Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN. 259
that had long been threatening came down, and continued throughout the
greater part of the night, deluging the men to the skin.
" About six o'clock in the evening the four Light Companies of the Division
were suddenly ordered to take possession of the farm-house and grounds of
Hougomont ; the two light companies of the First Guards, under Lord Saltoun
and Ellison, occupied the orchard and wood, while the two of the Second
Brigade occupied the farm-house and garden, which was surrounded by a
walL The night and the following morning were spent by the Light Com-
panies in making this position as strong as their means would allow them,
barricading the gates, and otherwise rendering the buildings as defensible as
possible, and, at Saltoun's suggestion, loop-holing the garden wall. During
the first part of the night the French brought up their advanced posts close
to the line of picquets of the First Guards in the wood and orchard, though
without attempting to molest them ; but about two in the morning, as their
tirailleurs were advancing too near, Lieutenant-colonel Ellison, who was
picquet officer for the night, was ordered from the orchard into the wood to
drive them out. This he accomplished ; and the wood being an open grove
without underwood, and easily traversed in every direction, the advanced
files of the picquets could keep up the communication with each other with-
out difficulty."
1 " The several Battalions of the Guards were posted on the rising ground
above Hougomont in the following order. The Third BattaUon First
Guards on the extreme left, on the crest of the ridge, in quarter distance
column of companies, at deploying distance from the right of Halkett's
Brigade ; the Second Battalion First Guards, in the same formation, was to the
right rear of the Third Battalion, on the reverse slope, and immediately under
the crest of the hill. The Second Brigade, under Byng, stood on the crest of
the ridge between the right of the First Brigade and the Nivelles road, com-
pletely commanding the chateau and grounds of Hougomont, and thus form-
ing a support to the troops stationed there.
" It has generally been understood that the Light Companies of the First
Brigade of Guards under Saltoun remained permanently in the orchard and
wood from the previous night till relieved in the course of the action of the
1 History of the Grenadier Guards, vol. iii. p. 29.