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dence in the reserve of guards, which they saw before him, they were under no apprehension, and on his corps being repulsed, uttered shouts of victory. They were only waiting for the infantry of guards to decide the victory; but they were much astonished on seeing the arrival of Marshal Blucher's columns. Some regiments fell back. The Emperor perceived it. It was of the greatest importance to restore confidence to the cavalry; and perceiving that a quarter of an hour was still necessary for rallying all the guards, he placed himself at the head of four battalions, and advanced on the left, in front of St. Haye, having sent aid-de-camps along the line, to announce the arrival of Marshal Grouchy, and to say, that with a little firmness the victory would be decided. neral Reille concentrated his corps on the left, in front of Chateau Hougoumont, and was preparing his attack. It was necessary that the guards should engage all together, but the eight other battalions were still in the rear. Crossed by circumstances, and seeing the eavalry discountenanced, and that a reserve of infantry was necessary to support them, he ordered General Friant to march with the four battalions of middle

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guards, in front of the enemy's attack. The cavalry resumed confidence, and moved on with its accustomed intrepidity. These four battalions of the guards repulsed all that opposed them, and the charges of cavalry carried dismay into the English ranks. Ten minutes afterwards the other battalions of the guards arrived. The Emperor formed them by brigades, two battalions in line, and two in column on the right and left. The second brigade was in echelon. This united the advantages of both orders. The sun was set. General Friant wounded, passed at the time. He said all was going on well, that the enemy appeared to be forming their rear guard to support their retreat, but that they would be entirely broken as soon as the remainder of the guards should march on them. A quarter of an hour was required. It was then that Marshal, Blucher arrived at La Haye, and defeated the French corps defending it; it was the fourth division of the first corps, they fled, after having made but a faint resistance. Although they were attacked by four times their numbers, yet if they had shown resolution, thrown themselves into houses, it being dark, Blucher would not have had time to force the

village. It was there where the cry of "save yourself," was said to have been heard. A breach being thus made, and the line broken by the weak resistance of the troops at La Haye, the enemy's cavalry inundated the field of battle, and General Bulow marched forward. Count Lobau did his best, but the confusion was such, that he was forced to order the guards to change their front, who, were formed to advance. This movement was performed with order. The guards faced to the rear. The left on the side of Saint Haye and the right on the side of Belle Alliance, showed front to the Prussians, and to the attack of Haye; soon after each battalion formed in square. The four squadrons of service charged the Prussians. At this time the brigade of English cavalry having arrived from Ohain, marched forward. These two thousand cavalry penetrated between General Reille and the guards. A dreadful confusion ensued over all the field of battle. The Emperor had only time to put himself under the protection of one of the squares of guards. If General Guyot's division of reserve cavalry had not been engaged, without having received orders, in the rear of Kellerman's cuiras-*

siers, it would have repulsed this charge, and prevented the English cavalry from making an impression on the field of battle: the foot guards could then have sustained every attack of the enemy. General Bulow, marching on his left, out-flanked the whole line of battle. Night increased the disorder, and prevented every effort. If it had been day light, so that the troops could have seen the Emperor, they would have rallied. Nothing could be done in the dark. The guards commenced retreating. The fire from the enemy was already 400 toises in the rear, and the roads occupied. The Emperor, with his staff, remained a long time with the regiments of guards on a piece of rising ground. Four pieces of cannon stationed there kept up a brisk fire on the plain; its last discharge wounded Lord Paget, commander of the English cavalry. There was now not a moment to be lost. The Emperor could only effect his retreat across the fields. Cavalry, artillery, infantry, were all thrown together in confusion. The staff gained the small village of Genappe. The Emperor was in hopes of there organising a rear guard; but the disorder was so great, that every effort was in vain. It

was eleven at night. In despair of organising any defence, he placed his hopes in Girard's division,, the third of the second corps, which had been left on the field of battle at Ligny, and to which he had sent orders to march to Quatre Bras, to cover the retreat of

the army.

Never did the French army behave better than on this day. It performed prodigies of valour. The superiority of the French troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was so great over that of the enemy, that if the first and second Prussian corps had not arrived, the victory would have been certain and complete over the English army and Bulow's corps; that is to say, one to two, (69,000 men against 120,000.)

The loss of the English army, and that of General Bulow, was, during the battle, much greater than the French; and if the loss sustained by the French during the retreat, though very considerable, (for 6000 of them were taken prisoners,) be taken into consideration, it would still not be equal to that of the allies during these four days. They acknowledge it to have amounted to 60,000 men, namely, 11,300 English,