head, where it appeared just breaking through the skin. He never spoke a word after receiving the wound. After bis death, it was discovered that he had been wounded in the hip on the 16th, by a musket-ball, a circumstance which he carefully concealed from every one but his servant. The wound thus received had assumed a serious aspect for want of surgical assistance, having been only bandaged by himself and servant as well as circumstances would admit. Towards the afternoon, when the 92nd were reduced to scarcely 200 men, a column of 2000 of the enemy bore down upon them, when this chosen band charged the assailants with their bayonets, penetrating their centre. The Scotch Greys, cheering the brave Highlanders, rushed forward to support them, driving the enemy back with great loss. Nothing in the whole course of the battle so powerfully excited the mingled dismay and admiration of Buonaparte, as this rapid and courageous movement. He could not repress his transports of surprise, but uttered mingled exclamations of astonishment and despair.

It was the policy of the duke of Wellington, when attacked by so tremendous a superiority of force, to act on the defensive, until joined by the Prussians, whose progress had been impeded by the dreadful state of the roads. Blucher had put his army in motion at break of day. The corps of Borstel and Bulow were to march by St. Lambert, occupy a position there under cover of the forest near Fritshermont, and take the enemy in the rear, when the moment should appear favorable. Ziethen's corps was to operate on the right flank of the enemy by Ohain, and Thielman to follow slowly and afford succour in case of need. But the two first of these corps had been placed, as we have seen, on the east side of the river Dyle, at Wavre; they had to cross by a narrow bridge, and, to add to the delay which this occasioned, the houses in the street leading to it were on fire, so that the infantry passed with difficulty, the cavalry and artillery with still greater, and the powder tumbrils not at all till the fire was extinguished. The passage too by the defile of St. Lambert, was far VOL. II.

more difficult than had been expected, so that when it was only half past four in the afternoon, only two brigades of Bulow's corps arrived at the covered position assigned them. But there was not a moment to be lost; their way was through the forest of Soignes, which extends over many leagues of country, and from whence Brussels is supplied with firewood. By good fortune the peasant, whom they had chosen as a guide, was a man of more than common sagacity, and instead of coming out of the forest at Fritshermont, he pro posed to descend to the valley lower down, and come out in a direction towards Planchenois, nearly on the French reserve. "Then," says he, "we shall take them all." In the best concerted plans of war, the results must always be in some degree effected by adventitious circumstances; and the Germans have gratefully acknowledged how much depended on this peasant, who, had he been less disposed to serve the allies, or less intelligent, might easily have led them into a hollow way, where their cannon could not have passed. At half past seven in the evening, the whole of Borstel's corps, and part of Bulow's, had come up.

Ziethen's first column at this time also arrived on the enemy's right flank, near the village of Smouham, and instantly charged. As the Prussians past our left columns in advance, they loudly cheered them, and all their bands played" God save the king."

Information was at this time brought to Buonaparte that the Prussian columns were debouching on his right flank, and threatening his rear. He still continued near the hamlet of La Belle Alliance, from whence he had witnessed all the vicissitudes of the scene below. He was indignant at obstacles which he had so little foreseen; and, notwithstanding the exemplary and even enthusiastic bravery of his army, was still dissatisfied. He was several times informed that appearances were bad, and that the troops were exhausted, but his only answer was, "forward! forward !"

*

A general sent information that he could not maintain his position, in consequence of the destructive fire of a battery, and

7. E.

asked what he was to do. "To take the battery," said Napoleon, turning his back on the aid-de-camp.

An English officer, who had been wounded and made prisoner, was brought into his presence. He made several enquiries, and among the rest, what was the strength of the English army. The officer informed him that it was not strong, but that it would soon be reinforced by 60,000 men. "So much the better," he replied, "The more we meet, the more we shall conquer." He entrusted several messengers with despatches, which he dictated to a secretary, and repeated many times, in a tone of distraction, "The victory is mine, remember to say that!"

He treated the advance of the Prussians as an idle tale, and replied that these pretended Prussians were nothing bnt Grouchy's corps. He received with marks of disrespect the aides-de-camp who came to report the intelligence, and dismissed them with ill humour. "Be off!" said he, "You are frightened. Ride up to the columns that are deploying. You will find that they are Grouchy's." After so peremptory an answer, many of them, ashamed to have been mistaken, advanced heedlessly towards the Prussian jagers, and, notwithstanding the lively fire directed against them, advanced too near to escape. Napoleon, however, was obliged to yield to evidence, when these columns commenced a serious attack on the French right wing. A part of the 6th French division was there fore sent to sustain this new shock, till marshal Grouchy, on whom the greatest dependence was placed, should arrive. But the expectations of assistance from that commander were fallacious. He had pursued the Prussians during their retreat to Wavres, and attacked in that place the remnant of their forces which remained there. He was therefore engaged at the period of the great battle, against a small division, which he mistook for the whole of the Prussian army, and over which he continued to obtain signal advantages. But, favored as the Prussians were by the difficulties of a hilly country, intersected with woods and ravines, they made an ob

stinate resistance, and retarded his march. While he was thus held in play at a distance from the principal scene of action, the proposed movements of the Prussiangrand army were accomplished.

