The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-06-23 00:00:00

A. •

FRENCH PAPERS.

LETTER FROM AN ()MEER OW HIGII RANK,
Dart' Wailerln three ledr*le* in from of
nna-ei., Jima. 19.
We have gained a great and most glorious victory
yesterday evestiug, and totally defeated Betraparte's
arme, and taken all his cannon, baggage, &c.
The Duke has done all this—it was the severest
and most bloody action ever fought, and the con.
duct of the British infantry have even surpassed its
former fame.
The contest began shoat eleven o'clock, and last-
ed sill nearly the same hoer at night, whets the Bri.
tish troops were halted, and the Prussians, who had
come ue, were sent forward in pursuit, and Mar.
sisal Blucher has followed them to the Sambre. Our
head-quarters will be to-day at Nivelles.
This victory has saved Europe: it was frequently
very doubtful ; but the Duke, by his extraordinary
perseverance and example, saved the day. We have
already taken upwards of 100 pieces of cannon and
immense numbers of ammunition waggons, and Blu-
cher has just sent its word that his road is actually
cloaked up with the artillery, baggage, &c. and
*tech we have taken. The rout of the French has
horn complete, and there are several thousand pd.
snnets and many Generals killed and taken of the
enerey•
Our, lose is, ales ! most severe; it grieves me to
the heart to enumerate the names of the heroes who
lave fallen—Picton killed, a great loss! Gordon
and Canning, the Duke's Aid-de-Camps, killed ;
Delancey ; Lord Uxbridge has lost a leg;
Fose,.s Somerset an arm; and Colonel Ponsonby is,
I fear, in great danger, as both arms are broken ;
letrise. is severely wounded. I cannot go on with
this aleintsch. Iv part of the subject, but must refer
you to the Duke's public dispatches, which, of course,
will he °sore accurate than the rumours that reach me
its such a moment of grief and joy, and agitation of
spirits.
come runaways front the earl), skirMiehes spread,
I fear. sons.' alarm at Brussels; thank God, nut one
luau of the British infantry wee found in the rear.,.
Our cavalry made several most brilliant chargee;
and the itousehoki brigade has particularly distin-
guished themselves.—Lord Uxbridge's conduct Charleroi. how 15.
throughout the day was most animating, and he un. On the 14th the army was placed in the following
fortunately received his wound nearly at the conclu.. manner:—
sims, when the enemy were in full retreat. The Imperial headquarters at Eteitumnnt.
No language cats do justice to the extraordinary The Ist corps, commanded by General D'Erlon,
merit mot talents which the Duke displayed during was at Solre, on the Sambre. • ,
the %hole of the action. Our infantry were mostly The 2d corps, commanded by Gen. Heine, was at
formed in squares, and the enemy's cavalry were five , elem.ser.lleute.
or sic, or eveis ten times during the day upon our I The 3d corps, commanded by Gen. Vandamme,
ground and round our squares, but one of which they ! was on the right of Beaumont.
never penetrated. I never have seen or heard of a I The 4th corps, commanded by Gen. Gerard, had
field of battle so covered with dead and wounded.e— arrived at Philippeville.
The Duke was all day every where in the thickest of On the 15th, at three in the morning, General
it; and his piece of refuge was in one of the squares Reale attacked the enemy, and advanced upon Mar.
the enemy's cavalry charged. At six in the evening uhlennee,a,-Pont. There were various engagements,
the Duke ordered the attack. We bad till then been in which his cavalry charged a Prussian battalion,
On the defensive, and in less
,than half an hour we and made 300 prisoners.
routed the first line, and threw them on their second, At one its the morning the Emperor was at Jamig-
and then the rout was general. The Guards (Adam's, , non-sur-Ileure.
rack's, and Impel' brigades), and am old Corfaili General Maw% division of light &ruby sabred
Legion, behaved nobly. The Duke, I pray aadt l two Prussian battalions, and made 403 prisoners.
may be spared to us, as without him we cud* Gen. Pajol entered Charleroi at mid-day. The
nothing. Sappers and marines of the guard were with the ad-
bur loss since the 16th must have exceeded 5000. values to repair the bridges. They were first to pe.
—I have never seen so many British killed and ' uetrate into the town as sharpshooters.
wounded. Gen. Clan, with the' lit Hussars, advanced upon
The fire of artillery and musketry was terrible. Gosselies, on the Brussels road; and Gen. Pajol
The Duke intends moving immdiately and to enter upon Gilly, on the Nampr road.
France. The French Officers say that Bonaparte lAt three in the afternoon General Wickman de-
pot himself at the head of the Imperial Guards during douched with his corps on Gilly.
the charge, and charged with them up the hill. It Marshal Grouchy arrived with the canlry of Geis.
Is believed that Jerome flonapatte is killed. I Excelmane.
Sir M. Delancey is found, and lam informed by ; The enemy occupied the left of the position of
ass Officer who has seen him, that there ii every pio- Fleurus; at five in the afternoon the Emperor or.
balsility of hii retotery. dered an attack. The position was turned, and
