Page "Battle of Ramillies" Paragraph 18

Meanwhile Villeroi deployed his forces.

In Taviers on his right, he placed two battalions of the Greder Suisse Régiment, with a smaller force forward in Franquenée ; the whole position was protected by the boggy ground of the Mehaigne river, thus preventing an Allied flanking movement.

In the open country between Taviers and Ramillies, he placed 82 squadrons under General de Guiscard supported by several interleaved brigades of French, Swiss and Bavarian infantry.

Along the Ramillies – Offus – Autre Eglise ridge-line, Villeroi positioned Walloon and Bavarian infantry, supported by the Elector of Bavaria's 50 squadrons of Bavarian and Walloon cavalry placed behind on the plateau of Mont St. André.

Ramillies, Offus and Autre-Eglise were all packed with troops and put in a state of defence, with alleys barricaded and walls loop-holed for muskets.

Villeroi also positioned powerful batteries near Ramillies.

These guns ( some of which were of the three barrelled kind first seen at Elixheim the previous year ) enjoyed good arcs of fire, able to fully cover the approaches of the plateau of Jandrenouille over which the Allied infantry would have to pass.