down the face, and one of his legs broken by a musket-ball: common humanity induced me to offer him assistance: he eagerly requested some drink; having a flask of weak gin-and-water I had taken purposely for the wounded, I gave it him, and could not help remarking how many thousand had suffered for the ambition of one man. He returned me the flask, and looking with a savage pride on the dead bodies that lay in heaps around him, he cried, as strong as his weakness would allow him, Vive Napoléon! la gloire de la France!!! Such an instance will give you a strong idea of the infatuation of these people. Brussels presented a melancholy scene: each side of a great number of the streets was laid with straw, on which the wounded were placed till proper places could be obtained for them. The inhabitants certainly behaved very well to them.” Extract from Mr. Warden's (Surgeon of the Northumberland) “LETTERS FROM ST. HELENA," lately published by Mr. Ackermann, as the Substance of his Conversations with Buonaparte and his immediate Attendants. Page 201. "Napoleon, it seems, was completely ignorant of the movement made from Frasnes, by Count Erlon (Drouet), on the 16th: for when he appeared near Ligny, Napoleon actually deployed a column of French to him, mistaking his force at the time for a division of the Prussian army. Erlon was now made acquainted with the defeat of the Prussians, and, without thinking it necessary to have any communication with Napoleon as to future operations, returned to his original position. That division of the army, therefore, became totally useless for the day, both to the Emperor and Marshal Ney. Grouchy, losing sight of Blücher, and taking the circuitous route which he pursued, was represented as having committed a most fatal error. Whilst the right wing of the French, in the battle of the 18th, was engaged in defeating the flank movements of Bulow, of which they were perfectly apprised, Marshal Ney had orders to engage the attention of the English during this part of the action; but by no means to hazard the loss of his troops, or to exhaust their strength. Ney, it appears, did not obey the order, or met with circumstances that rendered it impracticable for him to adhere to it.* He was stated to have contended for the occupation of a height, and thus weakened his corps so that when the Imperial Guards were brought to the charge, he was unable to assist them. I understand that Napoleon *The Editor is more willing to believe it arose from this cause than any dereliction of orders; it is supposed, that the extraordinary exertion of a brigade of artillery advantageously posted contributed no little to the disappointment Buonaparte met with, as it regards this affair of these gallant troops.-Vide "French Officer's Account," p. 99. had crossed the Sambre with 110,000 men. In the battle of Ligny and Quatre Bras he lost 10,000; Grouchy's division was 30,000, in order to follow Blücher; leaving an effective force, on the morning of the battle, of 71,000.” The following Details have been given by superior Officers in the Belgic Army, and offer some particulars not otherways known. The 5th Belgic Regiment of Light Dragoons and the 6th Hussars distinguished themselves in the battle of the 16th at Quatre Bras. Colonel Edward Merex commanded the first of these regiments, and ordered Major Count Looz to disengage the above-mentioned Hussars, who were vigorously pursued into the plain beyond our cannon, on which our cannoneers had been sabred, while he himself charged upon the road to Charleroi, where the enemy's cavalry was advancing in a mass. This brave Colonel succeeded in breaking it, and pursued it beyond the French lines. This success seems to have decided the victory, and to have hindered the enemy from getting to Brussels the same day. It is probable that he would have been able to get there but for this resistance; 20,000 of his troops were between Nivelles and the position of Quatre Bras, while the road to Brussels was uncovered. Colonel Merex received four wounds, and had a horse killed under him. Captain Von Remoorter had also a horse killed under him, and received a wound through the body. The 7th battalion of Belgic infantry likewise signalised itself on that day (the 16th). It lost several brave officers. The same 5th Regiment of Light Dragoons, in the battle of the 18th, charged and manoeuvred the united cavalry in a mass. It was while fighting at the head of it that the brave Lieutenant-general Van Merlen was struck by a cannon-ball. He died two hours after his wound, in a cottage of Mont St. Jean, near the barrier. This regiment lost 150 men, and as many horses. The brigade of Belgian Carabineers, composed of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Regiments, covered themselves with glory on the 18th of June. It was placed on a plateau opposite the farm of La Belle Alliance; an advantageous position, which Napoleon desired to carry, because it favoured the operations of the whole line of the army, by covering the roads of Namur and Nivelles. The brigade had on its left an Hanoverian battalion in square, and on the right an English battalion in square. Three French regiments of Cuirassiers and a regiment of Lancers made several charges to break this brigade, but in vain. Napoleon made a division of infantry of the Guard advance, with a great number of pieces of artillery of large calibre; the brigade was exposed to a terrible fire of grape-shot. At the same time there was a brisk fire of musketry; but our square battalions protected our brigade of Carabineers, who remained immovable. The attempts of the enemy's cavalry, in several successive charges, not having succeeded in carrying this position, Napoleon made his Grenadiers advance at the pas de charge towards the division of Belgic infantry and National Militia, commanded by Lieutenantgeneral Chassé, and placed in the right of our line. The English batteries being in want of ammunition, our fire suddenly ceased. At this moment, the Imperial Guard advanced to charge with the bayonet, thinking our artillery abandoned. It was there that Lieutenant-general Chassé ordered a most admirable manoeuvre: he made the light battery, under the orders of Major Vandermissen, advance, which poured a most terrible fire of grape into the ranks of the enemy's Grenadiers. These latter did not give ground, but they were stopped. It is impossible to describe with what fury the battle raged along the whole line. The enemy had above 100 pieces of artillery of large calibre, and his field-pieces spread death on all sides. At six o'clock, the battle was still undecided. At half-past six, the enemy's cavalry having obtained a slight advantage over the English Dragoons, who were placed on our left, made an attempt to break