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Sketches in Flanders and Holland by Robert Hills (1816)[edit]

  • Hills, Robert (1816) "Index to Plates" in Sketches in Flanders and Holland: With Some Account of a Tour Through Parts of Those Countries, Shortly After the Battle of Waterloo; in a Series of Letters to a Friend, J. Haines and J. Turner, pp. vii,viii
  • Plate XIII
  • BOOKS (in de). Officiële site van provincie Limburg (België). Retrieved on 28 June 2016.
Plate Description Engraver Page
page vii
01 Between Ghent and Bruges J. Hill 7
02 Schuyt for Passanters between Ghent and Bruges J.C. Stadler 32
03 Quay at Bruges, from whence the Ghent Schuyts depart J. Hill 32
04 In Ghent, from the Canal Steps, near the Great Cannon J.C. Stadler 48
05 View across the Park at Brussels D. Havell 57
06 Brussels, from Lacken J.C. Stadler 74
07.a Waterloo Church, from the Soignies Forest J.C. Stadler 79
07.b The Village of Waterloo, from the Inn Door J.C. Stadler 79
08.a Entrance to the Village of St. Jean J. Hill 81
08.b First glimpse of the Field of Battle, from St.Jean J. HILL 81
08.c Back of La Haye Sainte, from the Brussels Road J. Hill 81
09.a Farm House at La Haye Sainte D. Havell 83
09.b View of the La Haye Sainte, from the Road near La Belle Alliance D. Havell 83
10.a The Barn at La Haye Sainte J.C. Stadler 84
10.b Interior of The Barn at La Haye Sainte J.C. Stadler 84
11 Hotel de La Belle Alliance, et in Wellington D. Havell 87
12.a Cottage of Reconnaissance, from whence the general views of the Field of Battle were taken J. Hill 88
12.b Interior of cottage of Reconnaissance J. Hill 88
13 General Views of the Field of Battle J. Bailey 89
14.a Entrance to the Wood at Hougoumont D. Havell 92
14.b The Orchard at Hougoumont, from the Wood D. Havell 92
15.a An Entrance to the Chateau at Hougoumont D. Havell 92
15.b Ruins of do. as seen from under the Gateway D. Havell 92
16 House in which Buonaparte slept the night before the Battle D. Havell 92
Page viii
17.a Villevorde J Hill 104
17.b Hunebeck J Hill 104
17.c Another View of Hunebeck J Hill 104
18.a Capelle J Hill 105
18.b Grand Willerboecke J Hill 105
18.c Boom J Hill 105
19 Antwerp High Tower, from the Bmnels Road JC Stadler 122
20 Costume of the Flemmings J Hill 126
21 Implements of husbandry &c J Hill 126
22 Flemish Diligences &c J Hill 126
23 Rembrandt's house at Amsterdam JC Stadler 140
24 Views of Haarlen JC Stadler 160
25 Three View: from the Canal between Leyden and the Hague JC Stadler 168
26.a Distan Views of the Hague, from the Delft Canal JC Stadler 168
26.b View looking towards the Woods in with "the House" is situated JC Stadler 168
27 The House in the Wood D Havell 171
28 Three Views from the Canal between the Hague and Delft JC Stadler 172
29 Ryswick J Hill 172
30 Tower of the Oude Kerck, at Delft JC Stadler 173
31 Three views of the Canal between Delft and Rotterdam J Hill 174
32 The Cathedral &c. at Rotterdam J Hill 186
33 The Tolhuys in Ysselmonde opposite Rotterdam 192
34 The Church at Charloos opposite Rotterdam 194
35 Costume of Holland J Hill 194
36 Also the costume of Holland J Hill 194

Sketches in Flanders and Holland[edit]

