exceeded all its former exertions. A committee of distribution was appointed, and in a short time upwards of 400,000l. sterling was cheerfully raised for the purpose of administering to the necessities of the wounded, and to the comfort of the orphans and widows of the dead. To the memory of Generals Picton and Ponsonby, the British legislature decreed the erection of monuments, in the repository of her mighty dead, where Nelson lies, who at Trafalgar gave Britain the undisputed empire of the ocean; as the cause of their death, at Waterloo, gave her decidedly the preponderance in the scale of Europe. It is a curious fact, that as near as a land engagement can approach to one at sea, that the battle of Waterloo was the battle of Trafalgar in every thing but victory reversed. The mode of attack by Napoleon was as near as possible similar to that followed by Nelson; and the manner in which the British troops were drawn up in lines and squares was similar to that in which Villeneuve drew up the French fleet in a double line, but so placed that in breaking through between two ships in the front line, the vessel which did so came full on a broadside of a ship in the second, and in this situation remained exposed to the fire of both lines. But that prudent plan was rendered of no avail, by Nelson coming down in two diverging lines, each of which, as it came near, separated and broke through at every point. Similar to the French ships were the British squares placed at Waterloo; and similarly Bonaparte attacked, with the numbers in his favor.

The conduct of the foreign troops in the British army, engaged in this battle, was most conspicuous and exemplary. The Hanoverians and Brunswickers greatly distinguished themselves. The Prussians also well performed their part in this great engagement; and the Duke of Wellington, with the liberality of an honorable mind, in his public dispatches, made the fullest acknowledgment of their services. "I should not," said he, do justice to my feelings, or to Marshal Blucher and the Prussian army, if I did not attribute the successful result of this arduous day to the cordial and timely assistance I received from them. The operation of General Bulow upon the enemy's flank was a most decisive one; and even if I had not found myself in a situation to make the attack which produced the final result, it would have forced the enemy to retire, if his attacks should have failed, and would have prevented him from taking advantage of them, if they should unfortunately have succeeded."

To Wellington himself there was wanting but this combat to crown the glory which he had already earned on the field of danger. He stood from this moment confessedly the first general of

an age where all are brave, and wherein thou- BOOK XV. sands are conspicuous. His conduct on this memorable day, as a general, as a soldier, and as a CHAP. VIH, man, will live the theme of the admiration and applause of every succeeding age. As a general, 1815. Waterloo has made him immortal. It was abilities and resources of the highest order he had here to oppose him. He swept those from the face of the political world in a moment, without a vestige being left to shew that such things had ever been. As a soldier, he was often seen rallying broken battalions, and leading them to the charge, amidst the greatest danger. The nature of the ground was such that to obtain a full view of the enemy there was no avoiding the imminent risks which this great man ran during the whole day. His aids-de-camp, men endeared to him by their long services, in the career of victory, and by their personal devotion to him, fell, killed or wounded, one after another. Of those who accompanied him, his old friend, the Spanish General Alava, was the only one who was untouched, either in his person or his horse. At one moment, when the duke was very far advanced, observing the enemy's movements, one of his aidsde-camp ventured to hint that he was exposing himself too much; the duke answered, with his noble simplicity, "I know I am, but I must die, or see what they are doing." With his telescope in his hand, in the midst of every danger, he stood and surveyed the extent of that dreadful field, with as much calmness and self-possession as an astronomer would view the satellites of Jupiter. His eye beheld every thing.-While the motions of the enemy were yet in embryo he forestalled them, and through the dark columns of smoke, that concealed their advance, he anticipated every movement of the foe. Like the genius of the storm, upborne on its wings, he was seen riding about, repelling the attack of conflicting elements, and directing bis thunders to burst where they should be most fatal. In addition to the particulars already related, at a most critical moment, be put himself at the head of the 95th regiment, charged and drove back the most advanced of the enemy. At another time a select party of French cavalry cut their passage through the line where he was, and very nearly succeeded in taking him prisoner. As a man, he wept for the loss of the former companions of many a bloody field, and days of former glory and danger. "I cannot express," said he, in a letter to the brother of Sir Alexander Gordon, “in adequate terms, the grief which I feel in contemplating the loss which we have sustained in the death of

so many valued friends. The glory of such actions afford no consolution to me, and I cannot suggest it as a consolation to you; but a result so decisive will, in all probability, be followed by

BOOK XY. an early attainment of the just object of our wishes and exertions, and this may afford some CHAP. VIII. Consolation for our loss."

