complete that ever was gained. Napoleon escaped in the night, without either hat or sword. I send both sword and hat to-day to the King. His most magnificently embroidered state mantle and his carriage are in my hands, as also his perspective glass with which he observed us during the battle. His jewels and all his valuables are the booty of our troops. Of his equipage he has nothing left.

"Many a private soldier has got 5 or 600 dollars in booty. Buonaparté escaped under favour of the night. The consequences of this victory are incalculable, and Napoleon's ruin will be the result of it. "BLUCHER."

To Major-General Von Dobschutz, Military Governor of the Prussian Provinces on the Rhine.

"Sir,

Head Quarters at Merbes-le-Chateau June 21. "It is with great pleasure I inform you, that the consequences of the victory of the 18th continue to prove more and more brilliant. The Enemy's Army is entirely broken up, and has Jost, as near as we can calculate, 300 cannon; not a regiment of the Enemy's is together, and subordination has ceased among them. During the battle of the 18th, a French corps had penetrated to Wavre, to operate on our line of communication, and hinder us from supporting the Duke of Wellington; this corps of the Enemy's was yesterday forced back, by Lieutenant-General Von Thielmann, who was opposed to it at Wavre, as far as Namur, and Lieutenant-General Thielmann probably occupied that place yesterday evening. Maubeuge was surrounded yesterday, and Landrecies and Avesnes will be so to-morrow. "BLUCHER."

Letter from an Officer of high Rank in the Prussian Army. Genappe sur Oise, near Guise, June 24, 1815.

"The army has behaved gloriously. The 3d corps had to cover our rear, while we were engaged: it had some severe attacks to support, and fought without interruption on the 18th, 19th, and 20th; it was at first in a critical situation, but extricated itself very well; if we had lost the battle, this was our only dependence.

"Never was any battle so fine as ours at La Belle Alliance,

h

never battle so decisive, and never was an enemy so completely destroyed. With some corps of the army we had got unperceived into the rear of the Enemy, who with great superiority of numbers, and still greater impetuosity, had attacked the Duke of Wellington, and kept ourselves concealed in a wood.

"Just as the fate of the day was dubious, the British Army had lost considerable ground, and the Enemy was ready to strike another blow against it, we resolved, though our columns were for the most part not come up, to make the attack with two brigades only: we therefore burst out of the wood, exactly in the rear of the Enemy, and opened our fire. The Enemy was now in a desperate situation; but fought, however, with a desperation suitable to it, and turned all his reserve against us. We maintained our position. The Enemy brought up fresh troops against us; but we also became stronger every quarter of an hour: the firing became so violent, that the Enemy's cannon-balls flew by us without ceasing, not to mention our own fire; I could scarcely hear the notices that were brought, and give the necessary orders; and, though my voice is very powerful, I was obliged to exert it to the utmost, in order to be heard. As our troops continued to be reinforced, we advanced cautiously, but incessantly : it was a grand sight to see our battalions formed into square masses, descend from the heights, which rise like terraces, preceded by their batteries and sharp-shooters. After an obstinate resistance the Enemy's army was broken, and fled in the utmost disorder. General Gneisenau, resolved to leave him not a moment's repose, put himself at the head of the troops, encouraged the tired men to follow him, and so with only a few cannon, which we fired from time to time, we drove him from all his bivouacs, and continually firing and cutting him down, we pursued till we at last reached the Guards. Buonaparté had intended to stop at Genappe; but when he heard our cannon, and our cavalry and infantry, though few in number, come up, he escaped from his carriage, defending himself with his pistols. Besides his hat and sword, his seal-ring was also taken, and now blazes on the hand of the hero, Gneisenau. We have got all his baggage, even his diamonds. The fusileers sold four or five diamonds as large as a pea, or even larger, for a few francs. We have a large quantity of diamonds* of a middle size, and one of

*The diamonds, to an immense amount, were chiefly found in powder-waggons.

the size of a pigeon's egg: the fusileers have chosen out the finest as a present to the King. The subaltern officers of this battalion dine now upon silver. We did not halt till day-break. It was the finest night of my life: the moon beautifully illuminated the scene, and the weather was mild. General Gneisenau had again a horse killed by a cannon-ball in the last battle, another twice wounded by musket-balls, his sabre once beat out of the scabbard, and once shot to pieces."

Letter from Dusseldorf.—June 26.

Buonaparte's costly travelling carriage, which is provided with every convenience, and which was taken by the 15th Prussian regiment of infantry of the line, arrived here yesterday afternoon. What various thoughts and feelings must the sight of this carriage inspire! It was naturally an object of general curiosity. Upon being examined, it was found to contain several private drawers, filled with various articles of value; among other things, some articles belonging to Buonaparte's toilet; various articles for the table, mostly massy gold: besides this carriage, it seems that seven other state carriages were taken, among which is the magnificent state coach, in which he intended to make his entry into Brussels, drawn by eight cream-coloured stallions; they were taken, besides, eighty Arabian horses, all his baggage, diamonds, treasures, &c. &c.

