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
Viegirbb 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.