1815.

That the French army, and their chief, fought with the greatest bravery, is a fact undeniable and just. The bravery and enthusiasm of the latter were never more conspicuous than at Wa terloo, and never were so severely defeated. The plans of their leader, to accomplish the object which he had in view, were skilfully laid; but considering the abilities of his opponents, and his own peculiar situation, they were most hazardous and dangerous. They were, however, all in character of the man, and also of the nation. But his faults, as a general, does not take away from the personal bravery of himself and his troops. All exposed themselves in the most resolute manner; and the prisoners said they never saw the emperor expose himself so much; that he seemed to court death, in order not to outlive a defeat fraught with such fatal consequences to him. The idle stories about his cowardice on this day deserve no attention. They are the tricks of some vain Frenchmen, who want to make it appear that their countrymen were defeated solely because their leader was unworthy of his troops.

It would be doing an act of great injustice to those who conquered him, to give any credence to such stories. At Waterloo he was worthy of his troops. His vanity at the commencement of the battle, and despair at the end, made him expose himself more than he had done in any other action. He afterwards, indeed, forsook the troops, but not till they durst face their foes no longer. During the engagement, they fought with the most determined courage, and at last sealed with their blood their attachment to their chief. It is fact, that they marched to the combat shouting "Vive l'Empereur," and that when wounded and maimed they returned from the field shouting the same words. It is also certain, that even in the hospitals, sinking under their wounds and disease, they continued to chaunt the same strain, and to give the strongest marks of attachment to their leader. Nay, many days after, even on the fieldof-battle, many were found as dead, but who were no sooner roused from their state of insensibility, than they saluted their hearers with the same words. As Mr. Simpson passed through the hospitals at Antwerp, one man was pointed out who had tossed his own amputated arm in the

air with a feeble shout of "Vive l'Empereur!" Another, at the moment of the preparations to take off his leg, declared that there was something he knew of would cure him on the spot, and save his limb and the operator's trouble. When asked to explain this wild remark, he said, "A sight of the emperor." The amputation did not save him. He died in the surgeon's bands, and his last words, steadfastly looking on his own blood, were, that he would cheerfully shed the last drop in his veins for the great Napoleon. A third was undergoing, with matchless steadiness, the extrac tion of a ball from his left side. In the middle of the operation he exclaimed, “An inch deeper, and you will find the emperor !"

It was not so much the loss of men, of cannon, and of reputation, great as these were, which at Waterloo was the greatest loss to Bonaparte. These might have been replaced; but the loss was of a more irrecoverable kind. In the words of Count Lobau, who was taken prisoner, this dread, ful day deprived Napoleon of almost every one, who, in France, were personally attached to him. But bravely as the French troops fought, and skilful as their leader was, so inuch the more praise and greater honor is due to those who beat them. "Never," said the Duke of Wellington, in a letter to a relative," was I in a harder. fought battle; never was I obliged to exert myself so much, and never was I so near being beaten." This frank acknowledgment, while it gives his enemies praise, confers on him additional glory.

Such were the immediate, important, and deci sive results of the terrible battle of Waterloo. The victories of Cressy and Agincourt, achieved by British prowess, twice before settled the fate of France. The triumph of Waterloo, won chiefly by the same means, decided not only the fate of France but of Europe. There is no pos sibility of lessening or disguising the humiliation and defeat which France received on this day. In one battle, Britain dealt to her a blow that went to her heart. Nothing that was done by her to either Prussia, or Austria, or Spain, or Portugal, was so severely disgraceful to the van quished, as that which befel herself. Waterloo sent her reeling and tumbling backwards to a throne which she had sworn to defend-from which she held the boldest language; and yet before which, we shall presently see, not an arm was raised up in its defence.

BEFORE We follow Napoleon to Paris, we think it our duty to present the reader with the official documents of this great and glorious battle.

