THE EMPEROR AT NIGHT RECONNOITRES THE ENEMY. 319

with the emperor, at the commencements of operations, to prevent their junction, and to attack and destroy each separately. This, indeed, was his only chance of success. The three hours delay of Grouchy, with the left of the army, prevented the emperor from attacking the British on the afternoon of the 17th, as he intended to have done, and the permitting Blucher to escape, afforded an opportunity for the two armies to unite. It was concluded by Bonaparte that Wellington and Blucher would take advantage of the night, and traversing the forest of Soignes, form a junction before Brussels, which might have been effected by nine in the morning. This union would have placed the French army in a very critical and dangerous situation. Four corps of the Prussian army had united at Wavres, amounting to 75,000 men, and Wellington had concentrated at Waterloo 90,000 troops; besides they would be constantly receiving reinforcements from the troops that were advancing in their rear. Six thousand English had recently landed at Ostend from America.Delay would only make the matter worse, as the Russians, Austrians, Bavarians, &c. had not yet arrived. but in a few weeks would cross the Rhine; whereas the French corps of observation in Alsace amounted only to 20,000

men.

Deeply occupied with thoughts, which his situation suggested, the emperor, at 1 o'clock at night, left his quarters on foot, accompanied only by his grand marshal, to see if he could discover any movements of the enemy.He went the round of the grand guard; the forest of Soignes appeared in a blaze; the horizon was resplendant with the fires of the English army; the most profound silence reigned; the rain fell in torrents. Exhausted by the fatigue of the preceding day, the English army was buried in profound sleep. On approaching the woods of Chateau Hougoumont, he heard a noise as of a column in march, which he supposed was the rear guard of the enemy retreating; but the noise soon ceased; and he perceived that there was no movement of the enemy. He had determined, if the English army was retreating, to pursue and attack it, notwithstanding the darkness of the night. He returned to his quarters; soon the spies came in, and

320

MISTAKE OF WELLINGTON.

stated that they discovered no movement in the English army. At four the scouts returned and brought with them a countryman, who had acted as a guide to an English brigade. Two Flemish deserters, who had just left their regiment, soon arrived; they informed that no retrogade movement had taken place, but that the army was preparing for battle the ensuing morning. They said that all the inhabitants of Belgium wished success to the emperor, and hated the English and Prussians. What a momentous night! the destiny of France, and perhaps of Europe, was suspended upon the events of the following day.

It was considered a great error in Wellington, in remaining in his position, and preparing to hazard a battle, when it was in his power to have formed a junction with Blucher, before coming to an engagement. If he had been defeated it would have been fatal, as the defiles of the forest of Soignes were in his rear, which exposed his retreat to be cut off. This great mistake of the Fnglish general, raised the hopes of the Emperor; all he feared was that the unfavourableness of the weather would prevent him from taking advantage of it. But soon the clouds began to clear away, and at five he perceived some weak rays of that sun, which he expected would set upon the destruction of the English army. But how vain are the expectations of man! how dark and inscrutable are the pages of futurity!

The English army was drawn up in two lines, on the road leading from Charleroy to Brussels, in advance of the forest of Soignes. Their right consisting of the second and fourth English divisions, the third and sixth Hannoverians, and the first of Belgians, commanded by lord Hill, rested on a ravine beyond the road to Nevelles; the centre, composed of the English division of general Alten, the corps of the prince of Orange, the Brunswickers and Nassau troops was in advance of Mount St. Jean; its left being flanked by the road to Charleroy. The left of the British line, comprising the divisions of Picton, Lambert and Kempt, rested its right on the road to Charleroy, and its left in rear of the village of St. Haye, which was occupied with a strong detachment. The reserve was stationed at Mount St. Jean, at the intersection of the

THE EMPEROR CONFIDENT OF VICTORY.

321

roads. The cavalry, drawn up in three lines on the heights of St. Jean, ranged in rear of the whole line of battle, but the greater proportion was placed left of the centre, to the east of the main causeway to Charleroy. The English were estimated at 90,000 men; they had lain under arms during the night, exposed to a severe rain accompanied with thunder and lightning.

