to leave no means untried to accomplish this object; but Macdonald was cold, and determined. At the close of their conversation Davoust said to him," that when the danger increased, if not the "love of the Emperor, yet his honour would "cause him to embrace the cause of his country." To this the marshal replied, clapping him on the shoulder," that he did not want him to teach "him the laws of honour."

On the 15th at break of day, the advanced posts of the Prussians were attacked near Thuin, and being overwhelmed by superior numbers were repulsed as far as Marchienne-au-Pont. In this retreat they suffered considerable loss from the numerous cavalry of the French. At Marchienne and at Charleroi, they made a stand and attempted to defend the passage of the Sambre, but being closely pressed, they were unable to destroy the bridges. Napoleon commanded the attack on Charleroi in person, and the town was taken and retaken several times, but about noon the French established themselves in it, having already advanced fifteen miles.

The second French corps, commanded by Marshal Ney, which had effected its passage at Marchienne, proceeded towards Gosselies on the road to Brussels, and pushing forward a strong advanced guard, repulsed a regiment of Belgians posted at Frasné. The third corps continued the

8

FIRST SUCCESSES OF THE FRENCH.

pursuit of the Prussians, who retreated in good order to Fleurus.

Having here received considerable reinforcements, and Blucher now commanding in person, it was determined to retreat no further. The French made many impetuous attacks on this position, and the contest was continued with alternate and equal success until sunset, when the French retired towards Charleroi, where Napoleon established his head-quarters, and Blucher occupied his former position at Sombref, five miles north of Fleurus.

The result of these various engagements was decidedly in favour of the French. More than a thousand prisoners fell into their hands. The passage of the Sambre was accomplished, and Charleroi was gained with its valuable magazines. But the principal advantage was that the campaign had opened with eclat. The soldiers were induced to believe that they were once more invincible. Their former confidence in their leader returned. They were again ready to follow him to the cannon's mouth, and they confidently anticipated the most favourable result.

Napoleon, as usual, profited as much as possible by this partial success. The most exaggerated statements of it were published. The prisoners were hastily collected and marched in columns on the routes by which the other corps

were advancing. They were viewed with transport by the troops in the rear. Shouts of "The Emperor for ever!" rent the air, and the soldiers hastened forward to share in the glory of their comrades.

The Duke of Wellington was sitting at his desert, and most of the British officers were at a grand ball given by the Duchess of Richmond, when intelligence arrived at Brussels of the advance of the French. The despatches of Blucher represented it as an affair of the out-posts, likely to lead to nothing of importance. Orders were immediately issued that the troops should be ready to march at a moment's notice, and the arrival of another courier was anxiously expected. At midnight he came on a horse covered with foam announcing that the affair had become serious,-that Charleroi was taken, that the French had advanced to the very position which Blucher had. determined to defend behind Fleurus, and that a general engagement was expected to take place on the succeeding day.

The drum immediately beat to arms, and in less than three hours every regiment was on the road to Charleroi. Many of the officers were yet in their ball dresses, which neither the hurry of their march, nor their anxiety to occupy their respective posts had given them time to change.

The Duke of Wellington, attended by his staff and some squadrons of light horse, proceeded on

the gallop to a farm called Quatre Bras, on the road to Gosselies. This position was of considerable importance, as it was situated at the intersection of the roads from Charleroi to Brussels, and from Nivelles to Namur, by which Lord Wellington communicated with the Prussians at Sombref. A detachment under the Prince of Weimar had retreated hither on the preceding evening, having been driven from the ground which it occupied between Quatre Bras and Frasné, but being afterwards reinforced by the Prince of Orange, it was again established in its former position.

Having arrived in front of Quatre Bras, the Duke of Wellington ordered the troops of the Prince of Weimar to fall back and join him, while he awaited the coming up of the regiments from Brussels, and prepared to repel the attack which he had no doubt the enemy would soon make.

The first and second corps of the French army, under the command of Marshal Ney, were ordered to advance on Quatre Bras, and attack the position of the British, while Napoleon in person, with his whole remaining force, directed himself upon the Prussians. Ney executed his orders with great skill and intrepidity, and leaving the first corps at Frasné, advanced to the combat with the second, and as only the second and fifth divisions of the British army had arrived, succeeded in making considerable impression.

Profiting by their numerical superiority, the French attacked some battalions who were separated from the main body, and almost annihilated them. A A corps of Belgians was ordered to advance with the forty-second Highland regiment to support a detachment which was briskly pushed by the French. Whether occasioned by the ardour with which the British rushed to the fight, or the slowness and reluctance with which the Belgians followed, the two battalions were separated. A column of French lancers, who were lying in ambush concealed by some hedges and high standing corn, and who could not be seen till they were close on the British, suddenly rushed upon them. Colonel Macara promptly ordered the regiment, which was advancing in column, to form itself into a square. In performing this evolution, two companies were left out, or rather, were in the act of falling in, when the lancers charged upon them, and in a moment overwhelmed, and literally annihilated them. Encouraged by this, they charged on the square, and though repulsed with loss, succeeded in cutting down great numbers of the Highlanders. The brave Colonel was among the killed.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dick now assumed the command, although he had been wounded in the shoulder by a musket bullet. He rallied the regiment, formed them into a diminished square, and awaited another attack. The lancers again