THE ENGLISH ACCOUNT.

Waterloo, June 19th, 1815. My Lord, Bonaparte having collected the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth corps of the French army, and the Imperial-guards, and nearly all the cavalry, on the Sambre, and between that river and the Meuse, between the 10th and the 14th of the month, advanced on the 15th, and attacked the Prussian posts at Thuin and Lobez, on the Sambre, at day-light in the morning.

I did not hear of these events till the evening of the 15th, and I immediately ordered the troops to prepare to march; and afterwards to march to their left, as soon as I had intelligence from other quarters to prove that the enemy's movement upon Charleroy was the real attack.

The eneiny drove the Prussian posts from the Sainbre on that day; and General Ziethen, who commanded the corps which had been at Charleroy, retired upon Fleurus; and Marshal Prince Blucher concentrated the Prussian army upon Sombref, holding the villages of St. Amand and Ligny in front of his position.

The enemy continued his march along the road from Charleroy towards Brussels, and on the same evening, the 15th, attacked a brigade of the army of the Netherlands, under the Prince de Weimar, posted at Frasne, and forced it back to the farm-house on the same road, called Les Quatre Bras.

The Prince of Orange immediately reinforced this brigade with another of the same division, under General Perponcher, and in the morning early regained part of the ground which bad been lost, so as to have the command of the communication leading from Nivelles and Brussels with Marshal Blucher's position.

In the meantime, I had directed the whole army to march upon Les Quatre Bras, and the fifth division, under Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, arrived at about half-past two in the day, followed by the corps of troops under the Duke of Brunswick, and afterwards by the contingent of Nassau.

At this time the enemy commenced an attack upon Prince Blucher with his whole force. ex

cepting the first and second corps; and a corps BOOK XV of cavalry under General Kellerman, with which he attacked our post at Les Quatre Bras.

The Prussian army maintained their position with their usual gallantry and perseverance, against a great disparity of numbers, as the fourth corps of their army, under General Bulow, had not joined, and I was not able to assist them as I wished, as I was attacked myself; and the troops, the cavalry in particular, which had a long distance to march, had not arrived.

We maintained our position also, and completely defeated and repulsed all the enemy's attempts to get possession of it. The enemy repeatedly attacked us with a large body of infantry and cavalry, supported by a numerous and powerful artillery; he made several charges with the cavalry upon our infantry, but all were repulsed in the steadiest manner. In this affair, his royal highness the Prince of Orange, the Duke of Brunswick, and Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, and Major-general Sir James Kempt, and Sir Dennis Pack, who were engaged from the commencement of the enemy's attack, highly distinguished themselves, as well as Lieutenantgeneral Charles Baron Alten, Major-general Sir C. Halket, Lieutenant-general Cooke, and Major-generals Maitland and Byng, as they successively arrived. The troops of the fifth division, and those of the Brunswick corps, were long aud severely engaged, and conducted themselves with the utmost gallantry. I must particularly mention the 28th, 42d, 79th, and 92d regiments, and the battalion of Hanoverians.

Our loss was great, as your lordship will perceive by the enclosed return; and I have particularly to regret his serene highness the Duke of Brunswick, who fell, fighting gallantly, at the head of his troops.

Although Marshal Blucher had maintained his position at Sombref, he still found himself much weakened by the severity of the contest in which he had been engaged, and, as the fourth corps had not arrived, he determined to fall back, and concentrate his army upon Wavre; and he marched in the night after the action was

over.

This movement of the marshal's rendered necessary a corresponding one on my part; and I retired from the farm of Quatre Bras upon Ge

CHAP. IX.

1815.

BOOK XV. nappe, and thence upon Waterloo the next morning, the 17th, at ten o'clock.

СПАР. ІХ.

1815.

The enemy made no effort to pursue Marshal Blucher. On the contrary, a patrole, which I sent to Sombref in the morning, found all quiet, and the enemy's videttes fell back as the patrole advanced. Neither did he attempt to molest our march to the rear, although made in the middle of the day, excepting by following, with a large body of cavalry brought from his right, the cavalry under the Earl of Uxbridge.

