

"Waiting for us in Lillois, I trust?"

Knorr laughed, "They had better be! Those were the Baron's orders."

"Let us be off then and ..."

Christian's words were drowned out by a sharp crash of thunder which had followed upon a very bright flash in the heavens. Then the heavens opened up once more, sheets of heavy rain and a cold wind from the east.

"Nature itself is against us, Herr Major!" Knorr shouted above the tumult.

The road was already running with rivulets of water, threatening to become a torrent.

"Let's move as quick as we can, Herr Capitän! Before the storm engulfs us."

The night was miserable, they had joined up with the rest of the battalion and had immediately set out once more for Mont St. Jean. Christian rode in the wagon for part of the way with Elsbeth.

"Do you think Kurt is still alive?" she had asked him.

"I don't know, my dear. Kurt is a tough fellow, it would take more than the French to kill him I would think." He had tried to sound positive, almost hearty. But she saw through that.

"I think he is dead. Or worse, horribly mangled and in pain."

Christian reached out and took her hands in his. A deep feeling of longing came over him, but he quickly forced it away. Kurt was a friend and a colleague, longing for another man's wife was wrong on so many different levels. But the heart wants what it wants he supposed.

"I shall send someone to Brussels as soon as we get close to Mont St. Jean. I'm afraid you might have to spend the night in the village there because, as you can see, the roads are a nightmare. I shall leave William and Thomas with you. I'm sure Kurt is alright but is sick with worry over you. You should have returned to Brussels when you had the chance."

His admonishment made her narrow her eyes in anger, but that passed quickly. "Christian, it is war, my husband lies at death's door and my very good friend might share the same fate."

"Which friend is that ..." he began.

"You, you idiot."

They arrived on the ridge of Mont St. Jean at nearly two in the morning. His wagon, containing nearly all of his possessions, along with his batman, his servant, and Elsbeth, had continued on to the village of Mont St. Jean. He had to set to work immediately getting his battalion settled in for the night.

They were in the open, on a slope leading down into a valley, across which he noted campfires. A sergeant of the KGL Line had noticed his glance.

"That's the French over there, Herr Major. They chased the Duke all the way from Quatre Bras but were brought up short by a few well-served batteries. I think they mean to do us harm, Sir." The sergeant said with a laugh.

"I daresay you are right. Glancing to his left, he saw some buildings in the gloom of night, someone had a fire going there. The sergeant addressed him again.

"The rest of your light bobs are there, Sir. 2nd Battalion under Major Baring."

As he nudged his horse in that direction, he thanked the Sergeant.

Arriving at what seemed to be a substantial walled farmhouse and complex he was challenged by a sentry, in German.

"Major von Kaltenweide, 1st Light Battalion KGL!"

"Advance and be recognized!"

He did so and noted that where once had been a stout farm door there was only an empty space. This opened onto the fields and would allow an attacker easy access. No doubt the men had torn it down for firewood.

He searched out Baring and found him in the farmhouse.

"Ah, Kaltenweide! I'd heard you were back in the Army. Bored at home?"

"Something like that, I have the 1st Light now, we're posted not far from here, up on the ridge to your right rear. Anything we can do to help? This place doesn't look prepared for combat."

"It isn't, they took my pioneers, my tools, and everything else needed to prepare some walled chateau on the right of the line. It's important, but as important as this post? In the very center of the Duke's line? I think not. Before it got dark I had my glass on an inn across the valley, Boney's Imperial Guard are there."

"I see your men also burned one of the ..."

"Yes, the idiots burned the door to the fields, I suppose they think the French will only come in the front door. They would've probably burned that as well had one of my officers not stopped them. As to help, how much discretion did the Baron give you in your command. I'm a little short of men."

"I could loan you a pair of companies I suppose, say 80 to 90 men?"

"That would be a blessing. There is an orchard forward of the barn, next to the chaussée, if you could place your men there. From where you are posted they can be supported by your men, or fall back into the buildings with us."

"If it comes to that, I'd rather they rejoin the battalion, if, of course, they are able. I shall give you all the support I can, provided the Baron doesn't send us elsewhere."

"Thank you, Christian. Be careful tomorrow, the Duke isn't going anywhere and I suspect Boney will hit us with everything he's got."

"You take your own advice, Georg. Be careful, I'll support you if I can. "

"That's all I can ask. Bis Morgen!²"

"Bis Morgen, mein Kamerad. May God protect you, and all of us."

"Amen!"

¹ The Duke of Wellington discouraged initiative in his subordinates. No one would move without his say so.

² Until tomorrow. "Morgen" can also mean "morning."