The Sun.
London, England, 1815-06-29 00:00:00

%.;4-
- •

13L13f.:1-IER'S

mint; t':' or TRH

REPORT

Uj TH-a THE rauiiima ARMY OF
Y; was of lle 15th of this.rnonth that Napo-
havin collected nn the 14th Frye corps
of; irmy, aEnl the several corps of the guard
bet:Vcefi ManbeiV and Aeauratint, coinmekiced
_

The,pOints of conctntratica of the four Pros,
sian
,toiTt" were, neukus, Namur, Cincy, ana
tbo sitoati"nn of ti•tlich math.: possible
to unitc i 4 army' in one cif tLese viin(s in 24
-

. :On the Na.polenn advanced by Thnin if
i;} the twa banks cif the gainbre against Charle.-
ft.ii. Grnefal ~2:e.ititen had collected the art.
ti ai tleurtis:,and had on that chiy a very sv-tirin
r4r:f stith the enemy, ivlio, after having ta.i.en
',ll:ll.l,croi, directed his Marc, updn Fleurus. GO.
04:41101 maintained himself lu his positiOn near

that place.
Field,:\iaeshal -blucher intending to fight a great
battle with the enemy as soon as possible, the
three Other corps of the Prussian Army were con:
e.!.!quenq diieded 14)04 Sbtartf, a league and a
half ciom where the second and third
cOrp4 wtte to arrive on the 15th, and the fourth

ein7iis can the
Lord Wellington had united his Army between
Atli and tivelles, which enabled him to assist
-.oeld:-Marshal Blucher, in Case the battle should
lie fought on the Voth, ,
•
. 1341.-FLE OF LIGNY, JUNE Tit£
The Pru§sian army was posted on the heights-
-1 etween Brie and Sontbref, and. beyond the last
place, and Oectipii:d with a large torce the villages
St. Aiiiand and Pgny, situated ow its front.—
'LtleantiMe ojiljf three.cOrps of the army bad join_
; four which was stationed between Liege
and klannut had been delayed in its march by
era! circumstances, And as not yet come
ik;cvcrtheless Field, Marshal Blueuer rOolved to
give Lord Wellington having already put
to nti)Onn tO'support him a strong division of his
army, as well as his whole reserve stationed in
chi•irini of Brussels, and the fourth corps of
army, being also on tjie• point of at-

'I he battle lwpAn at thiee P. ilf. The enemy
I)totight up above 130,000 men. The Ptussian
at my 'vas 80,01)0 strong. The village of St:
Eli nand was the first point attacked by the enelny;
C.?!tried it after a vigorous resistance, lie
'then infected his efforts against Liguy ; it is a
large solidly built, situated on rivulet of
Else same name. it wa tbete that a contest be-
pi) which may be considered as one of the most
vbstivate recorded in histOry. Villages have ofttil
k and rpt-dz.xn
e boars in the villages theft:elves,
4nd the movements forwards or backwards were
confined to a very riarrow space. On both sides.
resit troopS continually tame up, each army had
telitrid the part of the Village whit') it occupied,
great masses of :intatiti'y which maintained the
combat, and were Continually renewed by the re-
inf9rcentents, which they received from their
iear, as well as from the heights on the right and
left) about 200 cannon tvete dliteted froth both
Sides against the village, which was on fire in se-
veral places at once. From time to time the com-
bit extended along the whole line; the enemy hav-
ing also directed :Loops against the three corps
however, the main -combat was against Ligny.—
Things seemed to take a favourable turn for the
Prussian. troops, a part of the village of St., Aniand
Iniving been retaken from the French,. bY a bat-
talion; commanded by the Field-Marshal in per-
son ; in consequence of which advantage we had
regained the height which tad been abandoned
after the loss of St.Amand.., 'Nevertheless the
battle continued about Ligny 'with the 'same fury.
he issue seemed CO depend on the arrival of the
tnglish troops, or ol! the 4th corps of the Prus-
sian ariny fact,, the arrival of this last division
wOuld b.aVe afforded the Field-Mahhal the means
of making immediately; with the right wing, an
nitiwk from which great success might be expected.
news arrived that the English division des-
tined to support us, was violently attacked by'a
c'kuos. of the French army, and that it was with
gre:..t difficulty it hild Maintained itself in its posi-
tion. At (loathe Bras the fourth corps of the
-army did not appear, so that we were forced to
plau.talti alone the Contest with an enemy greatly
Superior in numbers-.
The evening' *as already initeh advanced, and
the combat about Ligny continned with the same
tury and the 'sante equality of snccess. We in-
voked, but iu vain, the arrival Of these succours

