Charles Alten Sir Charles ( Carl August von ) Alten ( 1764 – 1840 ) , Hanoverian and British soldier , son of Baron Alten , a member of an old Hanoverian family , entered the service of the elector as a page at the age of twelve . He led the famous Light Division during the last two years of the Peninsular War . At the Battle of Waterloo , he commanded a division in the front line , where he was wounded . He later rose to the rank of Field Marshal in the Hanoverian army . Early career . In 1781 he received a commission in the Hanoverian guards , and as a captain took part in the campaigns of 1793 - 1795 in the Low Countries , distinguishing himself particularly on the Lys in command of light infantry . In 1803 the Hanoverian army was disbanded , and Alten took service with the King ' s German Legion ( KGL ) in British pay . In command of the light infantry of this famous corps he took part with Lord Cathcart in the Hanoverian expedition of 1805 . He also fought at the Copenhagen in 1807 . Peninsular War . Alten was with John Moore in Sweden and Spain . He commanded the 2nd Flank Brigade in Moore ' s campaign though he missed the Battle of Corunna . He participated in the disastrous Walcheren expedition in the summer of 1809 . He was soon employed once more in the Peninsula , and at the Battle of Albuera he commanded an independent KGL brigade . An incident in the battle highlights both the abilities and the limitations of Alten . Alten was ordered to evacuate Albuera village , which could be retaken by the Portuguese as soon as they could arrive , and move up the ridge to reinforce the dwindling line . The order was carried by a Portuguese ADC and Alten , a good and conscientious Hanoverian soldier , believed that it must have been distorted in transmission . He refused to move until relieved by the Portuguese . In April 1812 Arthur Wellesley , Viscount Wellington placed him at the head of the famous Light Division , which consisted of the 1 / 43rd and 1 / 52nd Light Infantry , 95th Rifles , and 1st and 3rd Portuguese Caçadores . In this post he worthily continued the records of Moore and Robert Craufurd at the battles of Salamanca , Vitoria , the Pyrenees , the Nivelle , the Nive , Orthez and Toulouse . His officers presented him with a sword of honour as a token of their esteem . Wellington called Alten , " the best of the Hanoverians . " Comparing him with Craufurd , Charles Oman writes somewhat harshly , Charles Alten , his successor in command of the Light Division being a general of much more pedestrian quality , who might never fail to make an attempt to obey Wellington ' s orders to the best of his ability , but could never supplement them by any improvisation of his own , of which he was incapable . Waterloo and later career . In 1815 Alten led Wellington ' s 3rd Division during the Hundred Days . This command included Maj - Gen Colin Halkett ' s 5th British Brigade , Col Christian Ompteda ' s 2nd KGL Brigade and Maj - Gen Friedrich Kielmansegge ' s 1st Hanoverian Brigade . Parts of the division were heavily engaged at the Battle of Quatre Bras . At the Battle of Waterloo , the 3rd Division held the front line throughout the day and suffered very heavy losses . Severely wounded in the battle , Alten ' s conduct won for him the rank of Count von Alten . When the King ' s German Legion ceased to exist , Alten was given the command of the Hanoverians in France . In 1818 he returned to Hanover , where he subsequently became minister of war and foreign affairs , and rose to the rank of Field Marshal . At the same time , he was retained on the British Army list as Major - General Sir Charles Alten , G . C . B . He died in 1840 . A memorial to Alten has been erected at Hanover . He is buried in the Neustädter Kirche . Alten ' s brother Victor Alten commanded a cavalry brigade in Wellington ' s army . Unlike his brother Charles , Victor is described as " unsatisfactory " .