Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

the evening, the English army occupied Mount St. Jean with its centre, and was in position before the forest of Soigne : it would have required three hours to attack it, we were therefore obliged to postpone till the next day. The head-quarters of the Emperor were established at the farm of Caillon, near Planchenort. The rain fell in torrents. Thus on the 16th, the left wing, the right, and the reserve, were equally engaged, at a distance of about two leagues.

the cuirassiers of General Milbaud charged that division, three regiments of which were broken and cut up. It was three in the afternoon. The Emperor made the guard advance to place it in the plain upon the ground which the first corps had occupied at the outset of the battle this The Prus corps being already in advance. sian division, whose movement had been fore. seen, then engaged with the light troops of Count Lobau, spreading its fire upon our whole right flank. It was expedient, before undertaking BATTLE OF MOUNT ST. JEAN.-At 9 in the any thing elsewhere, to wait for the event of this morning the rain having somewhat abated, the 1st attack. Hence, all the means in reserve were corps put itself in motion, and placed itself with cavalry charged the battery of Count d'Erlon by the left on the road to Brussels, and opposite the ready to succour Count Loban, and overwhelm village of Mount St. Jean, which appeared the the Prussian corps when it should be advanced. centre of the enemy's position. The second This done, the Emperor had the design of leadcorps leant its right upon the road to Brussels, ing an attack upon the village of Mount St. Jean, and its left upon a small wood within cannon from which we expected decisive success; but shot of the English army. The cuirassiers were by a movement of impatience, so frequent in our in reserve behind, and the guards in reserve military annals, and which has often been so fatal upon the heights. The sixth corps, with the to us, the cavalry of reserve having perceived a cavalry of General d'Aumont, under the order of retrograde movement made by the English to Count Lobay, was destined to proceed in rear shelter themselves from our batteries, from of our right, to oppose a Prussian corps, which which they had suffered so much, crowned the appeared to have escaped Marshal Grouchy, and heights of Mount St. Jean, and charged the into intend to fall upon our right flank, an intention fantry. This movement, which, made in time, and which had been made known to us by our re-supported by the reserves, must have decided ports, and by the letter of a Prussian General, the day, made in an isolated manner, and before inclosing an order of battle, and which was taken affairs on the right were terminated, became faby our light troops. The troops were full of ar tal. Having no means of countermanding it, the dour We estimated the force of the English enemy shewing many masses of cavalry and in. army at 80,000 men. We supposed that the fantry, and our two divisions of cuirassiers being Prussian corps which might be in line towards engaged, all our cavalry, ran at the same moment the right might be 15,000 meu. The enemy's force to support their comrades. There, for three then was upwards of 90,000 men. Our's less nu-hours, numerous charges were made, which enaAt noon, all the preparations being bled us to penetrate several squares, and to take termuated, Prince Jerome, commanding a di six standards of the light infantṛy, an advantage vision of the second corps, and destined to form out of proportion with the loss which our cavalry the extreme left of it, advanced upon the wood experienced by the grape shot and musket firing. of which the enemy occupied a part. The can- It was impossible to dispose of our reserves of nonane began. The enemy supported with 50 infantry until we had repulsed the flank attack pieces of cannon the troops he had sent to keep of the Prussian corps. This attack always prothe wood. We made also on our side dispositions louged itself perpendicularly upon our right of artillery. At one o'clock Prince Jerome was flank. The Emperor sent thither General Du. master of all the wood, and the whole English hesme with the young guard, and several batteries army fell back behind a curtain. Count d'Erlon of reserve. The enemy was kept in check, rethen attacked the village of Mount St, Jean, and pulsed, and fell back-he had exhausted his supported his attack with 80 pieces of cannon, forces, and we had nothing more to fear. It which must have occasioned great loss to the was this moment that was indicated for an atEnglish army. All the efforts were made totack upon the centre of the enemy. As the wards the ridge. A brigade of the first division cuirassiers suffered by the grape-shot, we sent of Count d'Erlon took the village of Mount St. four battalions of the middle guard to protect Jean; a second -brigade was charged by a corps the cuirassiers, keep the position, and, if possible of Engleh cavalry, which occasioned it much disengage, and draw back into the plain a part loss. At the same moment a division of English of our cavalry. Two other battalions were sent its right, and disorganised several pieces; but to keep themselves en potence upon the extreme

merous.

