The Brussels-Charleroi Chaussee

 

The Waterloo battlefield has two main roads: the first to the West runs diagonally from Nivelles to Brussels and was the road Wellington expected Napoleon to use as a way of outflanking his right, cutting off his avenue of withdrawal to the Channel Ports.

In fact, it was the second road from Charleroi to Brussels that dominated the battle and was the axis that Napoleon actually chose to exploit.  The Brussels-Charleroi Chaussee is therefore intrinsic to our understanding of the battle.

So far, I have constructed the buildings at the southern end of the battlefield from Rossomme to La Belle Alliance.  I have also completed the area from Mont St Jean to La Haye Sainte.

My task now has been to join these two areas to create a single 20 metre long strip through the battlefield.  In preparation, I have studied the topography and given special attention to the rolling nature of the ground.  At first glance, the land seems flat and featureless but closer inspection reveals subtle undulations that cause the Chaussee to descend into cuttings and allowed the French to move much of their artillery reserve forward onto an advanced ridge from where the famous "Grand Battery" played onto the Allied ridge.

The road is no longer paved but it is possible to find other examples in Belgium that show how the road surface looked in 1815.

The undulating nature of the ground is captured in this well known image looking south from La Haye Sainte northwards.

This photo of La Belle Alliance is striking for the poplar trees that line the route.  My view is that on balance there were no trees in 1815.

The panorama does suggest poplar trees but it was painted sometime after the battle.

One of the cuttings is clearly shown in this image

Dighton's image clearly shows the rolling nature of the ground.

Another Dighton image, this time highlighting the corn.

La Belle Alliance in the distance

The bank just North of La Haye Sainte

And towards La Belle Alliance

Siborne's model from above - it is hard to make out the lie of the land

But the oblique view gives a better impression, this one looking south from Mont St Jean.

Modern Google Earth street view images show that the banking survives to this day

Siborne's map uses hatching to show the rolling nature of the ground.

His 3d map shows the relief.

Another image showing the banking on the road

Looking from the East westwards towards La Belle Alliance

A good view of the width of the chaussee from the monuments

The cutting is very deep here.  Is it slightly exaggerated?

Having studied the ground I began to build the sections of scenery.

First view of the ground.  The road is surface laid and the faux fur is uncoloured.

The road is now cut into the terrain

The La Belle Alliance section is added to the south.

And the orchard at La Haye Sainte is added to the North.

The road looks rough at this stage.

Starting to paint the corn.

First coat on the adjacent dark borders to the paved road

Colouring is beginning to come together.

Mont St Jean

The full length of the Chaussee from Mont St Jean in the North looking south.  The full length is 20 metres. I recently held an event in my garden to show case the whole model.

And from Rossomme in the South looking North.

Rossomme

Maison Lacoste

Old Guard beside Maison Lacoste

Trimotion

2nd Lancers Service Squadron

Old Guard caissons

La Haye Sainte

Mont St Jean

Waggon Train

Ghigny's Light Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the 8th Belgian Hussars and the 4th Light Dragoons, just south of Mont St Jean.

French prisoners approaching Mont St Jean.