During the preceding night, the Emperor had given all the necessary orders for the battle of the next day, although many things indicated that it would not take place. During the four days that hostilities had commenced, by a brilliant victory he had surprised and separated the two armies, the English and the Prussians. This was much for his glory, but not enough for the situation in which he was placed. Had it not been for three hours delay which his left, under marshal Ney, had been placed in, on the afternoon of the 17th he would have attached Wellington and the allies on that day which might have crowned the success of the campaign. As it was, the Emperor went out on foot, about one in the morning, accompanied by his grand marshal. He visited the whole line of main guards. The forest of Soignes, occupied by the British, appeared like one continued blaze; the horizon between that spot and the farms of La Belle Alliance and La Haye, was brightened with the fires of numerous bivouacs: the most profound silence reigned. The Anglo-Belgian army was wrapped in sleep, owing to the fatigues it had undergone on the four preceding days. Arrived near the wood of Hougoumont, he heard the noise of a column in march, which soon ceased, and the rain fell in torrents. Several officers sent to reconnoitre, and others, who returned to head quarters at half-past three, confirmed the opinion, that the British had made no movement. At four o'clock, the scouts brought in a peasant, who had served as a guide to a brigade of English cavalry, which went to take a position on the left, at the village of Ohaim. Two Belgian deserters, who had just quitted their regiments, reported that their army were preparing for battle, and that no retrograde movement had taken place: that Belgium prayed for the success of the Emperor, while the English and the Prussians were equally unpopular there.
The French troops bivouacked in the midst of a deep mud, and the officers thought it impossible to give battle on the following day; the grounds were so moistened that the artillery and the cavalry could not possibly manoeuvre in them, and it would require twelve hours of fine weather to dry them. The dawn having begun to appear, the Emperor returned to his head-quarters full of satisfaction at the great fault committed by Wellington; though very apprehensive that the bad weather would prevent him from profiting by it. But the atmosphere became clearer; at five o'clock some feeble rays of the sun appeared. The forces shown by the enemy were estimated differently; but the French officers most accustomed to these calculations, considered them, including the corps of flankers, to amount to 90,000 men, which agreed with the general accounts that were given. The French army was now only 69,000 strong, but still victory appeared to be certain. These 69,000 men were good troops; whereas in the enemy's army, the English, only amounting to 40,000 at most, could be reckoned as such.
At eight o'clock the Emperor's breakfast was served up: to this many general officers sat down. “The enemy's army, (said Napoleon) is superior to ours by nearly a fourth; there are notwithstanding ninety chances in our favour to 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 announce that his columns are already in full retreat, and are disappearing in the forest of Soignes.” “You have seen badly,” replied the Emperor; “it is too late, he would expose himself to certain ruin by such a step; he has thrown the dice, they are now for us. At this moment some officers of artillery, who had rode over the plain, stated that the artillery could manoeuvre, though with difficulty, which would be greatly diminished in another hour. The Emperor mounted immediately and went to the skirmishers opposite La Haye Sainte, again reconnoitred the enemy's line, and directed Haxo, the general of engineers, a confidential officer, to approach it nearer, in order to ascertain whether any redoubts were thrown up, or entrenchments made, and who soon returned saying, he had not observed the least trace of any fortifications. After some moments of reflection, the Emperor dictated the order of battle, which was taken down by two generals seated on the ground. The aid-de-camps took it to the different corps already under arms; the army then moved forward, marching in eleven columns, which, formed with so much precision, that no confusion whatever arose. The Emperor now went through the ranks; it would be difficult to express the enthusiasm which animated all the soldiers; the infantry elevated their caps on their bayonets; the cuirassiers, dragoons, and light cavalry, their helmets on their sabres. Meanwhile the Emperor gave his last orders, and proceeded at the head of his guard to the summit of the Six W's, on the heights of Rossomme. From this spot he had a complete view of the two armies, the prospect extending far to the right and left of the field of battle. Marshal Ney obtained the honour of commanding the grand attack of the centre. He sent one of his aid de camps to say that every thing was ready. Before giving it, the Emperor wished to cast another glance over the whole, and perceived, in the direction of St. Lambert, a dark mass which appeared to him like troops. Upon this he asked the adjutant-general what he saw near St. Lambert? “I think I see 5 or 6,000 men,” replied the general, “it is probably Grouchy.” All the glasses of