Those trees torn by thousands of balls, and that observatory, the witnesses of so much glory and so much suffering, have vanished for ever! ARTILLERY OPERATIONS. The Editor of this Work had, when he first undertook it, every confidence in the liberality of those gentlemen to whom he looked for communications—that is, to those who witnessed the mighty events, the details of which are here collected. He has been supplied with such communications with a liberality greater than, with every reasonable confidence, he could have ventured to hope; and his chief difficulty has been that of selection: with all his attention, frequent repetitions have been unavoidable; but to most readers such repetitions are not, perhaps, objectionable, as every recital places the fact in a different point of view, yet tending to corroborate the general eventual result. He has lately been favoured with access to a collection of letters written from the theatre of those great events, that would, if published separately and entire, be highly interesting and valuable, as they were written by gentlemen who witnessed all of them. On looking over the preceding parts of his work, he finds the operations of the Artillery less detailed than those of most other corps; and he is glad, in the selection from the letters in question, to have an opportunity of remedying, in some degree, the deficiency of former accounts, and of doing justice, as far as lies in his humble ability, to the great exertions of that powerful arm. "Brussels, 15th June, 1815. ".... It seems that Buonaparte is at Maubeuge; that he has about 120,000 men there; that he has advanced in the direction of Binch, leaving Mons to his left and rear; that Blücher, with 82,000 Prussians, has moved from Namur to Sombref (on the road from Namur to Nivelles); that we shall concentrate our force in front of Braine-la-Leud, near Hal. Admitting all this to be true, we may the day after to-morrow have a battle. The Duke has gone to a ball at the Duchess of Richmond's, but all is ready to move at day-break; of course all depends on the news that may arrive in the night: by way of being ready, I shall go to bed, and get a few hours' sleep. It is now half-past eleven; I hope you and.... are enjoying peaceful slumbers in our happy England, safe from all the alarms which to-morrow may see here." "Brussels, 16th June, 6 A. M. "I have been sleeping very soundly. The morning is beautiful. Sir Thomas Picton is arrived. I have now learned that the Duke moves in half an hour; some say to Waterloo, which we do not find in our map. The whole place is in a bustle-such jostling of baggage, of guns, and waggons! It is very useful to acquire a quietness and composure about all these matters. One does not mend things by being in a hurry. Adieu! I almost wonder that I can write so quietly. But nothing can be done today. My horse is ready, when the signal for mounting shall be given." [Here follows a disposition of the army, which will be found in another part of this Work. That of the Artillery only is extracted.] "Col. Sir George Wood, commanding in general. "Lt.-col. Sir A. Frazer, commanding British Horse Artillery. "Lt.-col. A. Macdonald, Six Troops of Horse Artillery, attached to Cavalry, commanded by (viz.) Major Sir Robert Gardiner, L.C.; Major W. Smith, L.C.; Capt. A. C. Mercer; Capt. N. W. Ramsay, M. k.; Maj. Bull, L.C. w.; Capt. E. C. Whinyates, M. w. "Lieut.-col. Sir Julius Hartsmann, commanding King's German and Hanoverian Artillery. Lieut.-col. Adye. Lieut.-col. Gold. Lieut.-col. Hawker. Major Heisse, Han. Major Drummond. 66 Quatre Bras, 17th June, 1815, half-past Seven A.M. "We have had a sanguinary contest. Buonaparte partially attacked Blücher's corps the day before yesterday; and yesterday the affair was general, both with the Prussians and ourselves. Quatre Bras is a little to the south of Genappe, at the point where the road from Genappe to Charleroi intersects that from Namur *See engraved plan, B and C. to Nivelles. The severity of our struggle was between Quatre Bras and Frasnes. The affair ended only with the day: there was indeed a good deal of firing by moonlight. The enemy, who be haved with admirable gallantry, were repulsed in all attacks. We had no British cavalry in the field. Vandeleur's brigade of cavalry came up at dusk, but too late to be employed. No British Horse Artillery, and only one German troop, which did great execution in the field.The enemy's Lancers and Cuirassiers are the finest fellows I ever saw. They made several bold charges, and repeatedly advanced in the very teeth and in the rear of our infantry. They have severely paid for their spirit-most of them are now lying before me. Had we but had a couple of brigades of British cavalry, we should have gained a decided advantage. We had but one Belgic regiment of Hussars and some Brunswick Hussars, and both felt their inferiority, and made weak efforts against the enemy's cavalry, who, pursuing them amongst our very infantry, made a mingled mass of the whole. I have never seen a hotter fire than at some times of yesterday, nor seen more of what is called a mêlée of troops. Our wounded at the close of last night was said by the Adjutant-general to be 5000. Of the killed I have heard no estimate, but it must be severe. Great part of the action having been fought in standing corn, the dead are not easily discernible, and many of the wounded may never be found. The Duke of Brunswick, I believe, is killed. I saw and spoke to him in the course of the day, but did not see him fall. Of the Artillery I hear of no officers killed. Rogers's and Lloyd's brigades have suffered much, especially Lloyd's, which was attacked by two brigades of French Artillery, concealed in a wood. A French column came out of the wood on their right flank, and attempted to get in their rear, but soon retired from a sharp fire with great loss. The Duke of Wellington ordered some Belgic cavalry to their support. Our infantry behaved most admirably, setting good examples to our Belgic and German Allies. Poor Cameron of the 92d is dangerously, but I hope not mortally