Napoleon heads his army on the Belgian frontier--Passes the Sambre
at Charleroi--Defeats Blucher at Ligny--Battle of Quatre-Bras--The
English fall back on a position previously selected by
Wellington--THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO--Napoleon returns to
Paris.
Napoleon had now, among other preparations, strongly fortified Paris and
all the positions in advance of it on the Seine, the Marne and the Aube,
and among the passes of the Vosgesian hills. Lyons also had been guarded
by very formidable outworks. Massena, at Metz, and Suchet, on the Swiss
frontier, commanded divisions which the Emperor judged sufficient to
restrain Schwartzenberg for some time on the Upper Rhine: should he
drive them in, the fortresses behind could hardly fail to detain him
much longer. Meantime the Emperor himself had resolved to attack the
most alert of his enemies, the Prussians and the English, beyond the
Sambre--while the Austrians were thus held in check on the Upper Rhine,
and ere the armies of the North could debouche upon Manheim, to
co-operate by their right with Wellington and Blucher, and by their left
with Schwartzenberg. Of the Belgian army, and even of the Belgian
people, he believed himself to possess the secret goodwill, and that one
victory would place the Allies in a hostile country. By some daring
battle, and some such splendid success, he yet hoped to shatter the
confidence of the European confederacy; nor--even had he entertained
little hope of this kind--was the situation of affairs in Paris such as
to recommend another protracted and defensive warfare within France. The
fatal example of 1814 was too near: it behoved Napoleon to recommence
operations in the style which had characterised his happier campaigns.
He left Paris on the evening of the 11th of June, exclaiming, as he
entered his carriage, "I go to measure myself against Wellington." He
arrived at Vervins on the 12th, and assembled and reviewed at Beaumont,
on the 14th, the whole of the army which had been prepared to act
immediately under his own orders. They had been carefully selected, and
formed, perhaps, the most perfect force, though far from the most
numerous, with which he had ever taken the field. Buonaparte saw before
him 25,000 of his imperial guard, 25,000 cavalry in the highest
condition, 300 pieces of artillery admirably served, and infantry of the
line, almost all veterans, sufficient to swell his muster to at least
135,000 men. He reminded them that this was the anniversary of Marengo
and of Friedland, and asked, "Are they and we no longer the same men?
The madmen!" he continued, "a moment of prosperity has blinded them. The
oppression and humiliation of the French people is beyond their power.
If they enter France they will there find their tomb. Soldiers! we have
forced marches, battles and dangers before us. For every Frenchman who
has a heart the moment is arrived to conquer or to perish!" Such was his
oration: and never was army more thoroughly imbued with the spirit of
its chief.
Blucher's army numbered at this time about 100,000 men, and, extending
along the line of the Sambre and the Meuse, occupied Charleroi, Namur,
Givet, and Liege. They communicated on their right with the left of the
Anglo-Belgian army, under Wellington, whose headquarters were at
Brussels. This army was not composed, like Blucher's or Napoleon's, of
troops of the same nation. The Duke had less than 35,000 English; and of
these but few were veterans--the flower of his Peninsular Army having
been despatched to America, to conclude a war into which the United
States had forced England, on very trivial pretences, during the season
of her greatest difficulties and dangers, in 1812. The King's German
Legion, 8000 strong, was, however, equal to the best British force of
like amount; and there were 5000 Brunswickers, headed by their gallant
Duke and worthy of his guidance. The Hanoverians, exclusive of the
Legion, numbered 15,000: of Nassau troops, Dutch and Belgian, commanded
by the Prince of Orange, son to the sovereign of the Netherlands, there
might be 17,000; but the spirit of the Belgian part of this army was,
not without reason, suspected on all sides. The Duke of Wellington's
motley host amounted, then, in all to 75,000 men. His first division
occupied Enghien, Brain-le-Comte and Nivelles, communicating with the
Prussian right at Charleroi. The second division (Lord Hill's) was
cantoned in Halle, Oudenard and Gramont--where was most of the cavalry.
The reserve (Sir Thomas Picton's) were at Brussels and Ghent. The
English and Prussian commanders had thus arranged their troops, with
the view of being able to support each other, wherever the French might
hazard their assault. It could not be ascertained beforehand whether
Napoleon's mark was Ghent or Brussels; even had the Allied Generals
known that it was the latter city, who could inform them by which of the
three great routes, of Namur, of Charleroi, or of Mons, he designed to
force his passage thither? Fouche, indeed, doubly and trebly dyed in
treason, had, when accepting office under Napoleon, continued to
maintain his correspondence with Louis at Ghent, and promised to furnish
the Allies with the outline of the Emperor's plan of the campaign ere it
began. But the minister of police took care that this document should
not arrive until the campaign was decided.
