great number of killed and wounded. Lord Welling- more than three hundred pieces of artillery, whicn ton sent fresh English troops, who recovered the wood made horrid ravages in our line, and killed and wounded and garden, and the combat ceased for the present on numerous officers, artillerists, and horses, in the weakest this side. part of the position. "The enemy then opened a horrible fire of artillery from more than two hundred pieces, under cover of which Buonaparte made a general attack from the centre to the right, with infantry and cavalry in such numbers, that it required all the skill of his lordship to post his troops, and all the good qualities of the latter to resist the attack. "General Picton, who was with his division on the road from Brussels to Charleroi, advanced with the bayonet to receive them; but was unfortunately killed at the moment when the enemy, appalled by the attitude of this division, fired, and then fled. "The English life-guards then charged with the greatest bravery, and the forty-ninth and one hundred and fifth French regiments lost their respective eagles in this charge, together with two or three thousand prisoners. A column of cavalry, at whose head were the cuirassiers, advanced to charge the life-guards, and thus save their infantry; but the guards received them with the utmost valour, and the most sanguinary conflict of cavalry that ever was witnessed now took place. "The French cuirassiers were completely beaten, in spite of their cuirasses, by troops who had no defence of the kind; and they lost one of their eagles in this conflict, which was taken by the heavy English cavalry called the Royals. "Intelligence now arrived that the Prussian corps of Bulow had reached St. Lambert, and that Prince Blucher, with another corps under the command of General | Ziethen, was advancing with all haste to take part in the combat, leaving the other two in Wavre, which had suffered much in the battle of the 16th, at Fleurus. The arrival of these troops was absolutely necessary, in consequence of the forces of the enemy being now more than triple ours, and our loss having been horrid during an unequal combat, from half-past eleven in the morning till five in the afternoon, 66 "The enemy, aware of this destruction, made a charge with the whole cavalry of his guard, which took some pieces of cannon that could not be withdrawn; but the duke, who was at this point, charged them with three battalions of English and three of Brunswickers, and compelled them in a moment to abandon the artillery, though we were unable to withdraw them for want of horses; nor did they dare to advance to recover them. "At last, about seven in the evening, Buonaparte made a final effort, and putting himself at the head of his guards, attacked the above point of the English position with such vigour, that he drove back the Brunswickers who occupied part of it; and, for a moment, the victory was undecided, and even more than doubtful. The duke, who felt that the moment was most critical, spoke to the Brunswick troops with that ascendancy which a great general possesses, made them return to the charge, and putting himself at their head, again restored the combat, exposing himself to every kind of personal danger. 66 Fortunately at this moment he perceived the fire of Marshal Blucher, who was attacking the enemy's right with his usual impetuosity; and the moment of decisive attack being come, the duke put himself at the head of the English foot-guards, spoke a few words to them, which were answered by a general burrah, and his Grace himself leading them on with his hat in his hand, they eagerly rushed forward to come to close action with the imperial guard. But the latter began a retreat, which was soon converted into the most complete rout ever witnessed by military men. Entire columns, throwing down their arms and cartouch-boxes, that they might escape the better, fled in the utmost disorder from the field, and abandoned to us nearly one hundred and fifty pieces of cannon. The rout at Vittoria was not comparable to this, and it only resembles it, inasmuch, as on both occasions, the French lost all the train of artillery and stores of the army, as well as all the baggage. Buonaparte, who did not believe them to be so near, and who reckoned upon destroying Lord Wellington before their arrival, perceived that he had fruit- "The Duke followed the enemy as far as Gemappe, lessly lost more than five hours, and that, in the critical where he found the illustrious Blucher, and both emposition in which he would soon be placed, there re-braced in the most cordial manner, on the principal mained no other resource but that of desperately at-road to Charleroi; but, finding himself in the same tacking the weak part of the British position, and thus, position with the Prussians, and that his army stood in if possible, beat the duke before his own right was need of rest after so dreadful a struggle, he left to Bluturned and