h the second column, was similarly and leisurely
occupied marshalling his 10,000 Austrians and his contingent of British
cavalry, so that the head of his column was at Bailleul ready also to
advance with the early, dark, small hours of the ensuing morning.

The Duke of York, with his third column of similar numbers, or somewhat
less, was performing a precisely similar task, and ordering his men so
that the head of that column should reach Templeuve by evening and be
ready to march at the same moment as the others did, shortly after
midnight.

All these three, then, were absolutely ready, fresh from fatigue and in
good order, upon that Friday evening at their appointed posts.

It is here necessary, as we are chiefly concerned with the British forces,
to detail the composition of this third column which the Duke of York
commanded.

It consisted of twelve battalions and ten squadrons, with a further
reserve of sixteen British squadrons under General Erskine, which cavalry
lay somewhat south of Templeuve, but ready to follow up the advance when
it should begin. It was made of two portions, about equal in numbers,
British and foreign. The foreign half was composed of four squadrons of
Austrian Hussars and seven battalions of infantry, two Hessian and five
Austrian. The British half was composed of a Brigade of Guards counting
four battalions, with portions of the 14th, 37th, and 53rd Foot, while the
British cavalry accompanying it (apart from the squadrons under Erskine)
were six squadrons drawn from the 7th, 15th, and 16th Light Dragoons. It
is to the credit of the young commander[4] that this third column was the
best organised, the most prompt, and, as the event proved, the most
successful during the advance and the most tenacious in the subsequent
defeat.

The fourth column, under Kinsky, about 11,000 strong, was also ready on
that Friday, the 16th of May, concentrated at its point of departure,
Froidmont, and ready to move at the same moment as all the others, shortly
after midnight. But unlike the other three commanders upon his right,
Kinsky was unfortunately handicapped by the position of the fifth column,
that great body of 18,000 to 20,000 men, under the Arch-Duke Charles,
which lay at St Amand, which was to advance next day parallel with Kinsky
and upon his left, and which it was his duty to keep in touch with, and to
link up with the Duke of York's upon the other side. He was handicapped, I
say, by the situa