carried. Four squadrons of the Guard(' command.
The parade in St. limes's Park, yesierday morning, ed by General Letort, the Emperor's Aid-de-Camp;
was uncommonly numerous and splendid. The house- brae three squares; the 26th, the 27th, and 23th
told brigades; consisting of the Lfe Guardi 2nd Os- Prussian regiments were routed. Our squadrons
ford Blues, and the Font Guards, were drawn up' sabted from 4 to 500 men, and took 150 prisoners.
at half-imat nine o'clock, and occupied the space . During this time Gen. keille passed the Sambre at
from Cal Iton.house to the Bird-cage-walk. At ten Ma rchiennes-au-Pont, its order to advance epos' Gos.
the guts fired a double salute, its celebration of the Belies with the divisions of Prince Jerome, and
glorious victory achieved by the Duke of Welling. General Bechelu, attacked the enemy, took from
toss over Bonaparte; after which, the cavalry him /50 prisoners, and pursued him on the read to
flourishing their swords, the infentry witting their litus‘els.
caps with sprigs of oak in them, gave three We thus beanie mastent of the Whole position of
hearty cheer., in *hick the military were joined Fleurus.
by the seeds nations of an immense concourse of At eight in the evening the Emperor re-entered his
people, who bad assembled at an early beer from head-quarters at Charleroi.
all parts of the metropolis. The cavalry then This day cost the enemy five pieces of cannon and
went through various evolutions with incredible WOO men; of whom 1000 are prisoners. Out loss is
celerity, end the bands continued playing national 10 men killed and 80 wounded, the greeter part be-
airs, flourishes of trumpets, &c. it intervals, for three longing to the squadrons of the guard who made the
qualtert of an hour. At eleten a gerieral move. charges, and to three squadrons of the 20th dra.
meat of the troops took place. The Foot Guards, eoons, who also charged a square with the greatest
who occupied the centre, advanced to the rails of intrepidity. Our loss, though trifling in amount,
the Park, for Ming double lines, three deep, the Life has been sensibly felt by the Emperor, from the se.
Guards on the right, and the Blues on the left. The *ere wound received by General Letort, his Aid-de.
Duke of York on foot, end surrounded by an iat. Camp, in charging at the head of the squedrons.—
mense crowd, who had accompanied him from York: He is an officer of the greatest distinction : he was
house, appeared in front of the line, was received by struck by a ball in the lower part of the belly, but
the military with the usual honours, and by the con. the surgeons give hopes that his toped *ill not be
parry with loud and reiterated acclamations. A feu- niortalla.
de joie was now fired from the extreme right of the I We have foetid some magazines at Charleroi.—
line to the left, the effect of which was greatly en. the joy of the Belgians it would be impossible to
hanced by the cavalry discharging their carbines. 'the describe. there were Items villages which, On thd
Foot Guards then fell hack to their usual position ; sight Of their deliverers, formed dances; and every
the cavalry closed from right and left. The Doke of ; *here there is rt movement which proceeds from the
Yolk, in full uniform, accompanied by a number of ; heart.
Field Officers, read the London Gaulle, containing I In the report of the Major-General of the Stall',
the glorious news from the theatre of the war; at the names of the officers and soldiers who distill&
the conclusion of which the military and the specta- , guished themselves will be inserted.
tors united in three more loud cheers, after which I The Emperor has given the command of the left to
the military filed off, some to their quarters, and the Prince of Moskwa, who, in the evening, had his
others to relieve the different guards. The pnpu- head-quarters at Quartre,Chemins, on the road to
lace followed the Commander-in-Chief to his Office Brussels.
in the Horse Guards, huzzaiug and clapping their I The Duke of Treviso, to whom the Emperor gave
hands. A rumour prevailed oh the parade, that the command of the young guard, has remained at
the eagles which had been taken, would be exhi- 1 Beaumont, ill of the rheumatism, which has forced
bited as proud trophies of the victory ; but this ex. him to keep his bed.
hibition is postponed till the solemn ceremonial of I The 4th corps, commanded by General Gerard,
depositing them in Whitehall chapel shall take place. arrives this evening at Chatelet. Gets. Gerard has
The captive eagles are now at Carlton-house. They stated, that Lieut.-Gen. Bourmont, Col. Clouet, and
are quite new, and are two of those that were the Chief of Squadron Villoutreys, have passed over
presented by Bonaparte to his household troops to the enemy.
at the memorable assembly of the Champ de Mai,l A Lieutenant of the 11th Chasseurs has also gone
and have under them a magnificently embroi- over.
tiered colour, about the size of the standard used by I • A letter of the F.operar, of the 16th, sods arith4hcse wear,
the cavalry. • Wilke with Ids own Min tree et is going 94 ITcH."

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