At daybreak on Thursday, the 15th, the French drove in all the outposts
on the west bank of the Sambre, and at length assaulted Charleroi; thus
revealing the purpose of the Emperor; namely, to crush Blucher ere he
could concentrate all his own strength, far less be supported by the
advance of Wellington, and then rush at once upon Brussels. Ziethen,
however, held out, though with severe loss, at Charleroi so long, that
the alarm spread along the whole Prussian line; and then fell back in
good order on a position between Ligny and Armand; where Blucher now
awaited Napoleon's attack--at the head of the whole of his army, except
the division of Bulow which had not yet come up from Liege. The scheme
of beating the Prussian divisions in detail had therefore failed; but
the second part of the plan, namely, that of separating them wholly from
Wellington, might still succeed. With this view, while Blucher was
concentrating his force about Ligny, the French held on the main road to
Brussels from Charleroi; beating in some Nassau troops at Frasnes, and
followed them as far as _Quatre-Bras_, a farmhouse, so called, because
it is there that the roads from Charleroi to Brussels, and from Nivelles
to Namur, cross each other.
At half-past one o'clock, p.m., of the same day (Thursday the 15th) a
Prussian officer[72] of high rank arrived at Wellington's headquarters
in Brussels, with the intelligence of Napoleon's decisive operations. By
two o'clock orders were despatched to all the cantonments of the Duke's
army, for the divisions to break up, and concentrate on the left at
Quatre-Bras; his Grace's design being that his whole force should be
assembled there, by eleven o'clock on the next night, Friday the 16th.
It was at first intended to put off a ball announced for the evening of
Thursday, at the Duchess of Richmond's hotel in Brussels; but on
reflection it seemed highly important that the population of that city
should be kept as far as possible in ignorance as to the course of
events, and the Duke of Wellington desired that the ball should proceed
accordingly; nay, the general officers received his commands to appear
in the ball-room--each taking care to quit the apartment as quietly as
possible, at ten o'clock, and proceed to join his respective division
_en route_. This arrangement was carried into strict execution. The Duke
himself retired at twelve o'clock, and left Brussels at six o'clock next
morning for Quatre-Bras. The reserve quitted Brussels in the night with
the most perfect silence and regularity, unnoticed by the inhabitants;
and the events which had occurred were almost wholly unknown in that
city, except to the military authorities, until the next day.
The Duke of Wellington conversed at the ball with various persons on the
movements which had occurred; stated his calculation of the French force
directed against his left, and expressed his confidence that his whole
army would be up at Quatre-Bras by eleven o'clock the next night. This
most extraordinary and rapid concentration of force was effected; the
various divisions of the army, previously cantoned over an extent of
fifty miles, were collected at Quatre-Bras, within the short space of
twenty-four hours.
Napoleon, on coming up from Charleroi, about noon on the 16th, hesitated
for a time whether Blucher at Ligny, or the English at Quatre-Bras,
ought to form the main object of his attack. The Anglo-Belgian army was
not yet concentrated--the Prussian, with the exception of one division,
was: and he at length resolved to give his own personal attention to the
latter. With the main strength of his army, therefore, he assaulted
Blucher at three in the afternoon; and about the same time Ney, with
45,000 men, commenced seriously (for there had been skirmishes ever
since daybreak) the subordinate attack on the position of Wellington.
The English General had held a conference with Blucher this morning at
Bry; and settled with him the ultimate measures to be adopted under
whatever course the events of the day might assume; and he now awaited
the assault of Ney under many disadvantages. His troops were vastly
inferior in number, and all, except a few Belgians, that were now on the
field, had been marching since midnight. The enemy were comparatively
fresh; and they were posted among growing corn, as high as the tallest
man's shoulders, which, with an inequality of ground, enabled them to
draw up a strong body of cuirassiers close to the English, and yet
entirely out of their view. The 79th and 42nd regiments were thus taken
by surprise, and the former would have been destroyed but for the coming
up of the latter. The 42nd, formed into a square, was repeatedly broken,
and as often recovered--though with terrible loss of life: for out of
800 that went into the action, only ninety-six privates and four
officers returned unhurt. The divisions of Alten, Halket, Cooke,
Maitland, and Byng successively arrived; and night found the English
general, after a severe and bloody day, in possession of Quatre-Bras.
