676 Sir C. Colville is sent to attack Cambray. June 23.

European League established against established against France, it is impossible not to be struck by the be struck by the firm, bold, and determined attitude assumed by the French Parliament. France, on this critical occasion, displayed one of the brightest examples the World has yet beheld of the force of Constitutional Legislation. Under all the attendant circumstances, it was a remarkable triumph of free institutions over monarchical despotism.

It is now necessary to revert to the operations of the Allied Armies.

On the 23d of June, WELLINGTON and BLÜCHER gave to the great mass of their troops a halt; not merely for the sake of affording them rest, but also for the purpose of collecting the stragglers, and bringing up the ammunition. and the baggage.

The only movement made on the part of the AngloAllied Army, on this day, was that by Major General LYON's Sixth Hanoverian Brigade, which, together with GRANT'S Hussar Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel WEBBER SMITH'S Horse Battery, Major UNETT's and Major BROME'S Foot Batteries, marched, under the personal command of Sir CHARLES COLVILLE, to attack Cambray, the garrison of which, the Duke had been led to believe, had abandoned the place, leaving in it at most three hundred or four hundred men. COLVILLE was furnished with a letter from the Duke to the Governor, summoning him to surrender; as also with some copies of his Grace's Proclamation of the 22nd to the French. The 1st Brunswick Light Battalion was sent forward from the Reserve at Bavay, to watch Le Quesnoy; which Fortress was still occupied by the Enemy.

The Third Prussian Corps d'Armée was pushed forward

June 23. Wellington and Blücher meet at Catillon. 677

to Avesnes, by which means the Three Corps destined to advance upon Paris were so placed that they could form a junction, with only half an ordinary march; and this relative position was maintained throughout the remainder of the line of advance.

The Allied Commanders had an interview on this day at Catillon, for the purpose of arranging their plan of combined operations. The intelligence they had procured having satisfied them that the Enemy was collecting his forces at Laon and Soissons: they decided upon not pursuing him along that line, since their progress towards the capital might, in that case, be impeded by affairs of Advanced and Rear Guards; but upon moving by the right bank of the Oise, and crossing this river at either Compiegne or Pont St Maxence. By thus turning the French Left, they hoped to intercept the Enemy's retreat, or at all events to reach Paris before him; and in order to deceive him as to these intentions, he was to be followed by Prussian Cavalry, assuming to be the Advanced Guard of the Allied Armies.

It was also settled, that as they might find it necessary to throw bridges across the Oise, the British General should bring forward his Pontoon Train; that possessed by the Prussians being inadequate for the purpose.

In order to secure a good base whence to conduct these operations, it was further arranged that the Corps under Prince FREDERICK of the Netherlands should remain, for the purpose of besieging the Fortresses situated on the Scheldt, and between that river and the Sambre: and that the following Corps should undertake the besieging of the Fortresses on the Sambre, and between this last river and the Moselle, namely, the Second Prussian Corps d'Armée, commanded by General PIRCH; the Corps d'Armée of North

678 Colville storms the town of Cambray.

June 24.

Germany, commanded at first by General Count KLEIST VON NOLLENDORF, and subsequently by Lieutenant General HACKE; as also a portion of the garrison troops of Luxemburg, commanded by Lieutenant General Prince LOUIS of Hesse Homburg,-the whole of these German forces being placed under the chief command of Prince AUGUSTUS of Prussia.

This plan of operations was such as might have been expected from the combined councils of such Leaders as WELLINGTON and BLUCHER, and was undoubtedly the one best calculated to attain the object they had in view; and it was carried into effect with all that mutual cordiality and good fellowship which had invariably characterised their proceedings.

On the morning of the 24th, the Duke of WELLINGTON, in consequence of a report which he had received from Sir CHARLES COLVILLE, directed Lord HILL to march the two Brigades of the Fourth Division then at Le Cateau, towards Cambray, where they would join the other Brigade of the Division; and also to send with them a nine pounder Battery.

