the next day. This may serve to shew how little the battle of the 16th had disorganised the Prussian army, or weakened its moral strength. Thus ended the day of the 17th."

BATTLE OF THE 18TH.

At break of day the Prussian army again began to move. The 4th and 2d corps marched by St. Lambert, where they were to take a position, covered by the forest, near Frichemont, to take the enemmy in the rear, when the moment should appear favourable. The first corps was to operate by Ohain on the right flank of the enemy. The third corps was to follow slowly in order to afford succour in case of need. The battle began about 10 o'clock in the morning. The English army occupied the heights of Mont St. Jean; that of the French was on the heights before Planchenoit the former was about 80,000 strong; the enemy had above 130,000. In a short time the battle became general along the whole line. It seems that Napoleon had the design to throw the left wing upon the centre, and thus to effect the separation of the English army from the Prussian, which he believed to be retreating upon Maestrict. For this purpose he had placed the greatest part of his reserve in the centre, against his right wing, and upon this point he attacked with fury. The English army fought with a valour which it is impossible to surpass. The repeated charges of the Old Guard were baffled by the intrepidity of the Scotch regiments; and at every charge the French

cavalry was overthrown by the English cavalry. But the supe riority of the enemy in numbers was too great; Napoleon continually brought forward considerable masses, and with whatever firmness the English troops maintained themselves in their posttion, it was not possible but that such heroic exertions must have a limit.

It was half-past four o'clock. The excessive difficulties of the passage by the defile of St. Lambert had considerably retarded the march of the Prussian columns, so that only two brigades of the fourth corps had arrived at the covered position which was assigned to them. The decisive moment was come; there was not an instant to be lost. The Generals did not suffer it to escape. They resolved immediately to begin the attack with the troops which they had at hand. General Bulow, therefore, with two brigades and a corps of cavalry, advanced rapidly upon the rear of the enemy's right wing. The enemy did not lose his presence of mind; he instantly turned his reserve against us, and a murderous conflict began on that side. The combat remained long uncertain, while the battle with the English army still continued with the same violence.

Towards six o'clock in the evening, we received the news that General Thielman, with the third corps, was attacked near Wavre by a very considerable corps of the enemy, and that they were already disputing the possession of the town. The Field Marshal, however, did not suffer himself to be disturbed by this news; it was on the spot where he was, and no

where

be decided. A conflict continually supported by the same obstinacy, and kept up by fresh troops, could alone insure the victory, and if it were obtained here, any reverse sustained near Wavre was of little consequence. The columns, therefore, continued their movements. It was half an hour past seven, and the issue of the battle was still uncertain. The whole of the 4th corps and a part of the second under Gen. Pvich, had successively come up. The troops fought with desperate fury: however, some uncertainty was perceived in their movements, and it was observed that some pieces of cannon were retreating. At this moment the first columns of the corps of Gen. Ziethen arrived on the points of attack, near the village of Smouhen, on the enemy's right flank, and instantly charged them. This moment decided the defeat of the enemy. His right wing was broken in three places; he abandoned his positions. Our troops rushed forward at the pas de charge, and attacked him on all sides, whilst at the same time the whole English line advanced.

Circumstances were extremely favourable to the attack formed by the Prussian army: the ground rose in an amphitheatre, so that our artillery could freely open its fire from the summit of a great many heights which rose gradually above each other, and in the intervals of which the troops descended into the plain, formed into brigades, and in the greatest order; while fresh corps continually unfolded themselves, issuing from

us. The enemy, however, still preserved means to retreat, till the village of Planchenois, which he had on his rear, and which was defended by the guard, was, after several bloody attacks, carried by storm. From that time the retreat became a rout, which soon spread through the whole French army, which in its dreadful confusion, hurrying away every thing that attempted to stop it, soon assumed the appearance of the flight of an army of barbarians. It was half-past nine. The Field Marshal assembled all the superior officers, and gave orders to send the last man and the last horse in pursuit of the enemy. The van of the army accelerated its march. The French being pursued without intermission, was absolutely disorganised. The causeway presented the appearance of an immense shipwreck: it was covered with an innumerable quantity of cannon, caissons, carriages, baggage, arms, and wrecks of every kind. Those of the enemy who had attempted to repose for a time, and had not expected to be so quickly pursued, were driven from more than nine bivouacs. In some villages they attempted to maintain themselves; but as soon as they heard the beating of our drums or the sound of the trumpet, they either fled or threw themselves into the houses, where they were cut down or made prisoners. It was moonlight, which greatly favoured the pursuit, for the whole march was but a continued chase, either in the corn fields or the houses.

