# Soult to Ney, Charleroi, 10:00 16 June 1815

French original and a software translation into English. Sent around 10:00. The messenger was count Walewsky (chef de bataillon, assistant staff-officer). (Cf. note in the margin of the register of staff. In: BNP, FR. Nouv.acq., nr.4366 cited by (Wit 2016, p. 8 fn 23). There is no reference to Ney’s report written at 07:00m. at all; normally it would have arrived towards 09:00 (Wit 2016, p. 8).
sources:
* Wit, Pierre de (31 May 2016), "A study, 16th June 1815 French Army General headquarters", The campaign of 1815: a study, Emmen, the Netherlands, p. 8, <http://waterloo-campaign.nl/bestanden/files/june16/frhfdkw.pdf>. Footnotes:
** Original in: AN, Fonds Ney 137 AP18
** Copy in the register of staff. In: BNP, FR. Nouv. acq.4366
** SHD. C15, nr.5
** Also in:
*** Ney, Michel Louis Félix, ed., Documents inédits sur la campagne de 1815, publiés par le duc d'Elchingen, p. 31. — publisher? probably Paris: Anselin, 1840 OCLC:466310527.
*** Koolemans Beijnen, G.J.W. (1914), "Annex R", Op welk tijdstip heeft Maarschalk Ney in Juni 1815 bevel ontvangen, om Quatre-Bras te bezetten", Supplement No.4 op de Militaire Spectator, Utrecht.
* Grouchy (1874), Mémoires du maréchal de Grouchy du maréchal de Grouchy., vol. 4, Paris: E. Dentu, pp. 225-226.
* Ropes, John Codman (1892), "Appendix C nr. XXII", The Waterloo campaign, New York: C. Scribner's, p. 382.
For alternative translations see:
* Becke, Archibald Frank (1914), "Appendix II, number 20", 'Napoleon and Waterloo, vol. II, London: Keagan Paul, Trench, Trübner & company, p. 285, <https://archive.org/stream/cu31924071955037#page/n304/mode/1up>.
* Clausewitz, Carl von (2010), "The Campaign of 1815: Strategic overview: chapters 30-39", in Bassford, Christopher; Moran, Daniel & Pedlow, Gregory W., Waterloo: Clausewitz, Wellington, and the Campaign of 1815., Clausewitz.com, ISBN 9781453701508, <http://www.clausewitz.com/readings/1815/five30-39.htm>.
| Charleroi, le 16 Juin 1815 | Charleroi, 16 June 1815 |
| M. le maréchal, | Marshal, |
| un officier de lanciers vient de dire à l’Empereur que l’ennemi présentait des masses du côté des Quatre-Bras ; réunissez les corps des comte Reille et d’Erlon et celui du comte de Valmy qui se met en ce moment en route pour vous rejoindre ; avec ces forces vous devez battre et détruire tous les corps ennemis qui peuvent se présenter ; Blücher était hier à Namur et il n’est pas vraisemblable qu’il ait porté des troupes vers les Quatre-Bras, ainsi vous n’avez affaire qu’à ce qui vient de Bruxelles. | An officer of lancers has just told the Emperor that the enemy had masses on the side of the Quatre-Bras; Unite the corps of Count Reille and d'Erlon, and that of the Comte de Valmy, who is at this moment on his way to join you; With these forces you must beat and destroy all enemy bodies that may present themselves; Blücher was yesterday at Namur, and it is unlikely that he sent troops to Quatre-Bras, so you only have to deal with what comes from Brussels. |
| M. le maréchal Grouchy va faire le mouvement sur Sombreffe que je vous ai annoncé, et l’Empereur va se rendre à Fleurus ; c’est là que vous adresserez vos rapports à S.M. | Marshal Grouchy is going to make the movement on Sombreffe, which I have announced to you, and the Emperor will go to Fleurus; It is there that you will address your reports to His Majesty. |
| Le maréchal d'empire, major général, | The marshal of the empire, major general, |
| Duc de Dalmatie | Duke of Dalmatia |