The Statesman. — London, England, 1815-06-27 00:00:00

FRENCH PAPERS. PARIS, .It.7ts 41. NEWS FROM TIIF. ARMY. BATTLE OF LIONY-UNDER-FLEVRUS. On the morning of the 16th the army occupied the following positions:— The left wing, commanded by the Marshal Duke of Elchingen, and consisting of the Ist ■nd 2d corps of infantry, and the 2d of cavalry, occupied the posi tions of Frame. The right wing, commanded by Marvbal Grouchy, and composed of the 3d and •4th corps of infantry, and the 3d corps of cavalry, occupied the heights in sear of Fleurus. The Emperor'• head.quariers were at Cherie. yni, where were the Imperial Guard and the 6th corps. - • I'he left wing had orders to march upon Qualre Brag, and the right upon Sombref. The Emperor advanced to Fleurus with his reserve. The columns of Ma►shal Grouchy being in march, perceived, after having passed Fleurus, the enemy's army, commanded by Field-Marshal Blueher, occu it, ill with its left the heights of the mill of Bussy, the village of Sombre, and extending its cavalry a %reat vny forward on the road fo Namur : its right was at St. Amand, and occupied that large village in peat force, having before it a ra►ine which feinted its pd%itian. The Emperor reconnoitred the strength and the pa itikas of the enemy, and resolved to ettark ionme dia•rty.—lt i/PCO MP necessary to change front, the gight in advance, and pivoting upon Fteurus. General Vandmine marched upon St. Amend, Ge. mord. Gerard upon Ligoy, and Marshal Grouchy urn Sombre. The 4th division of the 2d corps, commanded by Gen; Girard, marched in resorve behind the corps of Vindamme. The guard was drawn up on the heights of filmes, as well as the cuirassiers of Geu. Mit. Auld. At tlipe in the afternoon these dispositions were finished. The division of General Lefol, forming vart of the corps of General Vandamme, was first engaged, and made itself master of tit. Amend, whence •t drove nut the enemy at the point of the bayonet. ---It kept its ground during the whole of the en. Fl gement, at the borial-groond and 'temple of St. Annind ; but that village, which is very extensive, wets the theatre of various combats during the even ing ; the whole corps of Gen. Vandamme was there engaged, and the enemy there fought in considerable twee. CP.I. Girard placed as a ripliirver to the corps ef Geo. VaotWimp, turned the village by its right, and twirl,. 'here with its accuatomed valour.—The re spective I , rrei weir• supported on both sides by about 60 oioce , f cannon each. On the I ; ,lit Gen. Gerard came into action with thr 4th c, , f at the village of Ligny, which was taken alai ret , k-n several times. Nfar.hal Gs ()itchy, on the extreme right, and Gen. Pajol fought et AIM village of Sombref. The enemy alma NI from 80 to 90,000 men, and a great number of cannon. At 7 o'clock we were masters of all the villages si tuated on the bank of the ravine which covered the enetn's position hut he still occupied with all his masses the height of the milt of Bossy. The Emperor advanced with his guard to the vil. loge of Ligny ; General Gerard directed Gen. Pe. cheek to debouche with what remained of the reserve almost all the troops having been engaged in that vll- ' lam Eight battalions of the guard debauched with laud bayonets, and behind them four squadrons of the guards, the cuirassiers of General Delort, those a - General Milhaud, and the grenadiers albs hats* guard. The old guard attacked with the bayonet the 4/may's columns, which were en the heights of Bossy, and In an instals/ covered the field of battle mith deed. The squadron of the guard attacked and broke a square, and the cuirassiers repuleed the ene my in alt directions. At balf.past nine ',Work we Thud 40 pieces of cannon, several carriages, colours, and prisoners, and the enemy sought safety in a pre. eviler retreat. At 10 o'clock the battle was finish. ed, and we found ourselves masters of all the field of battle. General Lutsow, a .partisan, was taken pekonee, I'h' prisoners assure us, that Fie'd-Ildatshal Hlsehot vas wounded. The dower of the Pressian array was destroyed in this battle. Its logs could net be less than 15,000 men. Our's was 3000 killed , sad wounded. On the left, Marshal Ney had marched on Quatre Bras with a division, which cut in pieces an English division which was stationed there; but being attack ed by the Prince of Orange with 25,000 men, partly English, partly