attacked by the Prussians. cher the charge of following up the enemy, who pro"Henceforward, therefore, the whole was a repeti-mised that he would not leave them a moment of rest. tion of attacks by cavalry and infantry, supported by He is now pursuing them, and yesterday, at noon, he . had reached Charleroi, whence he intended to proceed | loss, for it will be difficult to find another chief to lead at night, and continue the chase. "This is the substance of what took place on this memorable day; but the consequences of the affair are too evident for me to detain you in stating them. "Buonaparte, now tottering on his usurped throne, without money and without troops to recruit his armies, bas received a mortal blow, and, according to the language of the prisoners, no other resource is left him, than to cut his own throat.' "It is said that he had never been known to expose his person' so much, and that he seemed to seek death, that he might not survive a defeat fraught with such fatal consequences. "I informed your Excellency, under date of the 16th, that his manœuvre appeared to me extremely daring in the face of such generals as Blucher and the Duke. The event has fully justified my prediction. For this reason, I conceive that his executing it has arisen merely from despair, at the appearance of the innumerable troops who were about to attack him on every side, and in order to strike one of his customary blows before the Russians and Austrians came up. "His military reputation is lost for ever; and, on this occasion, there is no treason on the part of the allies, nor bridges blown up before their time, on which to throw the blame: all the shame will fall upon himself. Numerical superiority, superiority of artillery, all was m his favour; and his having commenced the attack, proves that he had sufficient means to execute it. "In short, this talisman, whose charm had so long operated on the French military, has been completely dashed to pieces. Buonaparte has for ever lost the reputation of being invincible; and, henceforward, this character will belong to an honourable man, who, far from employing this glorious title in disturbing and enslaving Europe, will convert it into an instrument of her felicity, and in procuring for her that peace which she so much requires. "The loss of the British is dreadful, and of the whole military staff, the Duke and myself alone remained untouched in our persons and horses. "The Duke of Brunswick was killed on the 16th, and the Prince of Orange and his cousin, the Prince of Nassau, aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington, received two balls. The Prince of Orange distinguished himself extremely; but, unfortunately, although his wound is not dangerous, it will deprive the army of his important services for some time, and possibly be may lose the use of his left arm. "Lord Uxbridge, general of cavalry, received a wound at the close of the action, which made the amputation of his right leg necessary: this is an irreparable on the cavalry with the same courage and skill. "The duke was unable to refrain from shedding tears on witnessing the death of so many brave and honourable men, and the loss of so many friends and faithful companions. Nothing but the importance of the triumph can compensate for a loss so dreadful. "This morning he has proceeded to Nivelles, and, to-morrow, he will advance to Mons, whence he will immediately enter France. The weather cannot be better. "I cannot close this despatch without stating to your excellency, for the information of his majesty, that Captain Don Nicholas de Minuissir, of Doyle's regiment, and of whom I before spoke to your excellency, as well as of his destination in the army, conducted himself yesterday with the greatest valour and propriety. He was wounded when the Nassau troops were driven from the garden; yet he rallied them, and led them back to their post. During the action, he had a horse wounded under him, and, by his former conduct, as well as by his behaviour on this day, he merits from his majesty some proof of his satisfaction. "This officer is well known in the war-office, as well as to General Don Josef de Zayas, who has duly appreciated his merits. "God preserve your excellency many years, « Brussels, 20th of June, 1815.” "P.S. The number of prisoners cannot be stated, for they are bringing in great numbers every moment. There are many generals among the prisoners; among whom are the Count de Lobau, aide-de-camp to Buonaparte, and Cambrone, who accompanied him to Elba.” THE FRENCH ACCOUNT. BATTLE OF LIGNY-UNDER-FLEURUS. Paris, June 21. "On the morning of the 16th, the army occupied the following position : "The left wing, commanded by the Marshal Duke of Elchingen, and consisting of the first and second corps of infantry, and the second of cavalry, occupied the positions of Frasné. "The right wing, commanded by Marshal Grouchy, and composed of the third and fourth corps of infantry, and the third corps of