which were so necessary ; the danger beanie
very hour :Imre anti more urgent. All the divisions
were engaged, or liad already been So, and there
was nut arty carps at hand able to support 'them.
suddenly a division of the enemy's infantry which,
by fat-Utlr of the ni.ght, had made a circuit round
the villagebeing observed, at the saute
titne that some regiments of cuirassiers had forced
the passage On the other side,' took in the rear
the main body of .our
atd the houses. may, which was pasted
-belt
;nth
surprise
on the part (of
:
the /enemy was decisive, especially a; the moment
wiven 'our Cavalry, also posted on a height behiad
the village, was repujso by .the enemy's cavalry
in r4cated attacks.
Our infantry posted behtna.Ligny, thoi,git forced
to retreat, not stiller itself to be discottragd,
either by being stiiprisea by the enemy in the
darktiess,—a ciretotta.nce startup exaggerates in
Utz:. mind of man the dangers to ‘v-hich he findl
himself exposed, or lay'the idea of seeing itself
surrounded, on all sides. Fopned in masses, it
coolly rent4ed all the attacks of the cavalry, a'tht
retreated in good order upon the lwights, whence

it eontintied. its retrograde nicireinent upon
In consequence of the sodden .trritption of the
elleMy'S'CAVEilry, several of' 00 Cannons, in theit
precipitate retreat, had taken directions which led
theni to defileS, which they neteSstlrily fell into
disorder, In this manner fifteen pieces fell into
the hands of the enemy.-,—At the distariee of a
quarter of a league from . the field of battle; the
army formed again. the enemy did not .venture
to .pursne it. The village of Brie remained in our
poSsession during the night; as weil as Sombree,
where General Thieltnan had fought with the 3d
corps, and whence he at day-break slowly began
to retreat towards Gambloux, where the 4th corps,.,
under- General litdow, had at length arrived dur-
ing the nigh.. The Ist and 2d corps• proceeded
in the tioruiog, behind the defile of Mount St,
Guibdi. Our loss in killed and wounded was
g: eat ; tile enemy, however, took frorns no pri•,,
soliers except-a part of our wounded. The battle
was lost, but not our honour. Our soldiers had
fought with a bravery which equalled every ex.
peetation i their fortitude remained unshaken, be-
cause every one tetained his confidence in his own
strength..--=-On this day- Field-Marshal Blucher
bad encountered the greatest dangers. A charge
of cavalry, -led on by himself, had failed ; while
that of the enemy was rigorously pursuing,. a
musket-shot struck the Field-Marshal's horse.
'the, :animal, far from being itoptied hiS career
by this c:ciund, began to gallop more furiously till
it dropped down dead. The Field-Marshal, stun-
ned by the violent fall, lay entangled. under the.
horse. The eneriry's. cuirassiers, following up
their advantage, ackanced: Our last horseman
had already passed by the Field-Marshal ; an Ad-
jutant alone remained with him, and had just
alighted, resolved to share his fate. The thing&
was great—but Heaven watched over us. The
enemy pursuing their charge, passed rapidly by
the Field-Marshal without seeing him ; the next
Moment a second charge of t;tir cavalry having re.
pulsed them, they again passed by him with the
same precipitation, not perceiving him any more
than they had done the first time.
Then, but riot
.without difficulty, the Field-
Marshal was. disengaged front under the. dead
IstirSe, arid he immediately mounted a dragoon
horse. . .