lianoverians in the pay of Eng land, he retired upon his position at Frasties. There a multiplicity of combats took place; the enemy ob stinately endeavoured to force it, but in vaiu. The Duke of Elchingen waited for the Ist corps, which did not arrive till night ; he confined himself to Maintaining his position. In a square attacked by the Bth regiment of cuirassiers, the colours of the 69th regiment of English infantry fell into our hands. The Duke of Brunswick was killed. The Prince of Orange has been wounded. We are as. stared that the enemy had !many personages and Ge sterals of note killed or wounded ; we estimate the loss of the English at from 4 to 5000 men ; our's on this side was very considerahle, itimounts to 4,200 killed or wounded. The combat ended with the ap. proech of night. Lord Wellington then evacuated (loathe Bras, and proceeded to Genappe. in the morning of the 17111, the Emperor repaired Quartre Bras, whence he marched to attack the V ieg ir b b array : he throve it to the entrance of the forest ef Soignett with the left wing and the reserve. rtxht wing ad►anced by Sombref, in pursuit of Fiel,l-Marshal Blucher, who was going towards Wavre, where be appeared to wish to take a posi tion. At 10 o'clock its the evening, the English army occupied Mount St. Jean with its centre, anti was in position before the forest of Soignee : it would have required three hours to attack it, we were therefore obliged to postpone it till the nest day. The head -qua rters of the Emperor mere established at the farm of Colston, near Pianchenort. The rain fell in torrent*. Thus on the 10th, the left wing, elie right, and •he reserte, Mere equally engaged, at die:anew of shoot two leagues. • • .tom ~m" .TESMAN. gir 4 7" " 1 / 2 -.P iralmwrlir7 '1" , "1171,Arl. A .~._ ..:: THE AT, BATTLE OF MOUNT ST. JEAN. At nine in the morning the rain having somewhat abated, the Ist corps put itself in motion, and placed itself with the left on the road to Brussels, and opposite the village of Mount St. Jean, which appeared the centre of the enemy's position. The second corps leant its right upon the road to Brussels, and its left upon a small wood within cannon shot of the English army. The cuirassiers were in reserte behind, and the guards in reserve upon the heights. The 6th corps, with the cavalry of Gen. d'Aumout, under the order of Count Lobau, was destined to proceed in rear of our right in oppose a Prussian corps which appeared to have escaped Marshal Grouchy, and to intend to fall upon our right plank, an intention which had heed made known to us by our reports, and by the letter of a Prussian Getters!, inclining an order of battle, and which was taken by our light troops. The troops were full of ardour. We estimated the force of the English army at 80,000 men. We sup posed that the Prussian corps which might be in line towards the right might be 15,00() men. The enemy% force then wasupeards of 90,090 men. Our'e less numerous. At noon all the preparations being terminated, Prince Jerome, commanding a division of the 2d corps, end destined to form the extreme left of it, advanced upon the wood of which the enemy occu pied a part. The cannonade began. The enemy supported with 30 pieces of cannon the troops he had sent to . keep the wood. We made also on our side dispositions of artillery. At one o'clock Prince Jerome was master of all the wood, and the whole of English army fell hack behind a curtain. Coutit d'Erlon then attacked the village of Mount St. Jean, and supported his attack with 80 pieces of cannon, which most Imre occasioned g••'at loss to the English army. All the efforts were so de towards the ridge. A brigade of the pat division el Count WErlnui took the village of Mount St. Jean; a second brigade was charged by a corps of Vitalist' cavalry, which occa sioned it much loss. At the same moment a division English cavalry charged the battery of Count d'Erlon by its right, and disorganised several pieces; but the cuirassiers of. General Milhaud charged that di vision, three regiments of which were broken and cut up. which was in reserve, was Infected, and was itself I hurried along. In an instant, the whole army wig nothing but a mass of coninsion ; all the soldiers of all arms were mitedpd-mel„ and it was utterly impossible to rally a single corps. The enemy, who perceived thi. astonishing confusion, immediately attacked w Ith