The gallant Duke of Brunswick, fighting in the front of the line, fell
almost in the beginning of the battle. The killed and wounded on the
side of the Allies were 5000, and the French loss could not have been
less.
Blucher fought as stern a battle, but with worse fortune. With 80,000
men he had to sustain the assault of 90,000, headed by Napoleon; and the
villages of Amand and Ligny were many times taken and re-taken in the
course of the day. It is said, that two of the French corps hoisted the
black flag: it is certain that little quarter was either asked or given.
The hatred of the French and Prussians was inflamed to the same mortal
vehemence. It is said that the loss on Blucher's side was 20,000
men--and on the other 15,000--numbers, when we consider the amount of
the troops engaged, all but unparalleled. However, the non-arrival of
Bulow, and the successive charges of fresh divisions of the enemy, at
length forced Blucher to retire. In the course of the day the brave old
man had his horse shot under him, in heading a charge of cavalry, and
was ridden over undetected, by both his own men and the French. He now
retreated on the river Dyle, in the direction of Wavre; but contrived to
mask his movements so skilfully, that Napoleon knew not until noon on
the 17th what way he had taken.
The bulletins of the Emperor announced two victories of the most
dazzling description as the work of the 16th. Blucher would be heard of
no more, they said; and Wellington, confounded and amazed, was already
within the jaws of ruin.
Napoleon, having ascertained the retreat of the Prussian, now committed
the pursuit of him to Marshal Grouchy, and a corps of 32,000 men--and
turned in person to Quatre-Bras, in the hope of pouring his main force,
as well as Ney's, on Wellington, in a situation where it was altogether
improbable he should receive any assistance from Blucher. But no sooner
was the Duke aware of Blucher's march on Wavre, than he, in adherence to
the common plan of the campaign, gave orders for falling back from
Quatre-Bras. He had before now been heard to say, that if ever it were
his business to defend Brussels, he would choose to give battle on the
field of Waterloo, in advance of the forest of Soignies; and he now
retired thither--in the confidence of being joined there in the morning,
ere the decisive contest should begin, by Blucher. The day was rainy,
the roads were covered deep with mud, and the English soldiery are of
all others most discouraged by the command to retreat. Their spirits,
however, rose gallantly when, on reaching the destined field, they
became aware of their leader's purpose; and, having taken up their
allotted stations, they bivouacked under the storm in the sure hope of
battle.
All his arrangements having been effected early in the evening of the
17th, the Duke of Wellington rode across the country to Blucher, to
inform him personally that he had thus far effected the plan agreed on
at Bry, and express his hope to be supported on the morrow by two
Prussian divisions. The veteran replied, that he would leave a single
corps to hold Grouchy at bay as well as they could, and march himself
with the rest of his army upon Waterloo; and Wellington immediately
returned to his post.[73] The cross roads between Wavre and Mont St.
Jean were in a horrid condition; the rain fell in torrents, and Grouchy
had 32,000 men to attack Thielman's single division, left at Wavre.
Blucher's march, however, began; and if it occupied longer time than had
been anticipated, the fault was none of his.
The position of the Duke of Wellington was before the village of Mont
St. Jean, about a mile and a half in advance of the small town of
Waterloo, on a rising ground, having a gentle and regular declivity
before it--beyond this a plain of about a mile in breadth--and then the
opposite heights of La Belle Alliance, on which the enemy would of
course form their line. The Duke had now with him about 75,000 men in
all; of whom about 30,000 were English. He formed his first line of the
troops on which he could most surely rely--the greater part of the
British foot--the men of Brunswick and Nassau, and three corps of
Hanoverians and Belgians. Behind this the ground sinks and then rises
again. The second line, formed in rear of the first, was composed of the
troops whose spirit and discipline were more doubtful--or who had
suffered most in the action of Quatre-Bras; and behind these lay all the
horse. The position crosses the two highways from Nivelles and Charleroi
to Brussels, nearly where they unite: these roads gave every facility
for movements from front to rear during the action; and two country
roads, running behind and parallel with the first and second lines,
favoured equally movements from wing to wing. The line was formed
convex, dropping back towards the forest at either extremity; the right
to Mark Braine, near Braine-la-Leude; the left to Ter-la-Haye. The
chateau and gardens of Hougomont, and the farmhouse and enclosures of La
Haye Sainte, about 1500 yards apart, on the slope of the declivity, were
strongly occupied, and formed the important out-works of defence. The
opening of the country roads leading directly from Wavre to Mont St.
Jean, through the wood of Ohain, was guarded by the British left; while
those running through Souhain and Frichemont, further in advance, might
be expected to bring the first of the Prussians on the right flank of
the French, during their expected attack.
