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

NOV. 5.

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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.