_On the 17th, in the evening, the Prpsaian army
concentrated itself in the euvithht of Wavre.
Napoleon put him Self iii Motion gigninst Lord
Wellington upon the great road leading iro
tharletoi to Brussels. An division Main.
tain&l on the same day near Quartre Brat b'very
severe contest with the enemy: Lord Wellington
had taken a position on the road to Brussels, her-.
ing ht.. right wing leaning upon Bruerie la Lett,
the centre near Mount St. Jean, and the left wing
against La Ilaye Sainte. Lord Wellington wrme
to the Field Marshil, that he was resolved to accept
the battle in this position, if the Field Mal steal
would support him with two corps of- his army.
The, Field Marshal - prtiniised tti.covie with his
whole army. He even proposed, in ce.se Napo-
icon should notattack, that the Allies themselves,
with their whole united force, should attack him
the next day. 'Ellis inky serve to spew how little
the battle of the Itith had ditargiMised the Prtit-
sian Army, or weakened its moral strength ; thus
ended the day of the 17th.

• BATTLE OP 'run - Term
clay uue t-russiau Army again began
to move : The 4th and rid COITS by St. Lambert,
where they were to take a position, covered by the
forest near Frichcmont, to take the enemy in'the
rear, when the moment should appear favourable.
The lst corps was to operate by Obain on the
right :lank of the enemy. 'The 3d corps was to
follow slowly, in order to afroill succour in case
of need.' The battle began about it) A. M.
The English army occupied the heights of Mont
St. Jean ; that of the French was on the heights
before Planclienort ; the former was abut.? 80.000
strong; the men)), had above 130,000. In a
short time the battle became ghteral along the
whole line: it seems that Napoleon had the design
to throW the left wing upon the centre) and thus
to effect the separation of the English army frilin
the Prussian, which he believed to be retreating
upon Maestrecht. For this parpufse he had placed
the greatest part of his reserve in the centre
against his right S in, and upon
.this point lie
attacked with fury. The English artily fought
with a valour which it is impossible ttf surly-ASS.—
The repeated charges of the old guard were baffled
by th- intrepidity of tilt Stoteh regiments, and
at every charge the French cavalry was overthrown
by the English cavalry. But the superiority in
numbers-of the enemy was too great ; Napoleon
cotarinually,broaght forward tonsidei•able niasses,
and with whatever firmness the kilglish troops
maintained themselves in their position, it was
not possible but that such heroic exertions must
have a limit.

It was half past ftitir o'clock ; the rxcessive
difficulties of the passage by the defile of St.
Lambert bad considerably retarded the march of
the Prussian columns, so that only two brigadeS
of the fourth corps bad arrived at the covered,
sition which was assigned- The decisive
moment was come; there was not a moment to be
lost ; the Generals did not suffer it to escape; they
resolved immediately to begin the attack with the
troops which they had at hand. *General Ilu
therefore,' with two brigades and a corps of ea-
Vairy, advanced rapidly along ith& rear of the
enemy's right wing. The enemy did not lose his
presence of mind ; be instantly turned his reserve
Against us), and a murderous conflict began on
that side. The combat remained long uncertain,
while the battle with the English army still con-
tinued With the same violence. Towards six r.
we received the news that General Thielman, with
the 3d corps, ryas attacked near NVa.vre by a verS,
'considerable enemy's carps, and that they wele
already disputing the possession of the town.,--
The Field-Marshal, lioweVer, (lid not suffer him-
self to be disturbed *by this news ; it was _on the
spot where he was, and sb where else, that the
'affair was to be decided. A conflict continually
-swpparted with the saute -obstinacy, and kept iw
by freth troops, could alone insure the victory ;
and if it Was obtained here, any reversesustained
near Ware was of little 'consequence. The &i-
-lium's therefore continued their movements. it
was half-past, seven, and the issue of the battle
wac still uncertain. The ivhole of the 4th corps,
aria a part of the ed, under General Pisch, h-ui