the staff were now fixed in that direction. The weather was rather foggy. Some maintained there were no troops but merely trees which were perceived, while others said, columns were in position there; this state of uncertainty was ended by the order for 3,000 light cavalry to effect a junction if they belonged to marshal Grouchy, or to keep them in check if they were enemies. In a quarter of an hour, a Prussian hussar was brought in, who was the bearer of a letter, was very intelligent, and gave all the information required. It then appeared that the column at St. Lambert was the advanced guard of the Prussian general Bulow, who was coming up with 30,000 men. The duke of Dalmatia immediately dispatched the intercepted letter, and the report of the hussar, to marshal Grouchy, to whom he reiterated the order to march, without delay, on St. Lambert, and to take general Bulow's corps in the rear. It was now eleven o'clock, the officer had only to proceed four or five leagues to reach marshal Grouchy, and he promised to be with that officer in an hour. A short time after, general Daumant sent to say, that some well mounted scouts that preceded him, had met patroles of the enemy in the vicinity of St. Lambert, and that he had sent chosen patroles, in various directions, to communicate with marshal Grouchy for the purpose of conveying orders and reports. The Emperor immediately ordered count Lobau to cross the causeway of Charleroi, and to support the light cavalry towards St. Lambert; choosing a good intermediate position, where he might with 10,000 men check 30,000 Prussians, if necessary, or to attack them briskly the moment he should hear the first cannon shots of the troops, which it was supposed marshal Grouchy had detached in their rear. These events caused some change in the Emperor's first plan of the battle; he was already deprived of 10,000 men, whom he was thus obliged to send against general Buloz. He no longer had any more than 59,000 men against 90,000 of the enemy, who had just been augmented by 30,000 men, and already ranged in the field of battle. “We had ninety chances for us in the morning,” said he to the duke of Dalmatia, “the arrival of Bulow makes us lose thirty; but we have still sixty against forty; and if Grouchy repairs the horrible fault he has committed, by amusing himself at Gembloux, the victory will be thereby the more decisive; for the corps of Bulow must, in that case be entirely lost.”
It was now noon; the skirmishers were engaged on all the line; but there was no severe action, except on the left in the wood, and at the castle of Hougoumont. The Emperor sent an order to marshal Ney to commence the fire of his batteries, to take possession of the farm of La Haye Sainte, occupy the village, and thus intercept all communication between the enemy and Bulow's corps, eighty guns soon made an immense havoc over all the left of the English line; one of its divisions was entirely destroyed by round and case shot. In the meanwhile the Emperor perceived that the English general was preparing a grand charge of cavalry on the left, and he galloped to the spot; the charge had been made, and repulsed a column of infantry which advanced on the low ground, taken two eagles, and disorganized seven pieces of cannon. A brigade of Milhaud's cuirassiers being ordered to charge the enemy's horse, they were broken in their turn, and the greatest part of them remained on the field; the guns were re-taken, and the infantry protected. Many charges of infantry and cavalry followed, and after three hours fighting, the farm of La Haye Sainte, in spite of the resistance of the Scotch regiments, was occupied by the French infantry. The sixth and fifth English divisions were destroyed. General Picton remained dead on the field. During the combat the Emperor rode through the line of cuirassiers and that of the guard, in the middle of the discharges of the enemy's musketry and artillery; the brave general Devaux was killed by his side. General Lallemand succeeded him, and was wounded soon after.
Disorder at this time began to prevail in the English army; the baggage, waggon-train, and wounded, seeing the French approach the causeway of Brussels, and the principal opening of the forest, hastened to effect their retreat: all the English, Belgians, and Germans, who had been sabred by the cavalry, precipitated themselves on Brussels. It was now four o'clock, and victory might then have decided for Napoleon, had not general Bulow's corps effected its powerful diversion. At two o'clock the Emperor learned from Gembloux that marshal Grouchy, instead of setting out from that place at dawn of day, had not quitted his camp there at ten o'clock.
As the Prussians now approached, the fire from their fieldpieces fell on the causeway in front and rear of La Belle Alliance, where the Emperor was standing with his guard, [Vol. VIII.] and the Prussian case shot ploughed up the ground. The Emperor then ordered general Duhesme to advance with the young guard; in a quarter of an hour their formidable artillery commenced its fire, and soon acquired the superiority; undulations were observed in the Prussian lines, but they still continued out-flanking the French right, till opposed by lieutenant-general Moraud with four battalions of the old guard, and 16 pieces of cannon. General Bulow was repulsed, and by 16 degrees his whole line fell back; it was now seven o'clock.