This gave Lord Uxbridge an opportunity of charging them with the 1st life-guards, upon their debouche from the village of Genappe, upon which occasion his lordship has declared himself to be well satisfied with that regiment.

The position which I took up, in front of Waterloo, crossed the high roads from Charleroy and Nivelles, and had its right thrown back to a ravine near Merke Braine, which was occupied; and its left extended to a height above the hamlet Ter-la-Haye, which was likewise occupied. In front of the right centre, and near the Nivelles road, we occupied the house and garden of Hougoumont, which covered the return of that flank; and, in front of the left centre, we occupied the farm of La Haye Sainte. By our left we communicated with Marshal Prince Blucher, at Wavre, through Ohain, and the Marshal had promised me that in case we should be attacked he would support me with one or more corps, as might be necessary.

The enemy collected his army, with the exception of the third corps, which had been sent to observe Marshal Blucher, on a range of heights in our front, in the course of the night of the 17th and yesterday morning; and at about ten o'clock he commenced a furious attack upon our post at Hougoumont. I had occupied that post with a detachment from General Byng's brigade of guards, which was in position in its rear; and it was for some time under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Macdonald, and afterwards of Colonel Home; and I am happy to add, that it was maintained throughout the day with the utmost gallantry by these brave troops, notwith standing the repeated efforts of large bodies of the enemy to obtain possession of it.

This attack upon the right of our centre was accompanied by a very heavy cannonade upon our whole line, which was destined to support the repeated attacks of cavalry and infantry occasionally mixed, but sometimes separate, which were made upon it. In one of these, the enemy carried the farm-house of La Haye Sainte, as the detachment of the light battalion of the legion which occupied it had expended all its ammunition, and the enemy occupied the only communi. cation there was with them.

The enemy repeatedly charged our infantry with his cavalry, but these attacks were uniformly unsuccessful, and they afforded opportunities to our cavalry to charge, in one of which, Lord E. Somerset's brigade, consisting of the life-guards, royal horse-guards, and 1st dragoon-guards, highly distinguished themselves; as did that of Magor-general Sir W. Ponsonby, having taken many prisoners and an eagle.

These attacks were repeated till about seven in the evening, when the enemy made a desperate ef fort with the cavalry and infantry, supported by the fire of artillery, to force our left centre near the farm of La Haye Sainte, which, after a severe contest, was defeated and having observed that the troops retired from this attack in great confusion, and that the march of General Bulow's corps by Frischermont upon Planchenoit and La Belle Alliance, had begun to take effect; and as I could perceive by the fire of his cannon, and as Marshal Prince Blucher had joined in person, with a corps of his army to the left of our line by Ohain, I determined to attack the enemy, and immediately advanced the whole line of infantry, supported by the cavalry and artillery. The attack succeeded in every point; the enemy was forced from his position on the heights, and fled in the utmost coufusion, leaving behind him, as far as I could judge, 150 pieces of cannon, with their ammunition, which fell into our hands.

I continued the pursuit till long after dark, and then discontinued it only on account of the fatigue of our troops, who had been engaged during twelve hours, and because I found myself on the same road with Marshal Blucher, who assured me of his intention to follow the enemy throughout the night; he has sent me word this morning, that he had taken sixty pieces of cannon belonging to the imperial-guard, and several carriages, baggage, &c. belonging to Bonaparte, in Genappe.

I propose to move, this morning, upon Nivelles, and not to discontinue my operations.

Your lordship will observe, that such a desperate action could not be fought, and such advantages could not be gained, without great loss; and, I am sorry to add, that our's has been inmense. In Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Picton, his majesty has sustained the loss of an officer who has frequently distinguished himself in his service; and he fell, gloriously leading his division to a charge with bayonets, by which one of the most serious attacks made by the enemy on our position was defeated.

The Earl of Uxbridge, after having successfully got through this arduous day, received a wound, by almost the last shot fired, which will I am afraid, deprive his majesty for some time of his services.

It gives me the greatest satisfaction to assure your lordship, that the army never, upon any occasion, conducted itself better. The division of guards, under Lieutenant-general Cooke, who is severely wounded, Major-general Maitland, and Major-general Byng, set an example which was followed by all; and there is no othicer, nor description of troops, that did not behave well.

