DESCRIPTION OF THE MAPS, PLANS, AND

ETCHINGS,

WHICH ILLUSTRATE THIS WORK.

The DUKE OF WELLINGTON, from a bust by Hopper.

PRINCE BLUCHER, by Ditto.

Waterloo Medal. Title.

Description.-The medal given to the officers and soldiers who were engaged in the battle of Waterloo was executed by Mr. T. Wyon, jun. and is of fine silver, and weighs one ounce. There is no difference between those presented to the officers or to the privates. Around the outer edge is impressed the man's name who receives the medal, his rank, and the regiment or corps to which he belongs. On the obverse of the medal is the bust of H.R.H. the Prince Regent, with the inscription "George P. Regent." The reverse side bears a figure of Victory, holding in her right hand her proper emblem, the palm-branch; in her left, the olivebranch, which indicates peace, as the effect of that glorious achievement, which is inscribed on the painth on which the figure is seated; and above the figure is inscribed the name of the great Commander under whom this victory was gained.

To the medal is affixed a steel loop and ring, with a short ribbon of crimson edged with blue, by which it is attached to the coat of the wearer, over the left breast. Vide Prince's order for wearing the medal, p. 421.

MAP OR PLAN A.

Represents the theatre of war from the north of France to the Straits of Calais, to the Rhine, and from Holland to Paris. The blue or green line marks the frontiers of France, according to the treaty of Paris, 1814. All the strong places of France are distinguished by red, of which there are seventy-six, not comprising Paris, but comprehending Château-Thierry, Rheims, Soissons, Laon, and La Fére (lately fortified).

The strong places possessed by the Allies on the 15th of June, marked by yellow, are situated between the Rhine and the Meuse. The Allies had only the strong fortress of Luxembourg, and from the Meuse to the sea they had three newly-fortified places, Mons having 18,000 inhabitants, Tournay 22,000, and Ypres 15,000. Thus the frontiers of the Low Countries, and of Germany to the left bank of the Rhine, a length of 110 leagues, had but four fortresses for its defence, while France in the same space had more than fifty.

MAP B comprehends the whole space of the operations from the 14th to the 22d of June. The blue lines denote the places where the four corps of the army of Prussians collected, and their line of advanced posts are marked by the blue dots towards the Sambre, extending as far as Labbas and Binch; towards the Meuse, to opposite Givet and Bamain.

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MAP C and D represents the position and disposition of the English, Prussian, and French, from Quatre Bras and Ligny.

MAP D. The battle of Ligny at five o'clock.

MAP OR PLAN E. F. G.

During the nine hours' battle it would be impossible to describe the blind and ferocious courage with which the French masses marched upon the English, nor the intrepid courage, the persevering and heroic coolness, with which the latter awaited, sustained, and repulsed, the reiterated attacks of their enemies. The limited space of the combat, the rapidity of the attacks and movements of the different corps, could not be described in ten plans: every testimony has, however, been collected by the Editor; besides which, the thick smoke of the powder, which was prevented from rising above the surface of the earth by a heavy atmosphere, scarcely allowed the field of battle to be seen at once. The obscurity was some. times so great that the French masses got within twenty paces of the English battalions before they were perceived, which rendered their attacks still more dangerous to the English. The movements at three periods, viz. the beginning, the middle, and the advance, will be found in the map, E. F. G. Connected with the operations at Wavre.

Plan of the FIELD OF WATERLOO upon the largest scale, being FIVE INCHES TO A MILE. The advantage of this scale must be manifest, as enabling the draftsman to give all the minutiae of the operations, as it regards the Allies or the enemy, pointing out every feature of the ground, first and second positions, and tracings of the movements of the troops, in their several combinations or of retreat.

This map is accompanied by an Historical Memoir and numerous References, that render it the most satisfactory to those who wish every detail.

The large Historical Map and Plan of the Campaign in 1815 next follows; size twenty-two by twenty-seven inches: and is in itself a complete and detailed representation of the whole of the operations.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Two large Panoramic Views of the Field, drawn immediately after the battle.

A View of the present State of the Field of Waterloo, with the Monu

ments.

No.