wounded. Blücher fought obstinately, but lost ground; we, in consequence, retrograde a little. The ammunition-carriages of the Horse Artillery are sent off to the front of Soignies, near Waterloo. Ross and Bean* are known to be near Brussels, and coming up. The British cavalry have made also very forced marches, and are at this moment in the field. Sir Henry Hardinge has lost his left hand by a cannon-shot. The brunt of the Prussian action was in the road from Namur to Nivelles. The action seems now recommencing-we shall retire to make our communication with Blücher closer. I slept last night at Genappe, &c.; the house, and indeed all others, is full of dying and dead. Henry Macleod *Of the Royal Horse Artillery. is wounded; he has three stabs from the Lancers; he is at Genappe; we have sent . . . . . to him, and trust he will do well. The country hereabout is open-rich in corn, and having occasionally large and rather thick woods; it is undulating and deep, but without hedges or obstacles of any kind to the movement of all arms. and . . . . . pointed out yesterday to the Duke the bold advance of a French column, but it was seen too late to frustrate all its efforts: it was repulsed after severe loss on both sides. Tempted by the partial success of this bold manœuvre, the enemy repeated it without effect a little before dusk. Adieu. I am well and in good spirits. Half-past nine: preparations making for withdrawing to the other side of Genappe. The artillery, spare carriages, &c. are moving off. "The Chef d'Etat-Major of a French division deserted to us last night,* with returns of the French force, which amounts to 130,000, of which an immense body are cavalry; artillery not specified. Ney was our opponent yesterday, with the 1st and 2d corps under Reille and D'Erlon (Drouet, count d'Erlon). Buonaparte was opposed to Blücher, but is believed to have been opposite us about 4 P. M. when loud and continued cheerings among the French troops preceded one of their boldest attacks. An officer is just come from Blücher to the Duke. Blücher's centre was pierced by the French cavalry, who took 16 pieces of cannon. The Prussians are retiring-so must we." "Brussels, 17th June, 1815, 11 P. M. "Just arrived from the front, jaded and dirty, and going to bed. I wrote this morning from Quatre Bras, just to say I am safe and well; to morrow I shall start before day-break. Adieu!" "18th June, 3 A. M. Our "Quite refreshed after a comfortable night's rest. The British affair of yesterday was merely the common skirmishing which naturally takes place on retiring in the face of the enemy. The French behave very well, and push us as much as they can. Horse Artillery yesterday were of much use. There were some trifling charges of cavalry on the chaussée, but nothing happened of any consequence. We retired to a position previously selected, and we shall now make a stand. Our right is toward Braine-laLeud, our left toward Limalle. Head-quarters at Waterloo; and Genappe (in the enemy's possession) in our front. In this position, the forest of Soignies you will observe to be in our rear-four pavés run through it. The wood is open, and practicable for infantry or cavalry. The trees are high, the roads and the whole wood very dark; and, except in the paved part of the road, the rest is very deep. When I came this way last night, it was crowded * Vide anecdote communicated by French officers, p. 218. and choked with carriages of every kind, many of them overturned. People get alarmed and confused, and lose their senses, and all about nothing. Of Blücher's army I know nothing certain, except that he was to retire on Wavre, and I have no doubt but our two armies are in perfect communication and well placed: our retiring at all was merely because Blücher had lost ground in the affair of the day before yesterday; in which, as I stated yesterday, he is said to have lost 14,000 men killed and wounded, and 16 pieces of artillery. The enemy seems to have pierced his centre just about dusk, and to have taken all his reserve ammunition. These things will happen, and there will be jumblings just at first; but all will be very well. The enemy, taught by the day before, were very shy of attacking us yesterday. "Lloyd's two guns, which were disabled on the 16th, were soon after again ready for action, and with the other guns of the brigade assisted yesterday in covering the retreat. We left the enemy nothing but our killed-our wounded we brought off on cavalry horses, except such as could not be found in the standing corn. Poor fellows! in these scenes, not in the actual rencontre, are seen the miseries of war. I saw Henry Macleod last night, free from fever and pain, and doing well. He has three pike-stabs in the side, a graze in the head, and contusion in the shoulder. Poor Cameron, I hear, is dead; but I am unwilling to believe it. In all these strange scenes my mind is at home, but is tranquil and composed. All will be very well. God bless you.” "Waterloo,past 9 A. M. 18th June. "All quiet on both sides-all getting into order. Ammunition on ours, and undoubtedly on the enemy's, coming up. The road from Brussels through the wood cleared. Finding it blocked up last night, ... begged...., who was coming up, to report to De Lancey the necessity of the road being cleared. In conse quence, baggage has been removed, and the waggons which had broken down have been burned by General Lambert's brigade (4 battalions of infantry, and 6 Hanoverian field-pieces) from Ghent, which wanted fuel to cook their rations. Blücher's head-quarters are at Wavre, and our left division (the 3d) in full communication with us. The Russians will reach Metz in six days: so says General Pozzo di Borgo, the Russian general officer with the Duke. The Austrians are expected to be at Metz at the same time. Admitting this, Buonaparte cannot afford to remain long in our front: he must take care that the Russians and Austrians do not get into his rear. I expect that we shall have some cannonading this afternoon. Adieu for the present." * * Vide this officer's excellent account of the battle.-Editor. |