their 'cavalry, and increased the disorder, and such ryas the inalusion owing to night coming on, that it was impw.aitile to rally the troops, and point out to them their error. • Thus a battle terminated, a day of false manoeuvres rectified, the greatest success in Bored for the next day, all was lost by a moment of panic terror. Even the squadrons of-service, draw n up by the side of the Emperor, were overthrown and disorganised by these tumultuous naves, mid there was then nothing else to he done but to follow the *screw. • The parks of reserve, the baggage which had not repassed the Sambre, in short, every thing that was on the field of battle, remained in the power of the enemy. It was impossible to Wait for the troops Cus our right; every one know. what the bravest army in the world is when thdi mixed and thrown into coufusian,• and when its uiganisation no longer exists. The Emperor crossed the Sambre at Charleroi, at • fire o'clock in the morning of the 19th. Phi!. . lipeville Avesnes have been given as the points of re.u.eion. Prince Jerome, General Motatid, and other Generale have there already rallied a part of the army. Marshal Grouchy, with the corps on the ; right, is moving on the Lower Sambre. • The loss of the enemy must have been very great, if we may judge from the number of standards we have taken from them, and from the retrograde 'lnnvenomits which he made ;—oar's cannot be calcu lated tilt after the troops shall have been collected.— , /More the disorder broke out, we had already ex perienced a very considerable loss, particularly in our cavalry, so fatally, though so bravely engaged.— : Notwithstanding these losses, this brave cavalry constantly kept the position it had taken from the English,• and only abandoned it when the tumult anti disorder of the field of battle forced it. ice the midst of the night, and the obstacles which encum. bered their route, it could net reserve its own or ganization. The artillery has, as ousel, covered itself with CRnttt BO1S•Y n'ANGLAS eioßld DOI IS to a relies et this moment 11t hen i,.eeountry is in ibc Nod it s independence thrementd, it is not a mo to "esitate about forms, old) apple dde In ottli !imps. 1 more that the Ildessage he fotthitith into consideration. Count PONTECOULANt deflated he *ould Rot on the appointment of a Committee. Count V musce.-1 detnaiol that the Massa, sent to a Committee of fire. We have ample The Emperor is shoot to hold a Cou nc il o f hip filters, and as we Cannot know the result be) the lapse of four or five hours, a Committee mi t , that time examine the Message, and communittu views. Count CARNOT.--1 see no incontenience it appointment of a Committee. Cou,,t D'ANGLAS.—Is there any necessity, denten, for ic Commit tee to manifest our sent imen and make &elevations similar to these contained the Message of the Chamber of Representatives You will declare that the independence of the cf try is threatened; you will detlare that you at permanence, and that whoever shall attempt to Solve the Chamber is a traitor to his couJitry ; 'will declare that the troops of the line and the Solna Gust (Is hive deserved well of the country. apt ears to me, that to make these declarations the tsrveution of a Committee is not necessary. The PRESIDENT I heo put the question, and tht pointrnent of a Committee was negtuived. The Chamber then proceeded to consider the solutions as proposed by M. d'Aoglaft. Their discussion lasted some time : it *IS tittidi that during the sitting a message containtng the seat ments of the Chamber should be drawn up. 1 in these term. EXTRACT PROW THE IttOlayEt of ittlibrtf et CHAMEER 01 PECR4I, w EDNEsDAY. JUNE 21. tfel: The Chamber of Peers, after the me, a is of the toessagy which was addre-rti to them by Chamher of Representatives in the sitting of this came to the following Resolotions I— " The Chamber of Peers declared that MS it pendetice of the nation is menaced. 