AGAIN TAKES THE FIELD.

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esson sink deeply into the minds of all violators of the sanctity of ruth.

In answer to the declaration of the allied powers, Bonaparte contended that the conditions of the Treaty of Fontainebleau had not been honourably fulfilled. He complained that his wife and son had not been restored to him; that no precautions had been taken to preserve his life from assassins; that his pension had not been paid; and he pointed out other stipulations which he said had not been carried out. These grievances were embodied in a report, drawn up by the Emperor himself.* On the 1st of April he addressed the allied sovereigns by letter, in which he declared, "My sweetest hope is to render the re-establishment of the imperial throne a guarantee for the peace of Europe." As if these words were not sufficiently explicit, towards the close of the epistle he added, “A nobler arena is now open to sovereigns; I will be the first to descend into it. After having exhibited to the world the spectacle of great combating, it will be now sweeter to exhibit henceforth no other rivalry but that of the advantages of peace-no other strife but that of the felicity of the nations." His entreaties were unavailing; he could neither shake the resolution of the allied powers, nor introduce dissentions amongst them. They had all on former occasions suffered too much by trusting to his promises, to be again seduced by them. As soon as it became evident that the strife must be brought to an immediate issue, Bonaparte was indefatigable in his exertions. He appointed a Provisional Government, with his brother Joseph at its head, to direct affairs during his absence, and on the 12th of June left Paris for the head-quarters of the army. The tide of invasion had not yet re-entered France; Napoleon's object was to avert it altogether. At Avesnes on the 14th he issued a proclamation to his troops, denouncing the coalition formed against him, and predicting its speedy discomfiture. On the 15th he crossed the Belgian frontier, passing the river Sambre at several points. Never did this celebrated soldier display greater alacrity and foresight. Impressed

Fleury de Chaboulon. "The Hundred Days," vol. i. pp. 374, &c. and Foreign State Papers," vol. ii. 1814-1815, p. 1010.

↑ "British

with the idea that time was everything, he sought to scatter in confusion the forces of that league which now appeared in arms in order to hurl him from the throne. For the accomplishment of this purpose Napoleon's chief aim was to overwhelm the Prussian and the English levies assembled in the neighbourhood of Brussels previous to the arrival of the Russian and Austrian armies at the scene of the strife. Moreover, he desired, if possible, to interpose between Blücher and Wellington, and thus to crush their forces in detail. Ney was dispatched with the left wing to Quatre Bras, at which place he was defeated by Wellington on the 16th of June. In this memorable action the Anglo-Allied army laboured under every disadvantage. It was almost without artillery, the Belgian cavalry fled from the field, and Picton was compelled to charge Ney's formidable and splendid horse with foot soldiers. Reinforcements came up at the right moment, and the victory was gained. On the same day Blücher received a check from Napoleon, at Ligny, and, after an obstinate contest, was compelled to retreat in the direction of Wavre. Wellington received the intelligence of Blücher's repulse during the night of the 16th, and immediately resolved upon taking his stand at Waterloo. At ten o'clock in the morning of the 17th the retreat commenced, and with the exception of a sharp encounter between the French and English cavalry, near Genappe, which resulted in the repulse of the former, Wellington's troops retired without molestation or impediment, and took up their position near the village of Waterloo.

During the night of the 17th rain continued to fall without intermission; on the morning of the 18th the weather changed a little for the better. Both armies were drawn up in battle array, each commander having shown considerable discernment in the disposition of his forces. The Anglo-Allied army consisted of about 67,000 men and 156 guns, whilst Napoleon had 71,000 men and 246 guns.* The battle commenced by an attack upon Hougomont a little before noon. The British at first remained on the defensive,

* Captain Siborne, the best authority on the strength of the two armies, gives the following estimate. ("History of the War in France and Belgium," vol. i. chap. ix. p. 376.)

BATTLE OF WATERLOO.

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for, as an able author remarks,* "the battle of Waterloo must always be considered as a battle fought by the right wing of an army, for the purpose of maintaining a position till the arrival of its left wing should render victory certain." Napoleon directed all his efforts to break through the English commander's line; the Dutch-Belgian troops turned and fled, but the British infantry stood firm. A French writer declares that the firmness of these soldiers was such as almost to induce one to believe "that they were rooted to the ground." The conflict had already raged for four hours, and yet no impression had been made: Wellington was then momentarily expecting reinforcements under Blücher, whilst Napoleon looked forward to the speedy arrival of Grouchy. The most furious charges were repeatedly made by the French, and at seven the Old Guard, which had been

"The strength of the Anglo-Allied army in the field was as follows:

General Gourgaud's estimate is different. He says:-"The force of the Anglo-Belgic army amounted to between 85,000 and 90,000 men, and 250 pieces of artillery. The French army having only 67,000 or 68,000 men, was, of course, inferior in numbers, though it was superior with regard to the quality of its troops."-The Campaign of 1815, chap. vi. p. 88. It is evident that the above is a mere guess at the forces engaged, and not a calculation based upon well-ascertained details.

* Mitchell's "Fall of Napoleon," vol. iii. book iv. chap. iv. p. 142.