Plate Title Engraver to face page notes
I. Exterior Ornaments of Flemish Churches J. Hill 7
II. Schuyt for Passengers between Ghent and Bruges J. C. Stadler 32
III. Quay at Bruges, from whence the Ghent Schuyts depart J. Hill 32
IV. In Ghent, from the Canal Steps, near the Great Cannon J. C. Stadler 48
V. View across the Park at Brussels D.Havell 57
VI. Brussels, from Lacken J. C. Stadler 74
VII.
  • Waterloo Church, from the Soignies Forest
  • The Village of Waterloo, from the Inn Door
 J. C. Stadler 79 To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote:

"We were at length cheered, at the end of a three' hours ride, by a sight of Waterloo church, peeping from between the trees, and announcing, as the first conspicuous object, our near approach to the village (This church or chapel is of brick, with a slated cupola and roof—its general appearance may be judged of from the sketch. The front, facing the road, has a little portico, with pillars of rather grotesque design, and within the building are tablets to the memory of several British officers who fell)" (page 79).

To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "Nearly opposite the church is a little inn, ... From the door of this inn, whose sign imported that it went by the name of l'ancien Jean de Nivelles, I made a sketch of the village... The etymology of this sign is, from the authority of an intelligent Frenchman, as follows: a "Jean de Nivelles", and a "simpleton", are synonymous; and hence putting them on a level, with even the dog of a fool, the following distich is frequently applied to a stupid and inattentive waiter:

Il est comme le chien de Jean de Nivelles,
Qui s'en va quand an l’appelle"

(pages 79-80).

VIII.
  • Entrance to the Village of St. Jean,
  • First glimpse of the Field of Battle, from St.Jean
  • Back of La Haye Sainte, from the Brussels Road
 J. Hill 81

To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "The little village of Mount St. Jean ... seems to have been the utmost point to which the French ever penetrated, as their official accounts of the battle state, that after Jerome Buonaparte had made himself master of the wood of Hougoumont, a part of D’Erlon’s corps succeeded, under cover of eighty pieces of cannon, in an attack on this village, and from the acknowledgement of 'loss' and 'disorganization, owing to charges of British cavalry', that immediately follows this assertion, it may be inferred that they were presently after driven back" (page 81).
To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "Near the end of St. Jean, the two high roads from Charleroi and Nivelles meet. One would have imagined that by this period (July 22nd [1815]) every spot, every orchard, barn, and outhouse must have been ransacked; yet did we see peasants about every part of the field of battle searching, in spite of their enemy, the plough, for the miserable booty of brass eagles, shells, and bullets. The figures introduced in this View of St. Jean represent groups of these people whom we met returning from their employment, and every one had picked up something that he had considered worth the porterage" (page 81).
To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "A sketch made where our cocher halted, and told us that 'we had now before us the field of battle.' This must be considered as from the brow of Mount St. Jean, looking towards Hougoumont. We shall understand the situation of the armies better by reference to subsequent sketches, and of this first glimpse of the field it may be enough to say, that it presented nothing but the distant wood, and an intervening great expanse of sterility."(page 82)
To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "A sketch taken of [La Haye Sainte]. Here were more traces of the 'tug of war a' the graves of the slain are, in this subject, on the right foreground, and from the sate in which the walls and battered slating are represented, it will be seen that they bore the marks of many cannon ball, which had been directed for more deadly purposes" (page 83).

IX.
  • Farm House at La Haye Sainte
  • General View of the Farm, from the Road near La Belle Alliance
 D. Havell 83 To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "The nearest buildings represents the back of the farm house at La Haye Sainte, and those in the distance, the hotel and out-buildings of La Belle Alliance. The up-hill road leads by them to Genappe, Charleroi, &c. The ground to the left of the road represents an extensive surface of recently ploughed earth, where fields of corn had been. The hillocks, marking the graves of individuals, (generally officers, as we were told) spread about every part of these lands, were countless. The shadowed mass on the left of the foreground, contained an enormous heap of slain ... These bodies were but thinly covered, and had been thrown in with very little ceremony. The hand of one poor fellow was still exposed above the surface of the bank by the road side here" (pages 82−83).