cavalry, occupied the heights in the rear of Fleurus. "The emperor's head-quarters were at Charleroi, where were the Imperial guard and the sixth corps. The left wing had orders to march upon Les Quatre Bras, and the right upon Sombref The emperor advanced to Fleurus with his reserve. "The columns of Marshal Grouchy being in march, perceived, after having passed Fleurus, the enemy's army, commanded by Field-marshal Blucher, occupying with its left the heights of the mill of Bussy, the village of Sombref, and extending its cavalry a great way forward on the road to Namur; its right was at St. Amand, and occupied that large village in great force, having before it a ravine which formed its position. "The emperor reconnoitred the strength and the positions of the enemy, and resolved to attack inimediately. It became necessary to change front, the right in advance, and pivoting upon Fleurus. "General Vandamme marched upon St. Amand, General Girard upon Ligny, and Marshal Grouchy upon Sombref. The fourth division of the second corps, commanded by General Girard, marched in reserve behind the corps of General Vandamme. The guard was drawn up on the heights of Fleurus, as well as the cuirassiers of General Milhaud. "At three in the afternoon, these dispositions were finished. The division of General Lefol, forming part of the corps of General Vandamme, was first engaged, and made itself master of St. Amand, whence it drove out the enemy at the point of the bayonet. It kept its ground during the whole of the engagement, at the burial-ground and steeple of St. Amand; but that village, which is very extensive, was the theatre of various combats during the evening; the whole corps of General Vandamme was there engaged, and the enemy fought there in considerable force. "General Girard, placed as a reserve to the corps of General Vandamme, turned the village by its right, and fought there with his accustomed valour. The respective forces were supported on both sides by about fifty pieces of cannon each. "On the right, General Girard came into action with the fourth corps, at the village of Ligny, which was taken and retaken several times. "Marshal Grouchy, on the extreme right, and General Pajol, fought at the village of Sombref. The enemy shewed from eighty to ninety thousand men, and a great number of cannon. “At seven o'clock, we were masters of all the villages situated on the bank of the ravine which covered the enemy's position; but he still occupied with all his masses the heights of the mill of Bussy. "The emperor returned with his guard to the village of Ligny; General Girard directed General Pecheux to debouch with what remained of the reserve, almost all the troops having been engaged in that village. "Eight battalions of the guard debouched with fixed bayonets, and behind them four squadrons of the guards, the cuirassiers of General Delort, those of General Milhaud, and the grenadiers of the horse-guards. The old guard attacked with the bayonet the enemy's columns which were on the heights of Bussy, and, in an instant, covered the field of battle with dead. The squadron of the guard attacked and broke a square, and the cuirassiers repulsed the enemy in all directions. At half-past nine o'clock we had forty pieces of cannon, several carriages, colours, and prisoners, and the enemy sought safety in a precipitate retreat. At ten o'clock the battle was finished, and we found ourselves masters of the field of battle. "General Lutzow, a partisan, was taken prisoner. The prisoners assure us, that Field-marshal Blucher was wounded. The flower of the Prussian army was destroyed in this battle. Its loss could not be less than fifteen thousand men. Our's was three thousand killed and wounded. "On the left, Marshal Ney had marched on Les Quatre Bras with a division which cut in pieces an English corps that was stationed there; but, being attacked by the Prince of Orange with twenty-five thousand men, partly English, partly Hanoverians in the pay of England, he retired upon his position at Frasné. There a multiplicity of combats took place; the enemy obstinately endeavoured to force it, but in vain. The Duke of Elchingen waited for the first corps, which did not arrive till night; he confined himself to maintaining his position. In a square attacked by the eighth regiment of cuirassiers, the colours of the sixty-ninth regiment of English infantry fell into our hands. The Duke of Brunswick was killed. The Prince of Orange has been wounded. We are assured that the enemy had many persons and generals of note killed or wounded. We estimate the loss of the English at from four to five thousand men. On our side it was very considerable, it amounts to four thousand two hundred killed or wounded. The combat ended with the approach of night. Lord Wellington then evacuated Les Quatre Bras, and proceeded to Gemappe. "In the morning of the 17th, the emperor repaired to Les Quatre Bras, whence he marched to attack the English army: he drove it to the entrance of the forest of Soignes with the left wing and the reserve. The right wing advanced by Sombref in pursuit of Fieldmarshal Blucher, who was going towards Wavre, where he appeared to wish to take a position. "At ten o'clock in the evening the English army occupied Mont St. Jean with its centre, and was in posi tion before the forest of Soignes: it would have required three hours to attack it; we were therefore obliged to postpone it till the next day. "The head-quarters of the emperor were established at the farm of Oaillon, near Planchenoit. 