"The travelling library taken, consisted of near 800 volumes."

Narrative of the particular Circumstances under which MAJOR VON KELLER captured the Carriage, Equipage, and Baggage Waggon of NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE, on the 18th June, 1815, after the Battle of WATERLOO.

The fourth corps of the Prussian army, commanded by the General of Infantry Count Bulow Von Donnewitz, proceeded by forced marches from the environs of Luttwick, and arrived at Zaberne at four o'clock in the afternoon of the 18th of June. General Von Hiller received orders to form the advanced guard with the 16th Brigade; and Major Von Keller received orders to form the head of the advanced guard, with two battalions of

fusileers, and to proceed to Planchenoit, in the direction along the heights; and to direct his particular care to the left wing.

The Major, in obedience, executed this order with the utmost promptitude, and met the enemy before Planchenoit, whom, by means of the Tyrolese, led on by Captain Von Humbracht, he repulsed. The conflict soon became general, but the French became considerably reinforced at this period. General Von Hiller with the 16th brigade, after having twice attacked Planchenoit, at length stormed it with the 16th brigade, and took it.

During the time of this attack, Major Von Keller went round the village, and by this movement came on the right flank of the flying enemy, and pursued them along the road which leads to Charleroi here he fell in with some other Prussian Light Infantry, whom he attached to his own corps.

The General of Infantry, Count Gneisenau, gave personal orders to Major Von Keller to pursue the flying enemy without intermission. The hero Gneisenau remained constantly at the head of the pursuers. At eleven o'clock at night, the troops arrived at the barricadoed town of Genappe. At the entrance of Genappe, Major Von Keller met the travelling carriage of Buonaparté with six horses. The postilion, and the two leaders, were killed by the bayonets of the fusileers. The Major then cut down the coachman, and forced open the doors of the carriage: the Major then took possession of the carriage, and afterwards brought it to England himself.* All the houses in Genappe were filled with the enemy, and those who were found with arms in their hands, were bayoneted on the spot. After this destruction of the enemy at Genappe, the pursuit was continued over Milet as far as Goslie and in the former of the two towns, the fusileer regiment, under Major Von Keller, captured the most valuable baggage of

:

* This carriage, from circumstances, is an object of curiosity; it was built by Symonds at Brussels, according to Buonaparte's order, for the campaign in Russia, in which he travelled and returned, the body being placed on a sledge: it is replete with personal conveniences, and is now exhibiting with the contents, identical horses, &c. at the LONDON MUSEUM, PICCADILLY, where a sight of it cannot fail to interest a reflective mind, and afford a subject of contemplation on the reverses of its ambitious master, in so short a time; and well has it been said, that his fortune and dynasty began to fade from the moment he entered it.

It cannot be omitted in this place, to mention another proud display at the Waterloo Museum, 97, Pall Mall, in the relics of Armour, Standards, Eagles, Badges of the Legion of Honour, &c. taken from the Field of Battle.

the whole French head-quarters, and took more than three thousand prisoners.

The captured carriage contained a gold and silver nécessaire, including above seventy pieces; a large silver chronometer; a steel bedstead with merino mattrasses; a pair of pistols; a green velvet cap; a pair of spurs; linen, and many other things for the convenience of travelling. There were also a diamond headdress, (tiara); hat, sword, uniform, and an imperial mantle. The booty made, was equally considerable and remarkable; several boxes of mounted and unmounted diamonds, large silver services, with the arms of Napoleon, and gold pieces, with his name and portrait, filled the haversacks of the soldiers of that battalion,

"It is seldom that a grand political plan has been executed with such an active and successful co-operation of all the parties as the present. No greater importance was for a moment attached to Buonaparte's enterprise, than it deserved. The declaration of the 13th of March and the 12th of May, equally show the immutable sentiments of the High Allies, and the just appreciation of what the Disturber of the peace of the world, returned from Elba, could effect. It occurred to nobody to believe any lasting effects of his appearance. The peace of Europe was established; the invasion of Buonaparté was rather a breaking of the peace in the light of an offence against the police, than a political breach of the repose of Europe: the first great occasion, on which all the European States had to show that they formed one and the same re-united whole. Too weak to destroy a work which rested on such firm foundations; the Enemy was powerful enough to cause to the world incalculable, though transitory evils. It was, therefore, to be proved by the energy of the great penal measures against the last attempt to involve Europe in flames by unworthy means, whether the union of its Princes would be durable, whether amidst the difficult negociations concerning the meum and tuum, and the particular pretensions of each individual, the great public spirit of the years 1813 and 1814 had really maintained itself unimpaired.

*This Letter is attributed to Gentz.