The field was open and fair: and in case the enemy should force the Duke
from his position, the village of Mont St Jean behind, still further
back the town of Waterloo, and lastly the great forest of
Soignies--offered successively the means of renewing his defence, and
protecting his retreat.--The British front extended, in all, over about
a mile. It was Wellington's business to hold the enemy at bay, until the
Prussian advance should enable him to charge them with superior numbers:
it was Napoleon's to beat the English ere Blucher could disengage
himself from Grouchy, and come out of the woods of Ohain; which being
accomplished, he doubted not to have easy work with the Prussians amidst
that difficult country. He had in the field 75,000 men; all French
veterans--each of whom was in his own estimation, worth one Englishman,
and two Prussians, Dutch or Belgians. But on the other hand,
Wellington's men, all in position over-night, had had, notwithstanding
the severe weather, some hours to repose and refresh themselves: whereas
the army of Napoleon had been on the march all through the hours of
tempestuous darkness, and the greater part of them reached not the
heights of Belle Alliance until the morning of the 18th was considerably
advanced. The Emperor himself, however, had feared nothing so much as
that Wellington would continue his retreat on Brussels and Antwerp--thus
deferring the great battle until the Russians should approach the valley
of the Rhine; and when, on reaching the eminence of La Belle Alliance,
he beheld the army drawn up on the opposite side, his joy was great. "At
last, then," he exclaimed, "at last, then, I have these English in my
grasp."
The tempest abated in the morning--but the weather all day long was
gusty, and the sky lowering. It was about noon that the French opened
their cannonade, and Jerome Buonaparte, under cover of its fire, charged
impetuously on Hougomont. The Nassau men in the wood about the house
were driven before the French; but a party of English guards maintained
themselves in the chateau and garden, despite the desperate impetuosity
of many repeated assaults. Jerome, masking the post thus resolutely
held, pushed on his cavalry and artillery against Wellington's right.
The English formed in squares, and defied all their efforts. For some
time both parties opposed each other here, without either gaining or
losing a foot of ground. At length the English fire forced back the
French--and the garrison of Hougomont were relieved and strengthened.
The next attempt was made on the centre of the British line, by a great
force of cuirassiers and four columns of infantry. The horse, coming
boldly along the causeway of Genappe, were met in the path by the
English heavy cavalry, where the road has been cut down deep, leaving
high banks on either side. Their meeting was stern: they fought for some
time at sword's length; at last the cuirassiers gave way, and fled for
the protection of their artillery. The English followed them too far,
got amidst the French infantry, and were there charged by fresh cavalry
and driven back with much loss.--It was here that Picton died. Meanwhile
the infantry of this movement had pushed on beyond La Haye Sainte, and
dispersed some Belgian regiments; but being then charged in turn, in
front by Pack's brigade of foot, and in flank by a brigade of heavy
English horse, were totally routed--losing, besides the slain and
wounded, 2000 prisoners and two eagles. The only favourable result of
this second grand attempt was the occupation of the farmhouse of La Haye
Sainte, which had been garrisoned by Hanoverians. And scarcely had the
charge of Pack proved successful, ere the French were again compelled by
shells and cannon to evacuate this prize.
The third assault was levelled again on the British right--where the
infantry awaited it, formed in a double line of squares, placed
chequerwise, and protected in front by a battery of thirty field pieces.
The French cuirassiers charged the artillerymen and drove them from
their guns; and then rode fiercely on the squares behind. These remained
steadfast until the enemy were within ten yards of them, and then fired
with deadly effect. The cavalry gave back--rallied again, and renewed
their charge: this they did several times--and always with the like
result. Sometimes they even rode between the squares, and charged those
of the second line. At length protracted exposure to such cross fire
completed the ruin of these fearless cavaliers. The far greater part of
this magnificent force was annihilated in this part of the battle.
When the relics of the cuirassiers withdrew, the French cannonade opened
once more furiously all along the line; and the English were commanded
to lie flat on the ground for some space, in order to diminish its
effects. Lord Wellington had by this time lost 10,000, Buonaparte at
least 15,000 men. It was now half-past six o'clock. The heads of
Prussian columns began to be discerned among the woods to the right of
the French. It was obvious, that unless a last and decisive onset should
drive Wellington from the post which he had continued to hold during
near seven hours of unintermitting battle, his allies would come fully
into the field, and give him a vast superiority of numbers wherewith to
close the work of the day. Napoleon prepared, therefore, for his final
struggle. Hitherto he had kept his guard, the flower of his fine army,
out of the fray. He now formed them into two columns,--desired them to
charge boldly, for that the Prussians, whom they saw in the wood, were
flying before Grouchy--and they doubted not that the Emperor was about
to charge in person at their head. He, however, looked on, as they put
themselves in motion, and committed them to the guidance of Ney, "the
bravest of the brave," whose consciousness of recent treason must have
prepared him, even had his temper been less gallant, to set all upon the
cast. Four battalions of the Old Guard only remained as a reserve; and
were formed in squares to protect the march of the columns.