At Genappe the enemy had entrenched himself with cannon and overturned carriages; at our ap

proach

proach we suddenly heard in the town a great noise and a motion of carriages; at the entrance we were exposed to a brisk fire of musketry; we replied by some cannon shot, followed by an hurra, and an instant after, the town was our's. It was here that, among many other equipages, the carriage of Napoleon was taken; he had just left it to mount on horseback, and în his hurry had forgotten in it his sword and hat. Thus the affair continued till break of day. About 40,000 men, in the most complete disorder, the remains of the whole army, have saved themselves, retreating through Charleroi, partly without arms, and carrying with them only 27 pieces of their numerous artillery.

The enemy in his flight has passed all his fortresses, the only defence of his frontiers, which are now passed by our armies.

At three o'clock Napoleon had dispatched from the field of battle, a Courier to Paris, with the news that victory was no longer doubtful; a few hours after, he had no longer an army left. We have not yet any exact account of the enemy's loss; it is enough to know that two-thirds of the whole army are killed, wounded, or prisoners: among the latter are Generals Mouton, Duhesme, and Compans. Up to this time about 300 cannon, and above 500 caissons, are in our hands.

Few victories have been so complete; and there is certainly no example that an army, two days after losing a battle, engaged in such an action, and so gloriously maintained it. Honour be to such troops capable of so much firm

ness and valour! In the middle of the position occupied by the French army and exactly upon the height, is a farm, called La Belle Alliance. The march of all the Prussian columns was directed towards this farm, which was visible from every side. It was there that Napoleon was during the battle; it was thence that he gave his orders, that he flattered himself with the hopes of victory, and it was there that his ruin was decided. There, too, it was, that by a happy chance Field Marshal Blucher and Lord Wellington met in the dark, and mutually saluted each other as victors.

In commemoration of the alliance which now subsists between the English and Prussian nations, of the union of the two armies, and their reciprocal confidence, the Field Marshal desired, that this battle should bear the name of La Belle Alliance.

By the order of Field Marshal Blucher,

General GNEISENAU.

Relation of the Spanish General Alava.

From the Madrid Gazette. "I joined the army on the morning of the 18th, though I had received no orders to that effect,because I believed that I should thus best serve his Majesty, and at the same time fulfil your Excellency's directions, and this determination has afforded me the satisfaction of having been present at the most important battle that has been fought for many centuries, in its consequences, its duration, and the talents of the chiefs on both sides; and because

the

of cavalry, at whose head were the cuirassicrs, advanced to charge the Life Guards, and thus save their infantry, but the Guards received them with the greatest vigour, and the most sanguinary cavalry fight, perhaps ever witnessed, was the consequence.

The French cuirassiers were completely beaten in spite of their cuirasses, by troops who had nothing of the sort, and lost one of their eagles in this conflict, which was taken by the heavy English cavalry called the Royals."

General Alava next mentions the approach of the Prussian army, which," he observes, "was the more necessary, from the superior numbers of the enemy's army, and from the dreadful loss we had sustained in this unequal combat, from 11 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon."

Buonaparte, who did not believe the Prussians to be so ncar, and who reckoned upon destroying Lord Wellington before their arrival, perceived that he had fruitlessly lost more than five hours, and that in the critical position in which he was then placed, there remained no other resource but that of desperately attacking the weak part of the English position, and thus, if possible, beating the Duke before his right was turned, and attacked by the Prussians.

"Henceforward, therefore, the whole was a repetition of attacks by cavalry and infantry, supported by more than 300 pieces of artillery, which unfortunately made horrible ravages in our line, and killed and wounded officers, artillerists. and horses,

in the weakest part of the position.

"The enemy, aware of this destruction, made a charge with the whole cavalry of his guard, which took some pieces of cannon that could not be withdrawn; but the Duke, who was at this point, charged them with three battalions of English and three of Brunswickers, and compelled them in a moment to abandon the artillery, though we were unable to withdraw them for want of horses; nor did they dare to advance to recover them.

"At last, about 7 in the evening, Buonaparte made a final effort, and putting himself at the head of his guards, attacked the above point of the English position with such vigour, that he drove back the Brunswickers, who occupied part of it, and for a moment the victory was undecided, and even more than doubtful.

"The Duke, who felt that the moment was most critical, spoke to the Brunswick troops with that ascendancy which every great man possesses, made them return to the charge, and putting himself at their head, again restored the combat, exposing himself to every kind of personal danger.

"Fortunately at this moment we perceived the fire of Marshal Blucher, attacking the enemy's right with his usual inpetuosity; and at the moment of decisive attack being come, the Duke put himself at the head of the English foot-guards, spoke a few words to them, which were replied to by a general hurrah, and his Grace himself guiding

them