To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "A view of La Haye Sainte [taken from the heights near La Belle Alliance], including the barn..., the dwelling house, and a wood, or extensive orchard, of which one side is bounded by the chaussé, or high road, leading to Brussels. The small group of trees in the distance to the right, marks the spot where, according to some accounts, Sir Thomas Picton fell, and the line of extreme distance, represents the Soignies Forest. ... the trees and hedges bore evidences of their having been exposed to a deluge of fire" (page 85−86).

X.
  • The Barn at La Haye Sainte,
  • Interior the Barn at La Haye Sainte
 J. C. Stadler 84 To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: The barn [of La Hay Saint], whose exterior is represented with part of the straw yard,... was drawn as I stood under the [[ [entrance to the farm] ]]. It is not very picturesque, but its history is memorable indeed! We have been told, that the wounded were dressed on the field of battle, and afterwards sent off in wagons to Brussels. It was in this extensive building that more than five hundred limbs were amputated—what hospital of co-temporary establishment can vie with it? The wounded were brought in faster than the surgeons could perform their office, which must have been an arduous one. They had only a little bread and wine to sustain them through it, and before they had had time to administer relief to all who required amputation, the period arrived for dressing those again who had been first under their hands" (page 86).

To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "An interior view of the [ [inside the barn at La Hay Saint] ] Several wagon loads of straw and rushes, upon which these unfortunates had been rested, still remained in the part represented; to the right of the passage, and near the shattered door, the walls were stained with human blood" (page 86).

XI. To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "Hotel de La Belle Alliance, et à Wellington D.Havell 87 To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "This 'Hotel' is a miserable little ale-house, depending apparently upon the custom of wagon-drivers, or serving, perhaps, as a poste aux chevaux to the diligences that pass it in their way between Brussels and Charleroi, or other places. Its roof covers the habitations of both men and beasts, for company have admittance by the front door, where a group of figures and a water-but are placed, and behind was the entrance to a stable which occupied nearly half the house ... The addition of à Wellington had been painted on its front subsequently to the battle" (page 87).
XII.
  • Cottage of Reconnaissance, from whence the general Views of the Field of Battle were taken
  • Interior of the Cottage of Reconnaissance
 J. Hill 88 To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "At a very short distance from the Hotel, and also close to the road side, stood the little cottage... This house is remarkable from its having been one of Napoleon’s points of reconnaissance. Behind it there had been a garden and orchard, but these were utterly ruined: a few trees, indeed, remained, but their branches had been shivered to pieces by cannon and musket shot, and as to the others, of which nothing but vestiges of stumps were left, they had been cut down for the purpose of burning the dead, who were laying around the premises in heaps" (page 88).

To accompany the image Robert Hills wrote: "The upper story [of this cottage] must have been an excellent observatory, for, till surrounded by hostile forces, its walls afforded ample protection from small shot, and it commanded all the views given in [the flowing images]. The spaces between the rafters presented a view of the whole of that track of country along which part of the Imperial Guard, and other corps, under Counts D’Erlon, Lobau, &c. advanced to attack the left centre and extreme left of the British lines, and keep the Prussians in check. Through the front, or road side of the roof, every seen of action about Hougoumont, and towards Braine la Leud, &c. could be seen; and a small hole near the chimney’s side, where a few bricks had been removed, evidently for the purpose, completely overlooked the whole of the great road leading up by La Haye Sainte, towards Waterloo and Brussels. According to the narrative of Buonapart’s guide, La Coste, it appears, that his attention to the movements of the armies was directed through this opening, and through the rafters, from four o’clock till seven in the evening" (pages 88–89)

XIII. General Views of the Field of Battle J. Bailey 89
XIV.
  • Entrance to the Wood at Hougoumont
  • The Orchard at Hougoumont, from the Wood
 D. Havell 92

"[This plate], comprises nearly all that part of the field of battle which was occupied by the right and left centre of the British forces. The group of figures on horseback, and the wagon, towards the foreground on the left, have been so placed, because some of the country people pointed to the distant grounds immediately over them, as the spots occupied by the extreme right of the English cavalry and infantry. From plans published since, among which are the sketches of Captain Batty, whose correctness cannot be doubted, it appears that these indexes ought to have been under the right of the church-steeple; they would then have been placed too on the spot near which the Prince of Orange was wounded. The wood and orchard of Hougoumont are conspicuous in this view—the church, seen to the right of them, but considerably more distant, is at Braine La Leud. Meuke Braine, near which Lord Hill’s division was posted, lies rather still further to the right—and the rest of the subject extends towards La Haye Sainte, and Mount St. Jean.