Two hours had elapsed since the count D'Erlon had taken possession of La Haye Sainte, out flanked all the English left and the right of general Bulow. The English cavalry being repulsed by the cuirassiers and the chasseurs of the guard, abandoned all the field of battle between La Haye Sainte and Mount St. John, which the whole of their left had occupied, and were deprived of all means of retreat on the right. On seeing these brilliant charges, cries of victory were heard all over the field; upon which the Emperor said, “It is too soon by an hour; but we must support what is done.” He then sent an order to the cuirassiers of Kellerman, who were on the left, to move briskly to support the cavalry on the low grounds. At the moment, general Bulow threatened the flank and rear of the army; it was important not to make any retrograde motion, and to maintain this position, though prematurely taken. At this critical moment, the rapid advance of 3,000 cuirassiers defiling under the cannonade of the Prussians, and shouting, “Live the Emperor!” made a happy diversion. The cavalry advanced as if in pursuit of the English army; but the army of general Bulow still made some progress on the French flank and rear. The soldiers and officers sought to divine, in the look of the chief, whether they were conquerers or in danger, while he breathed nothing but confidence. It was the fiftieth regular battle in which Napoleon had commanded within twenty years. In the mean time the division of the heavy cavalry of the guard, in the second line, under general Guyot, behind Kellerman's cuirassiers, followed at a brisk trot to the low ground. On perceiving this movement, the Emperor sent count Bertrand to recal it; for it was his reserve; but it was too late, and a retrograde movement was still dangerous. Thus was the Emperor deprived of his reserve of cavalry ever since five o'clock. This reserve, if properly applied, might have given him the victory; whilst these 12,000 select horse performed prodigies of valour, overthrowing all the more numerous cavalry of the enemy, broke through many squares of infantry, disorganized their ranks, took possession of 60 pieces of cannon, and seized six stands of colours in the midst of these squares. These trophies were presented to the Emperor at Belle Alliance, by three chasseurs of the guard, and three cuirassiers. The English believed the battle lost a second time. Ponsonby's brigade being charged by the red lancers of the guard, commanded by general Colbert, was broken through, and its general overthrown by several lance wounds. The prince of Orange was severely wounded, and on the point of being taken; but the brave cavalry not being supported, as a strong mass of infantry was still necessary to repel general Bulow's attack, they were obliged to confine themselves to the preservation of the field of battle which had been conquered.
About seven o'clock, when Bulow's division was repulsed, the cavalry still keeping its ground, the victory was gained; 69,000 French had beaten 120,000 men. Joy was in every countenance and hope in every heart.
But this state of exultation was not to continue: the Prussian marshal Blucher was rapidly approaching the scene of action, with 31,000 fresh troops. Wellington, who was in full retreat, now halted. This general had been in the utmost despair; often wishing “that either night or the Prussians would come;” but now, instead of defeat, he saw his safety. The brigade of English cavalry, which was at Ohaim, also joined him, while the French saw the victory snatched out of their hands by the arrival of marshal Blucher with 36,600 fresh troops, which increased the allied army in line to nearly 150,000 men; that is to say, in proportion of two and a half against one. Perceiving these numerous columns arrive, some regiments made a retrograde movement: the Emperor perceived this. It was of the highest importance to restore firmness to the cavalry; and seeing that it would take him a quarter of an hour more to rally his guard, he put himself at the head of four battalions, and advanced on the left in front of La Haye Sainte, sending aid-de-camps along the whole line to cheer the troops, by pretending that marshal Grouchy had arrived, and that with a little firmness victory would be restored. But in a word, all the efforts of the French were useless; the plain they had been in posession of was soon inundated by the enemy; La Haye was retaken; 2,000 English cavalry penetrated between general Reille and the guard. –The disorder now became dreadful throughout the field of battle. The Emperor put himself under the protection of one of the squares of his troops. –The night greatly augmented the disorder. If the troops could have seen the Emperor, they might have rallied, whereas nothing could be done with certainty. The guard retreated, the fire of the enemy was only 400 toises in the rear of the army, and the causeways cut off. Four pieces of cannon which were planted there, kept up a brisk fire upon the plain; the last discharge wounded lord Uxbridge. –The Emperor could not retreat, except through the fields; there was no time to be lost: cavalry, artillery, infantry, were all confusedly mingled together. The staff only gained the little town of Gemappe, hoping to be able to rally a rear-guard there; but the disorder was horrible, all its efforts were made in vain. It was now eleven o'clock.
