In his letter of the 11th September 1841, Wijnand Koopman recalled the extraordinary events of the 16th June 1815, the battery having been forced to retire from the first line by the withdrawal of the Allied troops: ‘I could not find a suitable new position immediately to the rear and moved to Quatre Bras, where I met the Major de la Sarraz of the artillery staff, whom I asked for orders, but received none. On my own initiative I positioned myself between the road from Quatre Bras and Genappe and the one to Nivelles, in front of the latter in a position opposite a wood close to Quatre Bras. After being here for a while and with nothing occurring nor having received any orders, I went with a Brunswick or Prussian battery that marched from Genappe to Quatre Bras to obtain a better opportunity, but was prevented from doing so by Captain Bijleveld.’ It should also be noted that the entire contents of this incredible file are available within the new on-line archive. 

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