itietestively Come up. The French troops ftihgbt
with_ desperate. fury ; however, some uncertainty
was perceived in their movements; anti it was ob-
served that sore pieces of cantiorn were retreat-
ing. At this mothent the first etiltninfof the corps
of General Ziethen arrived on the points of at-
tack, neat the village of Strtouhen; 017 the enemy's
tight flank, and instantly tharged. This move-
ment decided the defeat of the enetny. The right
wing *as broken in three plates ; he abandoned
his positions. Our troops rushed forward at the
pas de charge, and attacked him on all sides, while
at the same time the whole English line .ad-
vanced. Circumstances Were entirely favour-
able to the attack formed by the Prussian army.—
The ground rose in an amphitheatre, so that our
artillery could freely open its fire from the sumritit
of a great litany heights, which rose gradually
above each whet, and in the intervals of which
the troops descended into the plain formed into
brigades, and in the greatesilliorder, while fresh
corps continually unfolded theniselvet issuing front
the forest on the height behind its. The enemy
however still preserved Means to retreat, till the
I Stir:Age of Planchenoil, which lie had on Iris rear,
and which was defended by the guard, was, after
Several bloody attacks, carried by storm. From
that time the retreat became a route. which soon
spread through the whole of the Freach army,
which, hi its dreadful confusion, hurrying away
every thing that attempted to stop it, soon ussmn-
td the appearance.of the flight of an army of bar-
barians. It was half-past nine. The Field-Mar-
shal assembled all the superior Officers, and gave
orders to tend the last horse and the last man in
purstrit of the enemy. The van of the army ac-
celerated its march. 'The French army, pursued
without intermission; *as absolutely disorganised.
The causeway presented the appearance of an im-
mense shipwreck.; it was .covered• with cannon,
caissons, carriages, baggage, arms, and wreekt
cif every kind. Those of the enemy who had at:;.
tempted to repose for a time, and had not ex-
pected to lie so giddily pursued, were,driven froth
more than .nine bivouacs.. In souk! tillages they
attempted to maintain themselves ; but as soon as
they heard the beating cif tint- (blunts, or thCiOund
of the trumpet, they either fled or threw them-
selves into the houses, where they were cut down
or Made prisoners; It this moon-light which
greatly favoured the pursuit; for the whole March
was but a continued chase, either its the corn-
fields or the housess
At Genappe the ektuy had entrenched him-
I self with cannon, and overturned carriages. At

our approach-we suddenly heard in the town a
great noise and a motion of carriages; at the
entrance tve Were exposed to a brisk fire of mils,
quetry ; We replied by some cannon shot, fol-.
lowed by an hurrah, and an instant7after the town
was oar's.
,Tt Avas here•thar, aiming many Other equipages;
the carriage of Napoleon was taken 3 be had just
left it to mount on horseback, and in his hurry
had forgotten in it his s word and hat. This the
affair continued till, break of day. About 40,000
men, in the most complete disorder, the remains
of the whole army, have saved theniselves, re-
treating through. Qharleur, partly without antis,
and carrying. wait theta milt 27 picCes of their
iiumeroui aroncry.
coeniy in his flight has passed all his for-
tresses, the only defence' of ode frontiers, %Cali
are tiOvii passed by our arinie.s.'
At three &dock- Napoleon hail dispatched from
the field of battle a courier to Paris, with the
pews that the battle was no longer doubtful—a
feW hours after he had no longer any left wing.
We have not yet any exact account of the etic,ni's
loss ; it is enough to knoW that two-thirds of the
whole army are killed, wounded, or piisoners.
Among the latter are Generals Duhesnie and Cam-
pans; Up to this thine about 300 cannon and
above .500 caissons are in Our bands,

F'ew victories have been 'so complete, and there
is certainly no example that tiu army, two days
after losing a battle, engaged in stlch an action
told so gloriously maintained it. Honour be to
the troops capable of So much 6rinness and va-
lour. In the middle of the position occupied by
the French army, and exactly upon the lidiot, is a
farm, called La Belle Alliance. The march of all
the PruSsian columns was directed towards this
farm, which was visible from every side. It was
there that Napoleon was during the battle ; it
was thence that he gave his .ordersthat he flat-
tered himseli- with the hopes of victory—and it
wa there. that his ruin was-decided. There too
it was that by a happy chalice Field lllai•shal
Blucher and Lord Wellington met in the dark,
and mutually saluted each other as Victors.

The comniemot•ation of the alliance which now
subsists between the English tind Prussian na-
tions, of the niaion of the twd armies and their
reciprocal confidence, the Vield Marshal decreed
that thi.; battle should hear the name of La Belle
Alliance. By order of Field Marshal Blucher,
General GRiEiSENAW..