1.
GENERAL ORDER, PARIS, OCTOBER 28, 1815.

“Before the troops go into barracks or cantonments, an officer of each troop or company is to visit the barracks or cantonments which the soldiers are to occupy, and to ascertain the state in which they are. The name of the owner of the house in which the troops will be cantoned, and the names of the soldiers cantoned in the house, must be kept. On marching days, the barracks and cantonments of each company are to be visited by an officer, once if possible after the troops will have arrived, and once before they will march; and upon halting days the barracks and cantonments of the soldiers must be visited twice every day by the officer of the company or troop to which they belong; these visiting officers will observe whether any article has been taken away, if the troops are in cantonments, and will inquire whether the owner of the house has any complaint to make of the men. Non-commissioned officers must be cantoned with the squads to which they belong, and the officers as near as possible to their companies; the Field-officers with their regiments; the Generals and Staff as near as possible to their brigades and divisions.

2.
Lieut.-Colonel Sir C. Broke to Lieut.-General Lord Hill.

““My Lord,

“I am desired by His Grace the Duke of Wellington to inform you that the circumstances attending the present situation of the army render it expedient that His Grace should request you will call the attention of the officers under your command to the necessity of the strictest discipline and most exact regularity of the troops in the cantonments which they are about to occupy; and in order to ensure the uniform conduct of the service, His Grace desires that the following points may be attended to:—

“Billets are to be made by the mayors, or persons acting for them. They are to be applied for by officers of the Quartermaster-General’s Department of Divisions; or if there are no officers of the Quartermaster-General’s Department, by Staff officers of divisions or brigades; or if there are no Staff officers, by Quartermasters. Where there are no mayors or persons having authority to issue billets, the billets are to be arranged and portioned by the officers of the Quartermaster-General’s Department of the Divisions; or if there are no officers of the Quartermaster General’s Department, by Staff officers of divisions or brigades; or if there are no Staff officers, by Quartermasters. All billets when granted are to be made use of. If the owner of a house refuse a billet, it is to be made good, if necessary by force; but this measure must be sanctioned by the officers of the Quartermaster-General’s Department’s of DivisionDepartment’s of Division; or if there are no officers of the Quartermaster-General’s Department, by the Staff officers of divisions or brigades; or if there is no Staff officer, by the Quartermaster authorised to arrange the billets. If the owner of a house takes away his furniture, or by other means endeavours to deter officers from entering the billet, the Commanding officer is to place soldiers in the house. No inhabitant is to be required to accommodate persons that are not entitled to billets; and it is particularly desired that officers will not give grounds for complaint by taking their wives or families into billets without having the consent of the owner of the house to do so.

“Officers are to be warned against shooting over the country without having permission of the proprietors. The General Orders of the army have already given sufficient caution upon this subject.

“The situation of the troops will require that military precautions should be attended to. Alarm posts are to be established, guards and pickets are to be posted, and sufficient measures taken for the security of the communications and for the safety and tranquillity of the cantonments. The most efficient steps are to be taken for the prompt and certain circulation of orders, so that the whole or any part of the troops may be collected at the shortest notice.

“Attention must be paid in the billets of soldiers to the ammunition, and to its security against accident or robbery; for this the frequent company inspection will be a precaution.

“The parks of artillery are to be formed where they can be protected; they are never to be without guards, and troops should be sufficiently near to afford them support.

“If an attroupement or riotous assembly of the inhabitants against the military takes place, the troops are to be under arms, and the attroupement is to be fired upon. Any act of violence against the soldiery is to be immediately noticed, and the offenders are to be secured. The service must be respected. The General Officers are to take care that the discipline and good conduct of the troops merit the respect demanded. The mayors are to be informed of the measures that will be taken, and are to be desired to warn the inhabitants against taking part in the disturbances that may subject them to military punishment.”

“My Lord,

“It is the Duke of Wellington’s desire that a place of rendezvous should be fixed upon for each division of the army. The routes by which the troops may best move to the place of rendezvous should be reconnoitred, and such instructions given as may render the assembly easy and expeditious. The places of rendezvous or general alarm posts of the troops under your Lordship’s command should be:—

“For the 2nd Division—Versailles, or about the cantonments of the division that are nearest to Paris.

“For the 4th Division—Longjumeau, or about the cantonments of the division that are nearest to Paris.

“Baron Estorff’s Cavalry—Bièsvres, or about the cantonments of the brigade nearest to Paris.

“The Nassau troops—Ecouen or Pierrefitte, or about the cantonments of the troops nearest to Paris.

“The ground fixed upon should be clear of the towns or villages, and towards Paris. The troops when assembled are to be in marching order, with their baggage. If any other point of assembly is desired, the instructions that may be given will express it. The brigades and battalions of the divisions are, however, at the same time, to have their alarm posts.”^[474]