The English front by this time presented not a convex line, but a
concave, either wing having gradually advanced a little in consequence
of the repeated repulses of the enemy. They were now formed in an
unbroken array, four deep, and poured on the approaching columns (each
man firing as often as he could reload) a shower which never
intermitted. The wings kept moving on all the while; and when the heads
of the French columns approached, they were exposed to such a storm of
musketry in front and on either flank, that they in vain endeavoured to
deploy into line for the attack. They stopped to make this attempt,
reeled, lost order, and fled at last in one mass of confusion.
The Duke of Wellington now dismounted, placed himself at the head of
his line, and led them, no longer held to defence, against the four
battalions of the Old Guard--the only unbroken troops remaining--behind
whom Ney was striving to rally his fugitives.
The Marshal, at Wellington's approach, took post once more in the van,
sword in hand, and on foot. But nothing could withstand the impetuous
assault of the victorious British. The Old Guard also were shaken.
Napoleon had hitherto maintained his usual serenity of aspect on the
heights of La Belle Alliance. He watched the English onset with his
spy-glass--became suddenly pale as death--exclaimed, "They are mingled
together--all is lost for the present," and rode off the field, never
stopping for a moment until he reached Charleroi.
Hardly had the English advanced for this fatal charge, when Blucher's
columns, emerging from the woods, were at length seen forming on the
right of the French, and preparing to take part in the battle. Their
cannonade played on the flank of the Old Guard, while the British attack
in front was overwhelming them. The fatal cry of _sauve qui peut_ was
heard everywhere: the French were now flying pellmell in the most woeful
confusion. Blucher and Wellington met at length at the farmhouse of La
Belle Alliance; and the Prussian eagerly undertook to continue the
pursuit during the night, while the English General halted to refresh
his weary men.
The loss of Wellington's army on this great day was terrible: 100
officers slain (many of the first distinction), and 500 wounded, very
many mortally; and of rank and file killed and wounded, 15,000. The Duke
himself had been, all through the day, wherever the danger was greatest;
and he alone, and one gentleman besides, of all a very numerous staff,
came off the ground unhurt.
Of the 75,000 men whom Napoleon conducted to this last and severest of
his fields, what with the slain and the wounded, and those who, losing
heart and hope, deserted and fled separately to their homes, not more
than 30,000 were ever again collected in arms. The Prussians followed
hard on the miserable fugitives, and in every hamlet and village, for
many miles beyond La Belle Alliance, cut down the lingerers without
mercy.
Napoleon at length halted at Philippeville: from which point he designed
to turn towards Grouchy, and take in person the command of that
remaining division, leaving Soult to re-assemble and rally, at Avesnes,
the relics of Waterloo. But hearing that Blucher was already at
Charleroi (which was true), and that Grouchy had been overtaken and made
prisoner (which was false), the Emperor abandoned his purpose, and
continued his journey, travelling post, to Paris.
On the 19th the capital had been greeted with the news of three great
victories, at Charleroi, at Ligny, and at Quatre-Bras--100 cannon fired
in honour of the Emperor's successes--his partisans proclaimed that the
glory of France was secured--and dejection filled the hearts of the
royalists. On the morning of the 21st it transpired that Napoleon had
arrived the night before, alone, at the Elysee. The secret could no
longer be kept. A great, a decisive field had been fought;--and the
French army was no more.
[Footnote 72: The fiction of the Duke of Wellington having been
_surprised_ on this great occasion has maintained its place in almost
all narratives of the war for fifteen years. The Duke's magnanimous
silence under such treatment for so long a period will be appreciated by
posterity. The facts of the case are now given from the most
unquestionable authority.]
[Footnote 73: The fact of Wellington and Blucher having met between the
battles of Ligny and Waterloo is well known to many of the superior
officers then in the Netherlands; but the writer of this compendium has
never happened to see it mentioned in print. The horse that carried the
Duke of Wellington through this long night journey, so important to the
decisive battle of the 18th, remained till lately, it is understood, if
he does not still remain, a free pensioner in the best paddock of
Strathfieldsaye.]