Forty Male Figures.
The battle of Waterloo was fought on the 18th of June, 1815. It was on
the Sabbath day. The Emperor's wasted bands were now in the extreme of
exhaustion. For eight hours, every physical energy had been tasked to
its utmost endurance, by such a conflict as the world had seldom seen
before. Twenty thousand of his soldiers were either bleeding upon the
ground or motionless in death. Every thing depended now upon one
desperate charge by the Old Guard. The Emperor placed himself at the
head of this devoted and invincible band, and advanced in front of the
British lines. Silently, sternly, unflinchingly they pressed on, till
they arrived within a few yards of the batteries of the enemy. A peal,
as of crushing thunder, burst upon the plain; a tempest of bullets,
shot, shells, and all the horrible missiles of war, fell like
hailstones upon the living mass. A gust of wind swept away the smoke,
and, as the anxious eye of Napoleon pierced the tumult of the battle
to find his Guard, it had disappeared. Napoleon threw himself into a
small square which he had kept as a reserve, and urged it forward into
the densest throngs of the enemy. He was resolved to perish with his
Guard. Cambronne, its brave commander, seized the reins of the
Emperor's horse, and said to him, in beseeching tones, "Sire, death
shuns you; you will but be made a prisoner." Napoleon shook his head,
and for a moment resisted; but his better judgment told him that thus
to throw away his life would be but an act of suicide. With tearful
eyes, he bowed to those heroes who proved faithful even to death; with
a melancholy cry, they shouted, "_Vive l'Empereur!_" These were their
last words--their dying farewell. Silent and sorrowful, Napoleon put
spurs to his horse, and disappeared from the field. This one square,
of two battalions, alone covered the flight of the army. Squadrons of
cavalry plunged upon them, and still they remained unbroken. The
flying artillery was brought up, and pitilessly pierced this heroic
band with a storm of cannon ball. The invincible square, the last
fragment of the Old Guard, revered by that soul which its imperial
creator breathed into it, calmly closed up as death thinned its ranks.
The English and Prussians sent a flag of truce, demanding a
capitulation. General Cambronne returned the immortal reply, "The
Guard dies, but never surrenders!" A few more discharges of grape shot
from the artillery mowed them all down. Thus perished, on the field of
Waterloo, the Old Guard of Napoleon.
_Directions for forming the Tableau._--This splendid battle-scene
contains forty figures. It can be produced with a less number, but to
give a good effect, it should contain forty persons. The scene occurs
at the time when Napoleon has thrown himself in the square of the
Guard, and is about to press forward to the enemy. Napoleon is seated
on his white horse, in the centre of the stage; we have a side view of
the horse, and almost a front view of Napoleon, who grasps the reins
with his left hand, and his sword with the right; his eyes are fixed
on the advancing troops in the distance; his countenance expresses
firmness and anxiety. Cambronne is on the point of advancing, with
hands stretched out, about to grasp the reins of Napoleon's horse; his
position is sideways to the audience. Marshal Ney is seen running
towards Napoleon, on the other side of the picture, his right hand
extended, his chapeau grasped with the left. In the foreground are
four wounded soldiers, lying in various positions; muskets and other
implements of war are scattered over the ground. Directly behind
Napoleon is seen an officer holding the French standard, with a gilt
eagle at the top. The Old Guard are formed in platoons, one at the
right, one at the left, and one in the background; they should form
with the face outward, and hold their muskets as if about to repel a
charge of cavalry. The rear platoon should stand on a platform two
feet in height, while the space behind is to be filled with soldiers
engaged in fencing. They should be placed on raised platforms, varying
from two to eight feet in height. The costume of Napoleon consists of
a blue dress coat with a buff breast, eagle buttons, buff vest and
knee breeches, top boots, spurs, sash, side arms, black chapeau, and
gray overcoat. The horse which Napoleon rides can be made of wood, at
a trifling expense. Minute explanation in regard to its construction
will be found in the tableau of "Washington's entrance into
Portsmouth." The costume of the officers consists of as rich military
suits as can be procured. The soldiers should wear a showy military
suit and bearskin hats. The muskets must be furnished with bayonets,
and a thin smoke should be made to float over the scene. The roll of
the tenor drum, the shrill music of the fife, the rattle of musketry,
and the booming of cannon, should be heard in the distance. A red
light must be thrown upon all the figures; if this is not sufficient
to light up the piece, the footlights fronting Napoleon can be
lighted. The person who takes the part of Napoleon must resemble, in
features and form, the original character.