Never did the French army fight better than on this occasion: it performed prodigies of valour, and the superiority of the troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, over the English and their allies, was such, that had not Blucher arrived with his second corps of Prussians, the victory over the Anglo-Belgian army, would have been complete, though aided by Bulow's 30,000 Prussians; that is to say, it would have been gained by 69,000 men opposed to nearly double their number; for as before stated, the British and Belgians in the field before Blucher's arrival, amounted to 120,000 men.
Two allies, according to their own accounts, lost 60,000 men, viz. 11,300 English, 3,500 Hanoverians; 8,000 Belgians, troops of Nassau, Brunswick, &c. Those of the Anglo-Belgian army amounted to 22,800; to which add 38,000 Prussians: this makes a general total of 60,800 men. The losses of the French, including those during the route, and till their arrival at Paris, was nearly 40,000.
The Imperial guard supported its former reputation, but at length found itself under the most unfavourable circumstances, being out-flanked on the right, whilst the left was inundated with enemies, and those who fled from the field, when the guard began to enter into line. Lieutenant-general Duhesme, a brave old soldier, covered with wounds, was made prisoner, whilst attempting to rally a rear-guard. The count de Lobau was taken under similar circumstances. –General Cambrone remained on the field severely wounded. Out of twenty-four English generals, twelve were killed or badly wounded, and the Dutch lost three.
Independent of the faults on the part of Grouchy, in not coming up to the field of battle, the French accounts allow “that many other causes had great influence upon the fortunes of that day. In other times, the French, though so inferior in number, would have gained the victory, which indeed the obstinate and unyielding bravery of the English troops alone, prevented them from obtaining.”
At the most critical juncture of this battle, when the irresistible firmness of the British had been put to the severest test, and the army, with the General himself, had begun to doubt the fortune of the day, “they,” as one of our own writers observed, “were suddenly and unexpectedly cheered by hearing the sound of the Prussian cannon.” It was also remarked, that the French had retired from the last attack in confusion, and therefore the duke of Wellington immediately advanced with the whole line of his infantry and cavalry, and attacking the enemy in his turn, succeeded in forcing him from the heights before in his possession, while the Prussians, under marshal Blucher, were equally active and successful on the enemy's flank. About nine o'clock the French gave up on the field, leaving behind them, as far as lord Wellington could judge, 150 pieces of cannon, with ammunition, &c.
The appearance of the field of battle next day was dreadful; it was so much covered with blood, that it appeared to have been completely flooded. Dead horses seemed innumerable; and the peasantry employed in burying the dead generally stripped the bodies first.
The road to Waterloo from Brussels lies through the little village of Ixelles; ascending thence we enter the deep shades of the forest of Soignes, enlightened at intervals with white cottages and little villages. At almost every step were to be seen the remains of tattered clothes, shattered wheels and carriages, shoes, belts, and scabbards, infantry caps battered to pieces; Highland bonnets, &c. covered with dust, strewn along the road-side, or thrown among the trees. –These mournful relics had mostly belonged to the wounded, who had crawled from the fatal field; but unable to proceed further, had laid down and died; those also who died in the wagons on the way to Brussels were hastily interred here. The smell the whole way was extremely offensive; besides deep stagnant pools of red putrid water, mingled with the remains of the dead, marked several spots, especially those nearest Waterloo.
Upon the field itself, the graves, a few days after, appeared innumerable. In some parts of it fire had been used to consume the bodies, and left behind it heaps of black dust. Here, while strangers mused with the most serious concern, the native peasantry, women, old men and boys, were clamoring for the sale of the articles they were possessed of. From the complete cuirass, the valuable sabre, carbine, and case of pistols, down to the buttons torn from the jackets of the slain, and letters taken from the pockets of the dead, were readily purchased.
But if any thing could possibly add to the splendour of this victory it was the distinguished modesty of the victor, who acknowledged, in writing to a near relative, “that he had never been so near being beaten in his life; and that his antagonist (Napoleon) had fought the battle with infinite skill and courage.”