1. "The Duke of Wellington having shown the Duke of Brunswick a letter changed his horse, and they set off together"

2. BATTLE OF LIGNY. "It was here a contest began, the most obstinate recorded in History"

Page

68

321

3. BATTLE OF LIGNY. "Marshal Blücher, stunned by the violent fall, lay entangled under his horse"

322

59

"The

. 203

6. BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS. Lieut.-Col. Macara of the 42d Regiment 7. BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS. 71st Regiment. "The piper suddenly struck up the Pibroch,' and followed into the thickest of the fight"

8. BATTLE OF QUATRE BRAS. "Fall of the Duke of Brunswick" 9. GUARDS' OFFICERS. "The last tribute to the brave"

10. "MARQUIS OF ANGLESEY charging on the 17th of June, at the entrance into Genappe"

11. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND HIS STAFF at the commencement of the action on the 18th of June

13. HOUGOMONT. "The Artillery officers had the range so accurately, that every shot and shell fell into the very centre of their masses"

14. "The Duke led on a Brigade, consisting of the 52d and 95th Regi

ments"

15. LA HAYE SAINTE.

friend and foe" 16. WATERLOO, 2 P.M. "Left of the British line. Charge of the Royals, Greys, and Inniskillings, conducted by the Marquis of Anglesey and Sir W. Ponsonby. The body of Gen. Picton, who fell leading on the infantry, is borne from the field. The village of Frichermont in the distance

29

No.

17. PONSONBY'S BRIGADE. "At this critical moment, the Marquis of Anglesey galloped up"

Page

185

18. Major-Gen. Sir W. Ponsonby's Brigade charging. "The Greys preserved a beautiful line at speed. After considerable resistance, the Eagles of the 45th and 105th Regiments were seized"

19. The fall of Major-Gen. Sir W. Ponsonby, K.C.B.

20. "French Cuirassiers advanced to the mouth of our cannon, &c. Three o'clock"

21. Singular gallantry of an Officer of the Imperial Guards

185

186

35

42

22. The Hon. Lieut.-Col. Ponsonby, 12th Dragoons. "Ah, Brigand, tu n'es pas mort done!"

210

23. LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR T. PICTON fell in the thickest of the fight

22

24. The Greys and 92d cheered and huzzaed “Scotland for ever!" 25. Corporal Shaw of the Life Guards

26. Sergeant Taylor, 18th Hussars and French Cuirassiers," Ha! ha!" &c. 27. BRUNSWICKERS SALAMANDERS. Cuirassiers repulsed by a square of Brunswickers

28. Up, Guards, and at them!"

29. GENERAL LORD HILL AND 13TH.

"Drive them back, 13th!"

80. WATERLOO, 8 P.M. Right of the British line. The Duke of Wellington ordering the general advance, at the time the Enemy's columns were repulsed by the Guards, and taken in flank by Gen. Adam's Brigade. The wood of Hougomont is on the right, and the Observatory in the distance

31. WATERLOO, 8 P.M. Centre of the British line. The Marquis of Anglesey, on the general advance, directing the Brigades of Cavalry on the right of La Haye Sainte. La Belle Alliance, the road to Charleroi, and the spires of Planchenoit in the distance

32. "Now EVERY MAN MUST ADVANCE!"

33. "It was at LA BELLE ALLIANCE, pierced through and through, they accidentally met"

34. The retreat at Genappe. "The Duke fell yesterday, and thou shalt also bite the dust"

A BRIEF MEMOIR

OF THE

CHIEF EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF

FIELD MARSHAL THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON,

K.G. ETC. ETC. ETC.

ARTHUR WELLESLEY (or, as formerly written, Wesley), the fourth son of Garrett Colley Wellesley, Earl of Mornington and Viscount Wellesley in the peerage of Ireland, by his wife Anne Hill, eldest daughter of Arthur Viscount Dungannon, was born, according to some accounts, at the seat of his ancestors, Dangan Castle, county Meath, but most probably in Merrion Street, Dublin, on the 1st May, 1769.* His father died in May 1781,

* The question of the real birth-day of the Duke would appear settled by the testimony of his mother, as shown by the following letter, communicated to the "Times" of September 21, 1852:

"Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, London, April 6, 1815. "SIR,-In answer to your inquiry respecting my son, the Duke of Wellington, I inform you that he was born on the 1st of May, 1769. I am much flattered by your intention of celebrating his birth-day; the good-wishes and prayers of worthy, respectable persons, I trust, will continue to my son the good fortune and success that it has hitherto pleased the Almighty to grant him in the service of his king and country.

*

"To Mr. Jas. Cuthbertson,

"Seaton Mains by Tranent."

*

*

"ANNE MORNINGTON."

The place of His Grace's birth may be also ascertained by referring to the following paragraph from the "Dublin Mercury" of May 2, 1769, among the births:— "In Merrion Street, the Right Hon. the Countess of Mornington of a son." The only incongruity arises from the fact that in the Registry of Baptisms in St. Peter's Church, Dublin, the entry runs thus:-" 1769, April 30, Arthur, son of the Right Hon. Earl and Countess of Mornington.-J. J. M'SOLLY, Curate of St. Peter's."

This was probably a clerical error; no doubt the Duke was christened May 30.

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