On the arrival of these troops, COLVILLE made his preparations for the attack; which took place in the evening, in the following manner. Three Columns of Attack were formed. One commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sir NEIL CAMPBELL (Major in the 54th Regiment), escaladed at the angle formed by the Valenciennes Gateway and the Curtain of the body of the place. A Second, commanded by Colonel Sir WILLIAM DOUGLAS, of the 91st Regiment, and directed by Lieutenant GILBERT of the Royal Engineers, escaladed at a large Ravelin near the Amiens road. A Third, consisting of Colonel MITCHELL'S Brigade, and directed by Captain THOMPSON of the Royal Engineers, after having forced the Outer Gate of the Couvre Port in the Hornwork, and passed both ditches, by means of the rails of the drawbridges,

June 24.

The Anglo-Allied Army make a halt. 679 attempted to force the main Paris Gate; but not succeeding in this, it escaladed by a breach on that side, which was in a state of reparation. The three Batteries of Lieutenant Colonel WEBBER SMITH, and Majors UNETT and BROME, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel HAWKER, rendered the most essential service in covering these attacks; which having succeeded, the town speedily fell into the hands of the assailants. The Citadel continued to hold out, but the Governor solicited a suspension of hostilities; which, however, could not be granted.

Of the Anglo-Allied Army, the First and Third British Divisions, the Dutch-Belgian Infantry attached to the First Corps, and the Dutch-Belgian Cavalry, were moved this day from Gommignies, to Forest, upon the road to Le Cateau, and then encamped between the villages of Croix and Bousies. The Second British Division continued at Le Cateau. The Duke made no movement in advance; having found it necessary to afford additional time for the coming up of the Pontoons and supplies.

The Reserve, consisting of the Fifth and Sixth Divisions, of the Brunswick Corps, and the Reserve Artillery, was moved nearer to the main body; and cantoned and encamped in and about the villages of Engle Fontaine, Rancour, and Préau au Bois.

On this day Proposals were made to the Advanced Posts of this Corps under Prince FREDERICK of the Netherlands near Valenciennes, as also to those of the First Prussian Corps d'Armée, for a Suspension of Hostilities, upon the grounds that NAPOLEON had abdicated in favour of his son; that a Provisional Government had been appointed, consisting of FOUCHÉ, CAULINCOURT, GRENIER, and QUINETTE; and that these persons had sent Ministers to the Allied Powers to treat for peace.

680 Louis XVIII. arrives at Le Cateau.

June 24.

Both WELLINGTON and BLÜCHER considered that they would not be acting in accordance with the spirit and intentions of the Alliance of the Powers of Europe were they to listen to such proposals, and therefore peremptorily refused to discontinue their operations. Those which were addressed to the Prussian Commander emanated from General Count MORAND, who commanded the Rear Guard of the French Army at Laon; and to whom BLÜCHER replied, that no Armistice could be entered into, except in the case of NAPOLEON being delivered up, and the Fortresses in rear of the Armies being abandoned and conceded as guarantees for its fulfilment.

LOUIS XVIII., acting on the advice so urgently tendered to him by the Duke of WELLINGTON, arrived at Le Cateau late in the evening, followed by a numerous train; and only awaited the surrender of the Citadel of Cambray to fix his temporary residence in the latter town.

The Prussian Army renewed its operations on the 24th, according to the plan agreed upon the day before by the Allied Commanders. At break of day, Lieutenant Colonel SCHMIEDEBERG was despatched with the Silesian Regiment of Uhlans, and some Horse Artillery, towards Laon; for the purpose, in conjunction with the Detachments already sent from the First Corps d'Armée, of watching and deceiving the Enemy. BLÜCHER disposed his three Corps d'Armée in two Columns. The Left Column, which was the one nearest to the Enemy, consisted of the First and Third Corps; and was to move close along the Oise-the Third Corps remaining half a march in rear of the First. The Right Column, formed by the Fourth Corps d'Armée, was to advance along a parallel road, keeping on a line with the former, and at the distance of about half a march. The Left