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." BATTLE OF MONT ST. JEAN. "At nine in the morning, the rain having somewhat abated, the first corps put itself in motion, and placed itself with the left on the road to Brussels, and opposite the village of Mont St. Jean, which appeared the centre of the enemy's position. The second corps leaned its right upon the road to Brussels, and its left upon a small wood, within cannon-shot of the English army. The cuirassiers were in reserve behind, and the guards in reserve upon the heights. The sixth corps, with the cavalry of General D'Aumont, under the order of Count Lobau, was destined to proceed in the rear of our right to oppose a Prussian corps, which appeared to have escaped Marshal Grouchy, and to intend to fall upon our right flank; an intention which had been made known to us by our reports, and by the letter of a Prussian general, enclosing an order of battle, and which was taken by our light troops. "The troops were full of ardour. We estimated the force of the English army at eighty thousand men. We supposed that the Prussian corps, which might be in line towards the right, might be fifteen thousand men. The enemy's force then was upwards of ninety thousand men; our's less numerous. cavalry charged the battery of Count D'Erlon by its right, and disorganized several pieces; but the cuirassiers of General Milhaud charged that division, three regiments of which were broken and cut up. made "It was three in the afternoon. The emperor 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 corps being ready in advance. The Prussian division whose movement had been foreseen, then engaged with the light troops of Count Lobau, spreading its fire upon our whole right flank. It was expedient, before undertaking any thing elsewhere, to wait for the event of this attack. Hence, all the means in reserve were ready to succour Count Lobau, and overwhelm the Prussian corps when it should have advanced. "This done, the emperor had the design of leading an attack upon the village of Mont St. Jean, from which we expected decisive success; but, by a movement of impatience, so frequent in our military annals, and which has often been so fatal to us, the cavalry of reserve having perceived a retrograde movement made by the English to shelter themselves from our batteries, from which they had suffered so much, crowned the heights of Mont St. Jean, and charged the infantry. This movement, which, made in proper time, and supported by the reserves, must have decided the day, made in an isolated manner, and, before the affair on the right was terminated, became fatal. "Having no means of countermanding it, the enemy shewing many masses of cavalry and infantry, and our two divisions of cuirassiers being engaged, all our cavalry ran at the same moment to support their comrades. There, for three hours, numerous charges were made, which enabled us to penetrate several squares, and to take six standards of the light infantry, an advantage out of proportion with the loss which our ca "At noon, all the preparations being terminated, Prince Jerome, commanding a division of the second corps, and destined to form the extreme left of it, ad-valry experienced by the grape-shot and musket-firing. vanced upon the wood of which the enemy occupied a part. The cannonade began. The enemy supported, with thirty pieces of cannon, the troops he had sent to keep the wood. We made also, on our side, dispositions of artillery. At one o'clock, Prince Jerome was master of all the wood, and the waole English army fell back behind a curtain. Count D'Erlon then attacked the village of Mont St. Jean, and supported his attack with eighty pieces of cannon, which must have occasioned great loss to the English army. All our efforts were made on the opposite eminence. A brigade of the first division of Count D'Erlon took the village of Mont St. Jean; a second brigade was charged by a corps of English cavalry, which occasioned it much loss. At the same moment a division of English It was impossible to dispose of our reserves of infantry until we had repulsed the flank-attack of the Prussian corps. This attack always prolonged itself perpendicularly upon our right flank. The emperor sent thither General Duhesme with the young guard, and several batteries of reserve. The enemy was kept in check, repulsed, and fell back-he had exhausted his forces. and we had nothing more to fear. This was me moment that indicated for an attack upon the centre of the enemy. As the cuirassiers had suffered by the grapeshot, we sent four battalions of the middle-guard to protect them, to keep the position, and, if possible, disengage and draw back into the plain a part of our cavalry. "Two other battalions were sent to keep themselves in force upon the extreme left of the division, which | 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 confusion, and when its organization no longer exists. 