The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

79.0 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
however, continued their dreadful onset, and rode rations of the Prussians on their right flanlk; and the
up to tie squares in the full confidence, apparently, secret of the Duke of Wellington was disclosing itof sweeping them before the impetuosity of their self by its consequences. Blucher, faithful to his
charge. Their onset and reception wvas like a furious engagement, had, early in the morning, put in motion
ocean pouring itself against a chain of insulated Bulow's division, which had not been engaged at
rocks. The British squares stood unmoved, and Ligny, to communicate with the English army, and
never gave fire until the cavalry were within ten operate a diversion on the right flank and realr of the
yardls, when men rolled one way, horses galloped French. Butalthotgh there wereonly abolt twelve
another, and the cuirassiers were in every instance or fourteen miles between Wavres and the field of
driven back. Waterloo, yet the march was, by unavoidable cirThe French authors have pretended, that squares cumstances, much delayed. The rugged face of the
were broken, and colours taken; but this assertion, country, together with the state of the roads, so ofupon the united testimony of every British officer ten referred to, offered the most serious obstacles to
present, is a positive nlntrllth. This was not, how- the progress of tile Prussians, especially as they
ever, the'filult of tile cuirassiers, who displayed an moved with an unusually large train of artillery. A
almost frantic valour. They rallied again and again, fire, also, which broke out in Wavres, on the mornand returned to the onset, till the British could re- ing of the 18th, prevented Bulow's corps from
cognize even the faces of individuals among their mlarchling through that town, and obliged them to
enemies. Some rode close up to the bayonets, fired pursue a circuitous and inconvenient route. After
their pistols, and cut with their swords with reck- traversing, with great ditficulty, the cross-roads by
less and useless valour. Some stood at gaze, and Chapelle-Lamlbert, Bulow, with the 4th. Prussian
were destroyed by the musketry and artillery. corps, who had been expected by the Duke of WelSome squadrons, passing through the intervals of lington about 11 o'clock, announced his arrival by a
the first line, charged the squares of Belgians posted distant fire, about half-past four. Tile first Prussian
there, with as little success. At length the cuiras- corps, following the same route with Bulow, was
siers sufiered so severely on every hanOd, that they yet later in cmning up. The second division made a
were comrnpelled to abandon the attempt, which they lateral movement in the sanme direction as the fourth
had made with such intrepid and desperate courage. and first, but by the Irainlet of Ohain, nearer to the
In this unheard-of struggle, the greater part of the English flank. The emperor instantly opposed to
Frenchl heavy cavalry were absolutely destroyed. B13low, who appeared long before the others, the
Bonaparte Ihints at it in his bulletin as an attempt 6th French corps, which he had kept ill reserve for
made without orders, and continued only by the that service; and as onlly tile advanced guard was
desperate courage of the soldiers and their officers. come up, they succeeded in keeping, the Prussians
It is certain, thlat in the destruction of this noble in check for the moment. The first and second
body of cuirassiers, he lost the corps which might Prussian corps appeared on the field still laiter than
have been most elffectual in covering his retreat. the fourth. The thlird corps had put themselves in
After thile broken remains of this fine cavalry were motion to follow in the same direction, when they
drawn off, tile French confined themselves for a were fiuriously attacked by the Frenchl under Martime to a heavy cannonade, from which tile Br:itish shal Grouchy, who, as already stated, was detached
sheltered themselves in part by lying down on the to engage the attention of Bluchler, whose whiole
ground, while the enenmy prepared for an attack on force he believed he had before him.
another quarter, and to be codlucted in a different Instead of heing surprised, as an ordinary general
manner. might have been, with this attack upon llis rear,
It was now about six o'clock, and during this 3luchler contented himself withl sending back orders
long slccession of the most furious attacks, tile to'hielmann, who commanded tile thlird corps, lo
FIench had gained no success, save occupying for a defenld himself as well as lihe could upon tile line of
time tile wood around Hougoumont, firolr which the Dyle. In the meantimne, withiout weakening the
they had been expelled, and the farm-house of La army tunder his own commnand, by detaching any
Hlaye Sainlte, which had been also recovered. Tile part of it to support Thlliellmann, the veteran rather
British, on the other hand, had slffered very severe- hastened than suspended his narcil towards tile
ly, bat had not lost one inch of ground, save the field of battle, where lie was aware that the war
two posts now regained.'Ten thousand men were, was likely to be decided in a me;naer so complete,
however, killed and wounded; some Of the foreign as would leave victory or defeat on every other
regiments had given wa;y, though others had shown point a matter of subordinate consideration.
the most desperate valour. And the ranks were At half-past six, or thereabouts, the second grand
tlinned, both by the actual fugitives, and by the division of the Prussian tllmy begun to enter into
absence of individuals, who left tile bloody field for communication with tile British left, by the village
the purpose of carrying off the wounded, and some of Olhain, u-hile Bulow pressed forward from Cha-..
of whom might naturally be in no hurry to return to pelle Lanibert on the French right and rear, by a
so fatal a scene. hollow or valley called Frischenlont. It became
But the French, besides losing about 15,000 men, now evident th.t thle Prussians were to enter setogether wvith a columnr of prisoners more than1 2000 rlously into the battle, and with great force. Na.
in number, be0gn nlOW to be disturbed by the ope- poleon had still tile means of opposing them, and.
of achieving a retreat, at the certainty, however,
tremely laudable practice, if the infantry be properly ar- of being atltacked upon the ensuing day by the cor.
rangr;d to corresplod with it. | bined armies of Britain and Prussia. His celebrated