The two small subjects under that just referred to, would have been added to the left and right ends of it, if the size of my paper had allowed of such an arrangement: imagine them, therefore, so placed, and that while looking towards Hougoumont, the scenery represented in the lowest long slip is behind you, and, aided too by a reference to the cottage and its roof, these will furnish nearly as complete an idea of the whole field of battle as a panorama could afford.

The high wooden building, conspicuous in one of the small subjects, has, in several plans of the field, been called 'Buonaparte's observatory'. but improperly for though, upon the retrograding of the allies, he may have used it, it was constructed by them two or three weeks before the battle, according to some accounts, under the directions of the Prince of Orange. It was of considerable height, as the sketch indicates, (about eighty feet) and consisted of open timber work, converging a little towards it upper stage, which, from the distance whence I viewed it, seemed to come prise a sort of box, or closely boarded apartment, to secure those within from any small shot that might be directed against them. Its situation was on the Charleroi side of Hougoumont. ... This might have been an excellent station for observing the movements of a distant army; but if, during the battle, either party had ventured to 'castle their king' in such a situation, he must inevitably have received 'check mate' from the first well-directed cannon shot against its supporting timbers.(pages 90–91)

The other small subject, which would have been added to the right of the upper compartment, represents the Brussels road up to La Haye Sainte, as seen between the nearest cottages, which form part of the hamlet of La BelleAlliance (page 91).
The plate exhibits the country occupied by that part of the French army which advanced towards the left of the British lines, by the posts of Blucher. Frischermont is seen in the distance (over the figures at plough): it was through this woody country that the vanguard of Bulow’s corps advanced, and completed the dismay and confusion of our enemies" (page 91).

XV.
  • An Entrance to the Chateau at Hougoumont
  • Ruins of the Chateau at Hougoumont as seen from under the Gateway
 D. Havell 92 Opposite the hotel de La Belle Alliance, and at the distance of about half a mile from the high road passing by it, stands the wood of Hougoumont, with the adjacent chateau, gardens and orchard. ... This was a spot too memorable to be passed without any other than distant observation, and we made our way to it across some ruined corn fields. ... The wood, the chateau, orchard, and gardens, with every object about them, bore evidences of the murderous conflict. I do not exaggerate, when I say, that, in that part of the wood nearest to the house, nearly half the trees had been utterly destroyed by cannon shot, shells, and grenades, which had swept their upper parts from the stems, and those which remained standing, were scathed about their branches, and so closely covered on every side with marks of musket-shot from their roots upwards, that the survival of a single individual engaged there, would seem almost a miracle?“ The house was set fire to, and utterly destroyed in this “fell afliray,” and, horrible to relate! . all the wounded who had been lodged therein, for shelter under their sufferings, perished in the flames (pages 91 93).


The entrance to the wood by a road-way, leading up to the house, is represented in the upper compartment of Plate XIV. and in the lower one, is a view looking into the orchard from the same road. In this orchard and adjacent ground, heaps of slain lay buried, to the amount of more than seven thousand.

XVI. House in which Buonaparte slept the night before the Battle D. Havell 92 [This] represents the house in which Buonaparte passed (I had nearly written slept) the night before the battle of the 18th. The Prussians, vowing that it should never again harbour 'this chief of their former oppressors, burned it next day. It had been a farm-house, belonging to the “ Séance de Caioua',” andstood within a small distance from Planchenoitxl‘

An Historical Account of the Campaign in the Netherlands by William Mudford (1817)[edit]

Category:An Historical Account of the Campaign in the Netherlands

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