I must, however, particularly mention, for his royal-highness's approbation, Lieutenant-general Sir H. Clinton; Major-general Adam; Lieutenant-general Charles Baron Alten, severely wounded; Major-general Sir Colin Halket, severely wounded; Colonel Ompteda; Colonel Mitchele, commanding a brigade of the fourth division; Major-geverals Sir James Kempt and Sir Dennis Pack; Major general Lambert; Major-general Lord E. Somerset; Major-general Sir W. Ponsonby; Major-general Sir C. Grant, and Major-general Sir H. Vivian; Major-general Sir O. Vandeleur; Major-general Count Dornberg. I am also particularly indebted to General Lord Hill, for his assistance and conduct upon this, as upon all former occasions.

The artillery and engineer departments were conducted much to my satisfaction by Colonel Sir G. Wood, and Colonel Smyth; and I had every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the adjutant-general, Major-general Barnes, who was wounded, and of the quarter-inastergeneral, Colonel Delancy, who was killed by a cannon-shot in the middle of the action. This officer is a serious loss to his majesty's service, and to me at this moment. I was likewise much indebted to the assistance of Lieutenant-colonel Lord Fitzroy Somerset, who was severely wounded, and of the officers composing my personal staff, who have suffered severely in this action. Lieutenant-colonel the honorable Sir Alexander Gordon, who has died of his wounds, was a most promising officer, and is a serious loss to his majesty's service.

General Kruse, of the Nassau service, likewise conducted himself much to my satisfaction, as did General Trip, commanding the heavy brigade of cavalry, and General Vanhope, commanding a brigade of infantry of the King of the Netherlands.

General Pozzo di Borgo, General Baron Vincent, General Muffling, and General Alava, were in the field during the action, and rendered me every assistance in their power. Baron Vincent is wounded, but I hope not severely; and General Pozzo di Borgo received a contusion.

Marshal Blucher and the Prussian army, if I BOOK XV. did not attribute the successful result of this arduous day to the cordial and timely assistance received from them.

The operation of General Bulow upon the enemy's flank, was a most decisive one; and, even if I had not found myself in a situation to make the attack which produced the final result, it would have forced the enemy to retire, if his attacks should have failed, and would have prevented him from taking of them, if they should unfortunately have succeeded.

I send, with this dispatch, two eagles, taken by the troops in this action, which Major Percy will have the honor of laying at the feet of his royal highness-I beg leave to recommend him to your lordship's protection. I have the honor, &c. (Signed) WELLINGTON.

THE PRUSSIAN ACCOUNT.

It was on the 15th of this month, that Napoleon, after having collected, on the 14th, five corps of his army, and the several corps of the guard between Maubeuge and Beaumont, commenced hostilities. The points of concentration of the four Prussian corps were Fleurus, Namur, Ciney, and Hannut; the situation of which made it possible to unite the army in one of these points in twenty-four hours.

On the 15th, Napoleon advanced by Thuin, upon the two banks of the Sambre, against Charleroy. General Ziethen had collected the first corps near Fleurus, and had, on that day, a very warm action with the enemy, who, after having taken Charleroy, directed his march upon Fleurus. General Ziethen maintained himself in his position near that place.

Field-marshal Blucher intending to fight at great battle with the enemy as soon as possible, the three other corps of the Prussian army were consequently directed upon Sombref, a league and a half from Fleurus, where the second and third corps were to arrive on the 15th, and the fourth corps on the 16th.

Lord Wellington had united his army between Ath and Nivelles, which enabled him to assist Field-marshal Blucher in case the battle should be fought on the 15th.

June 16th.-Battle of Ligny.-The Prussian army was posted on the heights between Brie and Sombref, and beyond the last place, and occupied with a large force the villages of St.Amand and Ligny, situated in its front. Mean time only three corps of the army had joined ;: the fourth, which was stationed between Liege and Hannat, had been delayed in its march by several circumstances, and was not yet come up. Nevertheless, Field-marshal Blucher resolved to

A› CHAP. IX.

1815.