the baggage which had not repassed the Sambre, in short, every thing that was on the field of battle, remained in the power of the enemy. It was impossible to wait for the troops on our right ; every one knows what the bravest army in the world is when thus mixed and thrown into con. fusion, and when its organisation no longer exists, The Emperor crossed the Sambre at Charleroi, at five o'clock in the morning of the 19th, Phillipeville and Avesnes have been given as the points of re-union. Prince Jerome, General Morand, and other Generals have there already rallied a part of the army. Marshal Greuchy, with the corps on "the right, is moving on the Lower Sambre. The loss of the enemy must have been very great, if we may judge from the number of standards we have taken from them, and from the retrogade movements which he made;our's cannot be calculated till after the troops shall have been collected.-Before the disorder broke out, we had already experienced a very considerable loss, particularly in our cavalry, so fatally, though so bravely engaged,-Notwithstanding these losses, this brave cavalry constantly kept the position it had taken from the English, and only abandoned it when the tumult and disorder of the field of battle forced it. In the midst of the night, and the obstacles which encumbered their route, it could not preserve its own organization. The artillery has, as usual, covered itself with glory. The carriages belong. ing to the head-quarters remained in their ordi mary position; no retrograde movement being judged necessary. In the course of the night they fell into the enemy's hands. Such has been the issue of the battle of Mount St. Jeae, glorious for the French armies, and yet so fatal.

left of the division, which had manœuvred upon our flanks, in order not to have any uneasiness on that side-the rest was disposed in reserve, part to occupy the potence in rear of Mount St. Jean, part upon the ridge in rear of the field of battle, which formed our position of retreat.In this state of affairs the battle was gained; we occupied all the positions which the enemy oceupied at the outset of the battle: our cavalry having been too soon and it employed, we could no longer hope for decisive success; but Marshal Grouchy, having learned the movement of the Prussian corps, marched upon the rear of that corps, which insured us a signal success for next day. After eight hours fire and charges of infantry and cavalry, all the army saw with joy the battle gained, and the field of battle in our power. At half-after eight o'clock, the four battalions of the middle guard, who had been sent to the ridge on the other side of Mount St. Jean, in order to support the cuirassiers, being greatly annoyed by the grape-shot, endeavoured to carry the bat terics with the bayonets. At the end of the day, a charge directed against their funk by several English squadrons put them in disorder. The fugitives recrossed the ravin, Several regiments wear at hand seeing some troops belonging to the guard in confusion, believed it was the old „guard, and in consequeene were thrown into disorder. Cries of all is lost, the guard is driven back, were heard on every side. The soldiers pretend even that on many points ill-disposed persons cried out, sauce qui peut. However this may be, a complete panic at once spread itself throughout the whole field of battle, and they threw themselves in the greatest disorder on the line of communication; soldiers, cannoneers, caissons, all pressed to this point; the old guard, which was in reserve, was infected, and was itself hurried along. In an instant, the whole army was nothing but a mass of confusion; all the soldiers of all arms were mixed pel-mel, and it was ntterly impossible to rally a single corps. The At break of day the Prussian army again began enemy, who perceived this astonishing confusion, to move. The 4th and 2d corps marched by St. immediately attacked with their cavalry, and in- Lambert, where they were to take a position, creased the disorder, and such was the confusion covered by the forest, near Frichemont, to take owing to right coming on, that it was impossible the enemy in the rear, when the moment should to rally the troops, and point out to them their Thus a battle terminated, a day of false appear favourable. The first corps was to operate by Ohaim on the right flank of the enemy. manœuvres rectified, the greatest success insured The third corps was to follow slowly, in order to for the next day, all was lost by a moment of afford succour in case of need. The battle began panic terior. Even the squadrons of service, about ten o'clock in the morning. The English drawn up by the side of the Emperor, were overarmy occupied the heights of Mont St. Jean thrown and disorganised by these tumultuous that of the French was on the heights before waves, and there was then nothing else to be done Plachenoit ; the former about 80,000 strong; but to folbw the torrent. The parks of reserve, the enemy had above 130,000. In a short time,

error.

PRUSSIAN ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF
THE 18TH.

;