44 The Chamber declares itself permanent. Every attempt to (hag/vivo it ht a e'lme of high 'miser Whoever shall resider hithigt guilty of this t•tet It was three its the afternoon. The Emperor mude tile guard advance to place it in the plain upon the ground which the first corps had occupied at the Outset of the battle; this corps being already in ad. Vance. The Prussian division, whn•e movement had been foreseen, then enuged with the light troops of Count Cohan, spreading its fire upon our whole right flank. It was expedient, before undertaking any thing elsewhere, to wait for the event of this atta. k. Hence, ■ll the means in reserve were ready to succour Count Lobau, and overwhelm the Prus sian corps when it should be advanced. This done, the Emr had the' , . . glory. The carriages belonging to the head.quar. will be a traitor to his Coo .try. and immediately tern remained in their (Winery position ; no retro.. damned as such. grade movement being jodged necessary. In the " The Army of the Line and the :tattooist GUM course of the night they tell into the enemy's hands. who have fought and light for the defence of fibers' Such has beets the issue of the battle of Mount • inrieveisilence, a ix' •he terrltorf of Franc*, have Si, Jean, glorious for the French armies, and yet so served well of the country.' fatal. The present Declaration shall he tyanswitted ' ~ [The above Official Account is published in a se- message to his Majesty the Emperor end the Chat road edition of the Moniteur of the 2lst.) ' or Representatives. I At three o'clock the Sitting, Wits suniliildid a adjourned till four o'clock. At a quarter before six theAtting tessiiieridej and ~,o,- - PARIS, Jura 22. CHAMBER OF PEERS, JUNE 91. of !cull —"re, . perm. hao . design ding Th. Sitting was opened at haltpast one, by the again, -.- adjourned till seven so•cloelt. - •' an attack upon the village of Mount tit. Jean, from Prince Arch-Chancellor. After the reading of the' At half-past eight o'clock, the Patter Acito-Cfratra which we expected decisive success ; but by a move. Mi nu te s , cellar declared that the Sitting was mem& ' ment of impatience so frequent in our military annals, The PRESIDENT said, the Minister of the Interior 1 Prince LUCIEN was called upon, and appeared and which has often been so fatal to us, the cavalry of has something to communicate. i the tribune as a Commissioner Extraordinary of i. retetve having perceived a retrograde movement made 'ri t e M l Nlsmi of the INT E RIOR.—The Emperor Emperor: he brought a message from his Majesty; by the English to shelter themselves from our bat- arrived at 1i o'clock. He convoked a Council of he demanded to communicate it in a Secret 1 tears, from which they had suffered so much, crowned Ministers; he stated that the army, after a signal . miltee... Ike heights of Mount St. ntj charged the in- victory intfie pteint Df Pleftlig, where . the Romer of i This proposition was adopted on all sides. fantry. This movement, which - made in time, and the Eurasian army was destroyed, fon* a great 1 ThoPazstorwr desired that the public should supported by the reserves, must have decided theday, battle two days afterwards, four leagues from Brus. , tire, which order Wall immediately exectit.i. made in an isulated manner, and before affairs on the se t s : the English army was beaten the whole day, I was a quarter before wine o'clock. right were terminated, became fatal. an d o bli ge d t o yi e ld th e field o f b a ttle. At ten o'clock the Sitting was made ?Odic. Wring no means of countermanding it, the enemy 1 Six English colours had been taken, and the day Committee, consisting of the following bee Meml showing many masses of cavalry and infantry, and was de c id e d, w hen at ni g ht-f a ll some ma li gn a n t. Boissy d'Anglas, Dtouot, Thibaudeau, Dejelto, our two division, of eu i r aw ers b e i ng engaged, all spread alarm, and occasioned a disorder which the dreossi, was appointed to consult with the Minis.. our cavalry ran at the same moment t* support their presence of his Majesty could not remedy on account of the Emperor; after which the Chamber adjourned comrade,. There for three hours numerous charges of its being night. 1 till to-morrow. were made, which enabled ea In penetrate several 1 The cor - iuence had been disasters which could - Jneeqt squares, and to lake di standards of the light in- not be stopped. I CHAMBER OF RBPREsENTATIVES, /errs gl Awry, awadeantego wee .f proportion with the loss i The army is rallying under the walls of Messes! The PnEstouuT (Count Lanjuinais) stated, • hick our caralry experienced by the grape-shot and and Philippeville: iM.de la Fayette and Lacoste had propositico musket firing. rt was itoP"iltio to dispose of our His Majesty repaired to Leon. lie there glee submit to the Chainber. rObemeamittlefeWep,ausit we had repulsed the lank orders for the lettem4seist of the National Guards : M. In LA FATETTE.