Wellington, perceiving their movements, and seeing the confusion of the enemy, took that great and decisive step which has crowned his glory and saved Europe. He advanced with the greatest celerity the whole line of his infantry, supported by the cavalry and artillery: he put himself at the head of the foot-guards, spoke a few words to them, which were answered by a general hurrah, and then, he himself guiding them on, the attack was made at all points with the most perfect success. The Prussians soon after rushed forward. on the enemy's right at the pas de charge, and made their attack under the most favorable circumstances: their troops descended into the plain, and formed into brigades in the greatest order, and fresh bodies continually unfolded themselves, issuing from the forest, on the height behind. Even if the British army had not repulsed the enemy, assailed him, and already driven him to flight, this movement of the Prussians would have been decisive. Under any circumstances, it must have caused the French to retire. If they had succeeded in their efforts against lord Wellington, it would have prevented them from profiting by their success; but, being made at a moment when the British had secured the victory, it rendered that victory complete beyond all expectation, beyond all hope, beyond all former example. Sauve qui peut. "Let him save himself who can," was the cry in was the cry in Buonaparte's army. Napoleon himself confesses that a complete panic spread at once through the whole field of battle; that the men threw themselves in the greatest disorder on the line of their communication; that soldiers, cannoneers, caissons, all pressed to this point; that the whole guard which was in reserve was infected, and was itself hurried along. He likewise admits, that in an instant the whole army was nothing but a mass of confusion, that all the soldiers were mixed pell-mell, and that it was im

possible to rally a single corps. "The enemy," he adds, "who perceived the astonishing disorder, immediately attacking with their cavalry, encreased the disorder; and such was the confusion, owing to night coming on, that it was impossible to rally the troops and point out their error."

When the last battalions of the guard were overthrown, Buonaparte was hurried away with them, surrounded on all sides by the enemy, into a cyder orchard, near the farm of Caillon. There he was met by two cavaliers of the guard, who conducted him cautiously through the Prussian parties that were scouring the country, but who, fortunately for him, were all employed in stopping and plundering the equipages. He was known and recognized in many places, and often heard the whisper run: "The emperor !-the emperor !"-words of alarm, which caused his instant removal from the spot wherever heard.

After a flight harassed by the enemy through the whole night, the sad relics of the French army reached at the point of day, part of them Charleroi, and the rest to Marchienne, where they hastened to repass the Sambre. The remaining equip ages meanwhile, impeded by their gradual accumulation on the two roads which lead to the bridges of Charleroi and Marchienne, were overtaken by the Prussians, abandoned by their train and drivers, and thus the last cannon and military carriage fell into the power of the enemy, who made at the same time a great number of prisoners.

The Sambre once crossed by the fraction of our army, we hoped to be able to halt, and bivouacs bivouacs were established in the orchards and meadows on its right bank: but an alarin was given, that the Prussians were nigh. Without waiting orders, without attempting to destroy, or even to turn adrift the bridges, without making a single reconnoissance, the flight recommenced with all its disorder: the whole started at once, and each for his own account directs his steps he knows not where.

tion, and seeing none of the superior officers, they divided into two parties; the most numerous one taking that of Avesnes, by which they had marched before, and the other that to Philippeville. A great number of scattered men threw themselves into the surrounding woods to avoid the enemy's cavalry, and thus this brilliant army gradually dispersed and disappeared. It was the latter road that Buonaparte chose for his retreat. Once more a fugitive from his own army, he abandoned it without further effort; in the midst of dangers he seems to take pleasure in aggravating, by delivering it up to anarchy and dissolution.

Wandering and deserted, thousands of insulated soldiers ran about the country, spreading alarm as they passed. The wretched inhabitants hear almost at the same moment the success of the French army, and its annihilation; and find themselves the prey of an enemy whose victory, won with its blood, must render more ferocious. Every town shuts its gates against the fugitives, and repelling by force thosewho flee thither for safety, oblige them to seek shelter in the neighbouring hamlets, where they practise every sort of excess.

Buonaparte, in the moment of general dismay, sought safety, and presented himself at the gates of Philippeville. He wanted their protection from the hot pursuit of the Prussians, who traced him in all dr rections. He had the humiliation to be refused admittance, till the governor came out and recognized him, when forthwith the gates were closed.

Numbers of soldiers dispersing this way, to whom it was soon known that their emperor was in this place, conceived it their duty to encamp around him. Buonaparte, however, prudently judged that such an assemblage might make his asylum known to the enemy; he therefore sent orders for them to continue their rout: but having, like a wise general, analized the means of acting on the sentiments of an army after such a defeat, he insured the prompt execution of his orders, by sending emissaries from the town, who called out: "The cossacks-save yourselves the cossacks