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 eminence in rear of Mont St. Jean, and part upon the ridge in rear of the field of battle, which formed our position of retreat. "The emperor crossed the Sambre at Charleroi, at "In this state of affairs, the battle was gained; we five o'clock in the morning of the 19th. Philippeville occupied all the positions, which the enemy had pos- and Avesnes have been given as the points of re-union. sessed at the outset of the battle. Our cavalry having Prince Jerome, General Morand, and other generals, been too soon and ill employed, we could no longer have there already rallied a part of the army, Marhope for decisive success; but Marshal Grouchy, hav-shal Grouchy, with the corps on the right, is moving ing learned the movement of the Prussian corps, marched upon the rear of it, ensured us a signal success on the next day. After eight hours' fire and charges of infantry and cavalry, all the army saw with joy the victory gained, and the field of battle in our power. 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 retrograde movements which they have made;-ours cannot be calcu"At half-after eight o'clock, the four battalions of lated till after the troops shall have been collected. the middle guard, who had been sent to the ridge on Previous to the confusion which took place, we had althe other side of Mont St. Jean, to support the cuiras-ready experienced a very considerable loss, particusiers, being greatly annoyed by the grape-shot, endea-larly in our cavalry, so fatally, though so bravely, envoured to carry the batteries with the bayonet. At the gaged. Notwithstanding these losses, this brave cavalry end of the day, a charge directed against their flank, constantly kept the position it had taken from the Engby several English squadrons, put them in disorder.lish, and only abandoned it when the tumult and disThe fugitives recrossed the ravine. Several regiments, which were near at hand, seeing some troops belonging to the guard in confusion, believed it was the old guard, and, in consequence, fled in disorder. Cries of All is lost, the guard is driven back, were heard on every side. The soldiers even pretend that on many points ill-disposed persons cried out, Save who can. However this may be, a complete panic at once spread itself throughout the whole field of battle, and the troops 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 burried along. order 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 organization. "The artillery was as usual covered with glory. The carriages belonging to the head-quarters remained in their ordinary position; no retrograde movement being judged necessary. In the course of the night they fell into the enemy's hands. "Such was the result of the battle of Mont St. Jean, so glorious for the French armies, and yet so fatal.” MARSHAL NEY'S ACCOUNT, IN A LETTER TO THE DUKE "M. LE DUC "In an instant, the whole army was nothing but a mass of confusion; all the soldiers, of all arms, were mixed pêle-mêle, and it was utterly impossible to form a single corps. The enemy, who perceived this astonishing confusion, immediately attacked with their cavalry, and increased the disorder; and such was the confusion, owing to night coming on, that it was impossible to rally the troops, and point out to them their error. Thus terminated the battle, a day of false manœuvres was rectified, the greatest success ensured for the next day, yet all was lost by a moment of panic terror. Even the body-guard drawn up by the side of the emperor, was disorganized and overthrown by an overwhelming force, and there was then nothing else to be done but to follow the torrent. The parks of re-just experienced. serve, all the baggage which had not repassed the Compelled to break silence, while it is always Sambre, in short every thing that was on the field of painful to speak of oneself, and particularly to repel "The most false and defamatory reports have been publicly circulated for some days, respecting the conduct which I have pursued during this short and unfortunate campaign. The journals have repeated these odious calumnies, and appear to lend them credit. After having fought during twenty-five years for my country, after having shed my blood for its glory and independence, an attempt is made to accuse me of treason; and maliciously to mark me out to the people, and the army itself, as the author of the disaster it has |