—.GelltibinflO t while Yor Meek of the Prossian corps. This attack always pro- ' of the department to arrest the fugitives. ' first time for many years yet hear a voice whici longed itself perpendicularly upon our right lank. The lie b ee come to ' Path 'to confer with the Midi'' old friends of liberty may yet. rectignize, I feel my... Emperor seat thither nen. Duhesme with the young sters . on the Means of te . storbig the meletiel of the' self tilled upon to speak to you of the dangers of did gasethend eeveraibatteries of reserve. The enemy was army. country which you at present state have thfi power kept in cheek, repulsed and fell buck—he had en- . It is Ms Majesty's intention to consult frith the of saving. Sinister reports how been spatad ; they kaosteibh forces, mod we had nothing more to fear. Chambers on the leghiative measures reqeired by I are unfortunately confirmed. This is the moment It was this moment that was indicated for an attack cirrenutances. to rally mood the old tri.colooredl Vandard, upon the centre of the enemy. As- the cuirassiers His Majesty is at this moment engaged on propo- o f 89, that of liberty, equelity, and public order solaced by the grape-shot, we sent four battalions of shim, to be conveyed to the Chambers: it is that gloat which can protect us from foreign , the middle goer& to protect the cuirassiers, keep the Count VALINCI begged to know at what boar the t ac ks an d Internal t ij, a . rm iu u s. Allow, Gentlemen, position, and, if possible, disengage and draw back communication would be made? sorrel' in that sacred cause, who was ever en enemy into the plain a part of our cavalry. The Mintstra.—The Minister is waiiing for the to faction, to submit to you some resolutions, w! - Two other battalion, were molt to beep themselves Ministers to hold the Council, ind to resolve upon I flatter myself you will feel the necessity of adaptii cw poleace upon the extreme left of the division, the measures to be proposed to 66 Chatnbers. ! which had matiabsiirod upon our flanks in order not suppose it will be about four o'clock: Art. I. The Chlunbee declares test the Independence end ue is relented. to have any uneasiness on ant side--:the rest was A Message from . the Chamber of Representatives 2. The cbnenher deelare . s . its !Whirs perste:tent. All resoterl disposed in reserve, part to occupy the politics in was then announced, introduced, and read .-- For' rr ln n d de llsii r Ze it l idwi re t t ' ut be, : roa ed rel„. , e ntli o n"" t ors ' u ; be e „ mdend rear of Mount St. Jean, part upon the ridge in rear whi c h see the Cbamber of Representatives.) ! t ra it rto al t . se ntry. fool conderonoil ,to area of the field of battle, which formed our position of , :Afisir'sotne moments of silence, Count Tuteau. , a. The Arm. ..r the Line, she Niiti.4lFii &lords. mho - &eight. and WU kits, for the liberie, the Indrprodr* retreat. i StiAt said,—la . " the imminent danger which threatens the wtr ,,,,.„, p nere . ', n y e mee l le a we ll o f the coun t ry Ica this state of affairs the bottle was gained : we the coontr - the Chamber cannot remain indifferent to i _ 4 hili i •-. Tie _...u.arr I' 0-- barrio. •• invited to ea...- . . _ . occupied all the positions which the enemy occupied at the outset of the battle: our cavalry having been too. soon and ill employed, we could no longer hope for decisive success; but Marshal Grouchy, having team.; ed the movement of the Prussian corps, marched upon the rear of that corps, which lowed us a sig. oal success for next day. After eight boors fire' and charges of infantry and cavalry, all the army saw with joy the battle gained, and the field of battle in Our power. At half-after eight o'clock, the four bsttalinnt of the middle guard, who had been sent to the ridge on the other side of Mount St. Jean. in order to sup. port the cuirassiers, being greatly annoyed by the grape-shot, endeavoured to carry the battevie: with the bayonet. At the end of the day, a eharge directed against their flank by several English squadrons put them its disorder. The fugitives re- , crossed the ravin. Several regiments near at hand seeing some troops belonging to the guard in ebn old sari• -- the ininmunication jest made to it. The other Chainber has just set as a fine example, which we ought to follow. We surely cannot remain in a state of inaction. I mere that the Chamber form itself into a Secret Committee, to examine whet effect should. be given to the Message. Count I.Aiona MAusoutto•---•-Why a Secrit Com. mittee ? I see no necessity for it. Our delibera don's should be public, that our sentiments regard. ing the country may be known to the whole nation. l It was then put to the vote, and resolved that the deliberation should be public. Count DOUCET DE PONTECOULAXT...