the battle became general along the whole line. some uncertainty was perceived in their moveIt seems that Napoleon had the design to throw ments, and it was observed that some pieces of the left wing upon the centre, and thus to effect cannon were retreating. At this moment the the separation of the English army from the first columns of the corps of General Ziethen arPrussian, which he believed to be retreating|rived on the points of attack, near the village of upon Maestricht. For this purpose, he had Smouhen, on the enemy's right flank, and inplaced the greatest part of his reserve in the stantly charged. This moment decided the decentre, against his right wing, and upon this point feat of the enemy, His right wing was broken in he attacked with fury. The english army fought three places; he abandoned his positions. Our with a valour which it is impossible to surpass. troops rushed forward at the pas de charge, and The repeated charges of the Old Guard were attacked him on all sides, while, at the same baffled by the intrepidity of the Scotch regi- time, the whole English line advanced. Cir ments; and at every charge the French cavalry cumstances were extremely favourable to the was overthrown by the English cavalry. But the attack formed by the Prussian army; the superiority of the enemy in numbers were too ground rose in an amphitheatre, so that our artilgreat; Napoleon continually brought forward lery could freely open its fire from the summit of considerable masses, and with whatever firmness a great many heights which rose gradually above the English troops maintained themselves in their each other, and in the intervals of which the position, it was not possible but that such heroic troops descended into the plain formed into bri exertions must have a limit. It was half past gades, and in the greatest order; while fresh four o'clock. The excessive difficulties of the corps continually unfolded themselves, issuing passage by the defile of St. Lambert had consider- from the forest on the height behind us. The ably retarded the march of the Prussian columns, enemy, however, still preserved means to retreat, so that only two brigades of the fourth corps had till the village of Planchenoit, which he had on arrived at the covered position assigned to them. his The decisive moment was come; there was not ear, and which was defended by the gnard, was, after several bloody attacks, carried by. an instant to be lost. The Generals did not storm. From that time the retreat became a suffer it to escape. They resolved immediately rout, which soon spread through the whole to begin the attack with the troops which they French army, which in its dreadful confusion, had at hand. General Bulow, therefore, with burrying away every thing that attempted to stop two brigades and a corps of cavalry, advanced it, soon assumed the appearance of the flight of rapidly upon the rear of the enemy's right wing. an army of barbarians. It was half-past nine. The enemy did not lose his presence of mind; The Field Marshal assembled all the superior he instantly turned his reserve against us, and a officers, and gave orders to send the last horse murderous conflict began on that side. The com- and the last man, in pursuit of the enemy. The bat remained long uncertain, while the battle of the van of the army accelerated its march. The English Army still continued with the same vio- French being pursued without intermission, was lence. Towards six o'clock in the evening, we absolutely disorganised. The causeway prereceived the news that General Thielman with sented the appearance of an immense shipthe third corps, was attacked near Wavre by a wreck it was covered with an innumeravery considerable corps of the enemy, and that ble quantity of cannon, caissons, carriages, they were already disputing the possession of the luggage, arms, and wrecks of every kind. Those town. The Field Marshal, however, did not of the enemy who had attempted to repose for a suffer himself to be disturbed by this news; it time, and had not expected to be so quickly pur. was on the spot where he was, and no where else, sued, were driven from more than nine bivouacs. that the affair was to be decided. A conflict In some villages they attempted to maintain themcontinually supported by the same obstinacy and selves; but as soon as they heard the beating of kept up by fresh troops, could alone insure our drums or the sound of the trumpet, they the victory, and if it were obtained here, any either fled or threw themselves into the houses, reverse near Wavre was of little consequence. where they were cut down or made prisoners. It The columns, therefore, continued their move- was moonlight, which greatly favoured the purments. It was half an hour past seven, and the suit, for the whole march was but a contiuned issue of the battle was uncertain. The whole of chace, either in the corn fields or the houses. At the 4th corps and a part of the 2d under General Genappe the enemy had entrenched himself with Pvish had successively, come up. The French cannon and overturned carriages; at our ap troops fought with desperate fury: however, proach we suddenly heard in the town a grea

noise and a motion of carriages; at the entrance

1

:

that this battle should bear the name of La Belle
Alliance.

By the order of Field Marshal Blucher,
General GNEISENAV

ADVANCE OF THE ALLIED ARMIES. DOWNING-STREET, JUNE 29, 1815.-Dispatches,

[ocr errors]

we were exposed to a brisk fire of musketry; we replied by some cannon shot, followed by an hurrak, and in an instant after the town was oars, It was here that, among other equipages, the carriage of Napoleon was taken; he had just left it to mount on horseback, and in his hurry had forgotten in it his sword and hat. Thus the affairs continued till break of day. About 40,000 men, in the most complete disorder, the remains of of which the following are extracts, have been this the whole army, have saved themselves, retreat-day received by Earl Bathurst, from Field Marshal ing through Charleroi, partly without arms, and his Grace the Duke of Wellington, dated Cateau, 22d, and Joncourt, 25th instant. carrying with them only 27 pieces of their nume. rous artillery. The enemy in his flight has passed all his fortresses, the orly defence of his frontiers, which are now passed by our armies.At three o'clock, Napoleon had dispatched from the field of battle, a courier to Paris, with the news that victory was no longer doubtful: a few hours after, he had no longer any army left. We have not yet any exact account of the enemy's Joss; it is enough to know that two-thirds of the whole army are killed, wounded, or prisoners among the latter are Generals Mouton, Dulesme, and Compans. Up to this time about 300 cannon, and 1000 cassions, are in our hands. Few victories have been so complete, and there is certainly no example that an army two days after losing a battle, engaged in such an action, and so gloriensly maintained it. Honour be to troops capable of so much firmness and valour! In the middle of the position occupied by the French army, and exactly upon the height, is a farm called La Belle Alliance. The march of all the Prussian columns was directed towards this farm, which was visible from every side. It was there that Napoleon was during the battle; it was thence he gave his orders, that he flattered himself with the hopes of victory, and it was there that his ruin was decided. There, too, it was, that by a happy chance Field Marshal Blucher and Lord Wellington met in the dark, and mutually saluted each other as victors. In commemoration of the alliance which now subsists between the English and Prussian nations, of the union of the two armies, and their reciprocal confidence, the Field Marshal desired,