our regiments. The square battalions of infantry remaining firm, the brigade of Carabineers immediately charged the French Cuirassiers, and made a dreadful carnage of them. The brave Belgians being mingled pêle-mêle with their enemies, did not cease to cut them down, till they met with no more resistance. The operations on our right wing not going on so well, it was necessary to rally again upon the same position. The enemy's grape-shot again rained upon our ranks. They remained firm. Our right wing soon repulsed the obstinate efforts of the enemy to carry its position. The Carabineers made a second charge, which succeeded very well; but the French having masked batteries, within reach of which they thought to draw our Belgians; the latter, being aware of the snare, pushed forward their squadrons only till the enemy's cavalry retreated, but, instead of pursuing them, returned to their position in the line. At seven o'clock, the Prince of Orange, our hero, who had made this charge with our Belgians, crossed his sabre on the breast of Colonel de Bruyn, commanding the 2d Regiment of Carabineers, crying: "Resume your positions, brave Carabineers; you have done enough for to-day." The Prince seized the Colonel's hand, and pressed it in so affectionate a manner, that this officer with difficulty suppressed his emotion. All the Carabineers eagerly cried: " Long live the King! long live our good Prince!" at the same time clashing their sabres together in the air. Scarcely were our Belgians formed again in the line, when the Prince having repaired to the division of Lieutenant-general Chassé, which was posted at the extremity of our right, made it advance, waving his hat. At this moment he was shot through the shoulder by a Biscayen: he did not perceive his wound till he fainted, and almost fell from his horse. He was held, and conveyed to the rear. Rage seemed then to take possession of our army; all swore to conquer or die. Half an hour after, 15,000 Prussians under General Bulow débouched on the extreme right of the French. These Prussians had not time to reconnoitre all the positions. They only repulsed some squadrons of French Light Horse, which went to meet them in order to stop them. A general huzza was ordered by the General-in-Chief along the whole line; carabineers, light cavalry, all advanced. This third charge was terrible and decisive. Lieutenant-colonel Coenegracht, commandant of the 1st Regiment, and Lieutenant-colonel Lightleiler, commandant of the 3d Regiment of Carabineers, were mortally wounded at half-past five. They died two days after. Lieutenant-general Colcaert, who commanded the division, was severely wounded at the first charge. It was Lord March, aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington in Spain, and afterwards aide-de-camp to his Royal Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange, who principally contributed to save his life at the battle of Waterloo. Seeing the hero wounded, he placed him on his own horse, conducted him out of the battle, and, as the French were advancing, took the plume out of the Prince's hat to prevent his being recognised. He conducted him to the house of the widow Bodaughwien at Waterloo. The august warrior remained there some hours before he proceeded to Brussels. The house of this widow shows, by a sign given by the Duchess of Richmond, that this habitation served as an asylum to the young hero. The States-general, desiring to give to his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange a testimony of the national gratitude for the bravery which he employed, as well in the defence of the position of Quatre Bras as at the battle of Waterloo, have proposed to his Majesty to purchase at the expense of the State a palace, situated in the city of Brussels, which, after being properly furnished, may be given in full property to his Royal Highness the Hereditary Prince, as well as the park of Toweuren, in the forest of Soignies, with a hunting-seat; and that these estates be transferred to the Prince of Orange, free of all charges and expense. His Majesty approved of this proposal. Waterloo, Oct. 1, 1815. When the Emperor of Russia, the King of the Netherlands, the Prince of Orange, the Princes of Russia, &c. visited the field of Waterloo, their Majesties alighting at Mont St. Jean, mounted their horses to go to the farms of La Haye Sainte and Hougomont, where they examined the different positions, particularly that which was occupied by the valiant Hereditary Prince, where he received his glorious wound on the 18th June. On arriving above La Belle Alliance, they halted on the eminence, to examine the line by which the brave General Bulow débouched beyond Frichermont, and the junction of General Ziethen with the Allies. When they arrived at Belle Alliance, his Majesty the Emperor of Russia accepted a glass of wine, as well as his suite; then observing the inscription in large characters, "à la Belle Alliance," and turning to the King of the Netherlands and his Royal Highness the Hereditary Prince, he said to them with great cordiality: "Yes, it is really the fair alliance, both in respect to the states and the families; God grant that it may be of long duration!" Our Prince received with pleasure and gratitude this testimony of friendship and esteem from a magnanimous sovereign. Their Majesties returned to their carriages at Mont St. Jean, and drove back to Brussels. ACCOUNT OF THE CAMPAIGN IN THE NETHERLANDS, Given by General Count Drouet, Aide-Major-general of the Imperial Guard on June 18, 1815, in the Chamber of Peers, 24th of June, 1815.* Now first translated from "the Moniteur." The French army crossed the frontier on the 15th of June. It was composed of several corps of cavalry, of six of infantry, and of the Imperial Guard. The six corps of infantry were commanded : The 1st by Count Erlon, 2d by Count Reille. 3d by Count Vandamme, 5th by Count Le Marrois,† 6th by Count Lobau. It met with some light troops on this side of the Sambre, overthrew them, and took 400 or 500 men; it then passed the river; * General Count Drouet, in the sittings of the Chamber of Peers, produced this speech, in order to combat some opinions that had been given, tending to diminish the glory, to exaggerate the disasters, and diminish the treasons of France; and this account of the battle appears to have occasioned Marshal Ney's, which is to be found in this work, in which he states the narration to be accurate; but that some important facts are, either from ignorance or intention, passed over. This variation of opinion in these important officers necessarily connects the accounts to each other.-Editor. + This 5th corps is not mentioned in any other account; yet it is again expressly mentioned further as engaged.-Editor. |