—I N ish to 1 kriow at what hour the. Resolution of the Chamber of Itepresentetives, just read to you, was taken ? Count Caumoe.—The Message was sent off half alt hour before I repaired to the Chamber ; probably ea hour ago.. Count PONTSCOULANT.-4 did nol put the ques tion from 'vein • curiosity. The Emperor Is at this . . tie ligerlor is esseeibM General St •IT. tb. Cmimasders. art) Majors of loom, , o f Parisian Natinani timed, in order m e.mult on the woes . providing it vs itb arms nod of completing this tears of 'Ali. sew, wind • tried pain aisle end seal elfrr a sere ' meanies she liberty. prosperil.. end trsilimiliity of the tspisal, ••••• for the Insinlabilit, of the Netieeel Representatives. b. The Minister of War of Forriin *flit... of Police, of the !Menial . , are invitea to repel* td the tlell of the sembly. • M. FLAUCiERGUES.—I support the propositions M. de la Fayette and think the sth Article °ugh' ! • to he executed without delay. %Vithoet decidiog the permanence of the Chamber, I may add, that will.uot be proper to break up until we receive ' the information, the urgency of Which is felt. M•—•••---•.—I support the propositions of de la Fayette, and of the last Speaker ; for, Gen.* denten, in a few moments the Chamber might be ' solved, and you would have the regret of having, your delay, lost most valuable time: After some debate, the proposed declaratiow pet to the tote, and adopted, with the eateptfrern fusion, believed it was the guard, and in Con sequence were thrown into disorder. Cries of all is lost, the guard is drives back, were heard on every side. The soldiers pretend even that on many points ill-disposed persons cried out, satire qui peut. However this may be, A complete panic at once spread itself throughost the whole field of battle, and they threw themselves in the greatest disorder on the line of communication; soldiers, cannoneersi caisson!, all pressed to this plot; the old guard moment in Paris: I ttei, therefore, great impropriety in onlertegthe MilliSten to this Chamber.. It might even he question whether, even if the Emperor were absent, the proceeding would not be inconve nient. This port or the Resolution of the Represen tatives ought not, therefore, in toy opinints, is be adopted: I approve of the remainder. In arena• stances so weighty, propositions of this iMportattleo should be emit to a Committee, conformably to the rules of the Chamber. Art. 4. M. DI/1019 . 1,2 LA Soma too id that the DatiaNto tion be printed, pelted in the capital, and sent tor departments.--iAdopted.] M. Dorta.—fou need - have no anxiety respecting the capital. ft is the departments that have need ti be informed of the spirit which animates the Repro. sentacives of the nation, aid of the Who& *hick the danger of the &lents, reclaims should icatakea. Bore there Iv nothing to N 6 fairest. ran try • . • ; • .i,. . • e;11111 1; 111 - . akatis tvger, t•it Binary taken t insist ago h 4 I itilrt ISM 1 1; before ight in I ate its in the S td Gen. . • nests, 4 / neii in PS . cnun. I ate itt :o did- • ;soh • P NA• y. It . he in• le spa e Aa • %testi- t was telt • S. ditto ly tit* a day, lade. Every On.-- enspt, y con. • . 4 Ittards tnsy, • , to de. • I by *tube! I. ettit • 1 11 wide; - Mena red lit ' of the jest); ; Com. • iltl re. This e. A ohm, ' Att. sisters 1 .areed I • ft. , that fls to it Alt eh the 4 m4l of ; they" . • newel 1 9 that order; • go at. sten, 8 roma?. • which ' "?. . • of thin nreatiet4l' l ✓ aiNa4 level.▪ woo e• ay*, Py. bit die • olte No. ehMIAN. • iik old • Its- las or aught • sg ow hatif re all f M. Gene ! di,. If b Y • • 1111111 on 0( time. otho 1 • oing !d to spiv- • , tee. _f : seta • • S. • 1 Ilk „ 611 Ir nihit Mal itcr, f to ged ar- dict ctet mot Ana MA• rea chat An. %as ftri: ice. re• e in ON. I Oft ude ex- ers, !rat Nr.G es : rig * 110 no nose et ; inv. FT. t pt OR. ien, the 1.-- r to y to ine, sib, 0 ill ling. tha ly. Igle i na too •iY 'p. Rh,