La Cateau, June 22, 1815. We have continued in march on the left of the Sambre since I wrote to you. Marshal Blucher crossed that river on the 19th, in pursuit of the ene. my, and both armies entered the French territories yesterday; the Prussians by Beaumont, and the allied army, under my command, by Bavay. The remains of the French army have retired upon Laon. All accounts agree in stating, that it is in a very wretched state; and that, in addition to its losses in battle and in prisoners, it is losing vast numbers of men by desertion. The soldiers quit their regiments in parties, and return to their homes; those of the cavalry and artillery selling their horses to the people of the country. The 3d corps, which in my dispatch of the 19th I informed your Lordship had been detached to observe the Prussian army, remained in the neighbourhood of Wavre till the 20th; it then made good its retreat by Namur and Dinant. This corps is the only one remaining entire. I am not yet able to transmit your Lordship returns of the killed and wounded in the army in the late actions. It gives me the greatest satisfaction to inform you, that Colonel Delancy is not dead: he is badly wounded, but his recovery is not doubted, and I hope will be early.

Joncourt, June 25, 1815. Finding that the garrison of Cambray was not very strong, and that the place was not very well supplied with what was wanting for its defence, I sent Lieut. General Sir Charles Colville there, on the day before yesterday with one brigade of the

831]

POLITICAL REGISTER-Historical Notices of the War, &c. &c. [832

4th division, and Sir C. Grant's brigade of cavalry; and upon his report of the strength of the place, I sent the whole division yesterday morning. I have now the satisfaction of reporting, that Sir Charles Colville took the town by escalade yesterday evening, with trifling loss, and from the communications which he has since had with the Governor of the citadel, I have every reason to hope that that post will have been surrendered to a Governor sent there by the King of France, to take possession of it, in the course of this day. St. Quenten has been abandoned by the enemy, and is in possession of Marshal Prince Blucher; and the castle of Guise surrendered last night. All accounts concur in stating that it is impossible for the enemy to collect an army to make head against us. It appears that the French corps which was opposed to the Prussians on the 18th inst, and had been at Wavre, suffered considerably in its retreat, and lost some of its cannon.

BELLA HORRIDA BELLAT

At length once more are loos'd the dogs of war,
To spread wide waste and desolation far;
To deal destruction on our fellow-men,
To place the Bourbon on the throne again.
Imperial Russia's num'rous hordes advance,
With Europe's monarchs leagued to ravage France
Now march to give to gallant Frenchmen laws,
And dare assert, they fight in Freedom's cause;
But the base object which they seek to gain,
Is on the free-born soul to fix the chain,

END
LETIS

England, alas! the hostile leagne has join'd
Lost to her honour, to her welfare blind;
Justice, with meek-eyed Peace, has fled the land
Subdued by base Corruption's withering hand;
Who, o'er our isle, has stalk'd with giant stride,
Destroy'd, what once was Britain's greatest pride,
Her boasted liberty—whose sacred flame,
Rais'd to the highest pitch the British name.
Will no one seize the helm, and try to save
The country's shatter'd vessel from the grave ;
Must she ignobly perish in the storm,
Will no one raise the bold protecting arm?
Where is that manly, dauntless spirit flown,
Which once belong'd to Englishmen alone,
Which in the cause of Justice drew the sword,
And the stern voice of Honour only heard;
When to a tyrant they submission scorn'd,
But with their blood, their rights, their freedom,
earn'd.

Dead is that manly spirit, or we ne'er
Could join those wretches who delight in war;
Whose hearts are callous to their country's woes,
And who alone are England's direst foes.
What signal punishment has Heav'n in store
For those who basely sell, for sordid ore,

Their country's freedom and her peace destroy,

And in her deep distress find horrid joy.
The day of retationsoon must come,
When these vile wretches will receive their

[blocks in formation]

Printed and Published by G. HOUSTON, No. 192, Strand; where all Communications addressed to the Editor, are requested to be forwarded.

« PreviousContinue »