The French army did not exceed 69,000, yet the emperor felt confident of victory. At eight o'clock his breakfast was brought him; several officers were present: "The enemy's army," said the emperor "is superior to ours by a fourth; we have nevertheless ninety chances in our favour and not ten against us." "Without doubt," said marshal Ney who had just entered, "if the Duke of Wellington were simple enough to wait for your majesty ; but I come to inform you that already his columns are in full retreat, and disappearing in the forest." "You must have seen badly," said Bonaparte, "it is too late, he would expose himself to certain destruction. He has thrown the dice and they are ours." The emperor immediately mounted his horse and rode to reconnoitre the enemy's line; he directed general Haxo of the engineers, to approach near enough to ascertain whether the enemy had thrown up any redoubts or intrenchments. This officer soon returned with the information that he could discover no traces of any works. The emperor after reflecting a quarter of an hour, dictated the order of battle, which was noted down by two generals sitting on the ground, and instantly carried by the aid de camps to the different corps, all of which were under arms and full of impatience and ardour.

The army commenced its march in eleven columns ; four of which were destined for the first line, four for the second, and three for the third. The artillery marched on the flanks of the columns, and the waggons in the rear. The four columns designed for the first line, arrived on the spot whereon they were to form at nine o'clock; at the same time the seven other columns were seen defiling from the heights and marching to take their stations; the trumpets and drums sounded the attack; the music in

322 THE FRENCH TROOPS MARCH IN COLUMNS AND FORM.

spired the veteran soldiers, and recalled to their minds the remembrance of an hundred victories.

It was a sublime and impressive sight; the ground seemed to tremble under its weight, and to be proud of the burden of so many brave men. The situation of the English enabled them to see every man, and the French army must have appeared much more numerous to them than it really was. The columns, as they advanced, displayed with so much precision that each took the station assigned it, without the least disorder or confusion. would appear incredible to a person unacquainted with military operations that such large bodies of men could be moved with such facility, order and harmony.

The first line was scarcely formed, when the heads of the four columns, designed for the second line, arrived on the ground whereon they were to form. The divisions of infantry were formed in two lines, the second thirty toises from the first. Before the second line was formed, the heads of the column of reserve arrived and took their station. At half past ten, a thing almost incredible, all the movements had been performed, and an army of seventy thousand men had all been removed, and taken the positions assigned them. The field of battle was now formed; the hostile hosts were facing each other; the most profound silence reigned. What a sublime spectacle! what an awful moment! "big with the fate of Cesar and of Rome ;"-of the second Cesar and of modern Romea moment, fraught with the destinies of Europe and the fate of thousands of brave men; about to shed their blood in the quarrels of kings. Humanity, philanthropy and patriotism weep over such a scene.

The French were contending for independence if not for liberty; for the right of self-government. But the' English, who boast of being the freest and happiest nation in the world; for what were they contending? to deprive France of that independence and that liberty which they' prize so highly themselves-to establish the principles of legitimacy, of the divine right of kings to do wrong; to strengthen the hands of " christian kings," and to further the schemes of the "holy alliance" which they had formed against the rights of mankind. Well might it be said of

*

LINE OF BATTLE OF THE FRENCH ARMY.

223

warriors slain on such a field, in such a cause, in the language of their own immortal poet :*

"Ambition's honored fools-there let them rot."

The French army was drawn up in six lines, forming the figure of six W's, and occupied an extent of about two miles. The two first W's were of infantry, with light cavalry on their wings; the third and fourth consisted of cuirassiers; the fifth and sixth were composed of the cavalry of the guards, with six lines of infantry of the guards placed transversely at the summit of these six W's. The sixth corps in solid column was stationed transversely to the lines occupied by the guards, its infantry being on the left of the road and its cavlary on the right. The roads of Charleroy and Nivelles were left unobstructed in order that the artillery of the reserve might be rapidly transported to any part of the line which occasion might require.

:

The Emperor rode along the ranks his presence inspired the soldiers with the highest enthusiasm; the infantry raised their caps on the points of their bayonets ; the curiassiers, dragoons and light cavalry, elevated their helmets and caps on the points of their swords; all were filled with animation and ardour-all felt confident of victory-it was regarded as almost certain. The old veterans who had been present in so many engagements, admired the new order of the battle; they endeavoured to penetrate the ulterior views of the commander in chief, and discussed the point and manner of attack. The Emperor having given his last orders, placed himself at the head of his guards, at the summit of the six. W's and dismounted. His position gave him a view of both armies, and enabled him to observe every movement. The right wing of the French was commanded by count Lobau, the left by Jerome, and, the centre by generals Reille and Erlon. Soult and Ney acted as lieutenant-generals, and the Emperor himself placed in a central and commanding position, directed every manoeuvre; all the reserve were at his command, which could be ordered wherever the urgency of circumstances might require their presence.

* Byron.