The National Register. — London, England, 1815-11-05 00:00:00

NOV. 5. - - .:•r =.- into the houses for the purpose of finding an asylum and food; hut scarcely were these dispositions made when the enemy appeared. The discharge of cannon, on their part, spread universal alarm among their downcast enemies. All fled again, and the retreat became more disorderly than ever. At this time every one was ignorant of Buonaparte's fate, for he had suddenly disappeared. The general report was, that he had fallen in the heat of battle. This intelligence being conveyed to a well-known General, he replied in the words of M egret, after the death of Charles XII. at Frederick stadt : Then the tragedy is ended." ( Voila la pice fink. ) Others said, that while making a charge at the head of his guards, he had been dismounted and taken prisoner. The same uncertainty prevailed as to Marshal Ney, and most of the principal officers. A great number of persons affirmed, that they had seen Buonaparie pass through the crowd, and that they knew him by his grey greatcoat and horse. This proved to be the fact. When the last battalions of the pards, which he led into action, were overthrown, he was carried away with them, and surrounded on all sides by the enemy. He then sought refuge in an orchard adjoining to the farm of Cailon, where he was afterwards met by two officers of the guards, who were, like him, endeavour ing to elude the enemy. To them he made himself known, and they passed together over the Wait', upon which were scattered various Prussian parties. These however, luckily for the fugitives, were employed in plundering the captured equipage. Buonaparte was recog nized on several occasions in spite of the darkness of night, and the s Idlers whispered to each other as he passed: " Look ! there is the Emperor lv These words seemed almost to alarm him, and he hurried forward through the multitude. Where were now the acclamations, which used to greet his ear the moment he appeared in the midst of his troops ! " Mr. Walter Scott, in the Notes to his Battle of Water loo, has contradicted this statement. We subjoin his re marks:— " It has been reported, that Buonaparte charged at the head of his guards at the last period of this dreadful conflict. This, however, is not accurate. Ile came down, indeed, to a hollow part of the high road leading to Charleroi, within less than a quarter of a mile of the farm of La Ilaye Sainte, one of the points most fiercely disputed. Here he harangued the guards, and informed them, that his preceding operations had destroyed the British infantry and cavalry, and that they liad only to support the fire of the artillery, which they were to attack with the bayonet. This exhortation was received with shouts of Vire l'Empertnr ! which were heard over all our line, and led to an idea that Napoleon was charging in person. But the guards were led on by Ney ; nor did Buo naparte approach nearer the scene of action than the spot already meutioc►ed, which the rising banks on each side ren dered secure from all such balls as did not come in a straight line. Ile witnessed the earlier part of the battle from places yet more remote, particularly from an observatory which bad beep placed there by the King of the Netherlands, some weeks before, for the purpose of surveying the country•t. It is not meant to infer from these particulars, that Na poleon shewed on that memorable occasion the least deficiency in personal courage; on the contrary, he evin ced the greatest composure and presence of mind during the whole action. But it is no less true, that report has erred in ascribing to him any desperate efforts of valour + The mistakes concerning this observatory have been mutual. The English supnoscd it was erected for the use of Buonaparte ; and a French writer affirms it was constructed by the D uke of Wellington. 711 for recovery of the battle ; and it is remarkable, that during the whole ca• nage, none of his suite were either killed or wounded, whereas scarcely one of the Duke of Wel lington's personal attendants eicaped unhurt. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. INTERESTING NARK,ITIVE. (From the Nat;onal Intellirucee,) Of the escape of the Hornet from a British seventy-font, after a chase of 42 hours; extracted from a private journal of one of the officers on board the Hornet. United States ship Hornet, off the Cape of Good Hope, Saturday, May 9, 181.5. ThursdaN, April 27th, 1815.—At 7, p. m. the Pew. rock made a signal for a strange sail bearing S. E. by S. We immediately made all sail in chase. Friday, 28th, commenced with light breezes and pleasant weather; all sails set in chase; at sun-down we neared the stranger considerably, when it fell perfectly calm, and remained so during the whole of the night; the stranger a-head, and could just discern his top sails out of the wafer. At day. light the sail not to be seen from the deck; at 5, a. m. a breeze sprung up from the N. W. we immediately crowded all sail, in order if possible to get sight of the chase again ; soon after descried hiin standing to the northward and eastward on a wind. Saturday; the 29th, at three quarters past two, p. m. the Peacock was about ten miles a-head of the Hornet, we observed Captain Warrington approaching the stranger with much precau. tion ; we therefore took in all our larboard steering sails, set the stay sails, and hauled up for the Peacock., still under the impression the sail in sight was an English In diaman, and from the apparent conduct of the Com mander of the Peacock, we were under an impression, as the ship looked very large, that Capt. W. was waiting until we came up with him, in order to make a joint attack. At half past 3, p. m. the Peacock made the signal, that the chase was a line of battle ship, and an enemy. Our astonishment may easily be conceived ; we took in all steering sails and hauled upon the wind, bringing the enemy upon our lee quarter, about 3 leaegua distance; the Peacock on his weather-bow, and appa rently not more than three miles from the enemy; at snn-down the enemy bore E. 1.-2.5. the Peacock E. by N. We soon perceived the enemy sailed remarkably fast, but the Peacock left him, - running off to the eastward. The enemy continued by the wind, and evidently in chase of us ; at six loosed the wedges of the lower masts; at eight we discovered the enemy weathered upon us fast, and that there was every appearance he would. if not come up with us, continue in siglit all night. It was thought necessary to lighten the ship; at nine we cut away the sheet anchor, and hove overboard the cable, a quantity of rigging, spars, &c. At half past. nine scuttled the ward-room deck to get at the kept ledge; hove overboard about 90 pieces l 'weighing about 50 tons. At two, a. in. tacked ship to the southward and westward, which the enemy no sooner discoeert tl than he tacked also. At day-light he was within shot distance, on our lee quarter; at seven, a. in. he heisted Eng lish colours, and a Roar Admiral's flag at his mizen top-gallant-mast-head, and commenced firing from his bow guns, his stiot over-reaching us about one mile. We there fore commenced again to lighten the ship, by cutting away our remaining anchors and throwing overboard the cables, cut up the launch and heave it overboard, a. quantity of provision, with snore kentledge, shot, capstcrn,,