Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-02

IldY down, already oreDCneQ WIN the ilea-
wv rain, in the deep mud Of the ground
lEyery one must have remarked, that b.
Ia singular fatality, our brave army have
loften had very unfavourable weather to'
Their greater exploits. The country had
tbeen quite dry till the movement OF the
ltreops from thee cantonments: but, or
The 18th, the rain, and thunder and light.
hing continued almost without intermis.
sion, till the morning of Waterloo, wher
lit ceased and the weather became fine
(again. orunately, there was too much
excitement of spirit, for this physical in
Inconvenience to be much felt at the time
or afterwards-The men were fresh from
1cantonments and their toll, though Sc.
]vere. was short. Never did British ar
Inv take the field in finer condition. The
]cavalry, especially, felt the benefits O
fighting before losing the effects of then
superior keeping, by tolls and: pffvation'
Iof campaign.
j The Irish officer, formerly mentioned
Eas my travelling companion to Paris, re-
counted the effect Of the wet bivouac or
himself. in manner which gives strlk
ling view of the high feeling OF the mer
WHO sustain in the field the honour OF oul
|country. When he got up about SIX o
clock in the mcrning, he could not stand
with violent shiyering; but Tell dow
lin the mud again. He made several ef
ltorts, but in vain. Without dreaming
when he recounted the circumstance, o.
Ian inference favourable to himself, which
The was not aware that was drawing, he
Id cribed his feelings to have been pertec
agony, arising from the dread that h
|shouM not be able to do his duty. Al
hour or two, and little brandy revive
him: and when he found he could stand
Ibis relief of mind amounted to the mos
Exquisite Joy he ever felt in his lie. Ye'
l1so,O0o ferocious enemies were tull il
his view-he distinctly heard the shou
Of" vive l'Empereur," the signal tor the
tremendous onset; death was coming Oh
in its most threatening aspect; in tn
gloom Of the morning, the vast, broad
deep masses of the enemy, with ther
mighty reserves, yet further back tall they
seemed to meet the horizon, appeared, as
he expressed himself, as il the forest o.
sosne bad changed its situation. Ye1
did this fearless youth feel his heart lea!
for JOY, when he found himself able
for the honor of Ireland to stand up to tie
coming storm: on higher principles YET
than the Oneida chief,
| Fearing but the shame of fear,''
II heard in Paris. an officer Of the 25th
with the same manly absence Of self era
LITIGATION, give similar account of his
own trials on the memorable dawn Of
Waterloo. Who can wonder at the vir
tue with which the entire day was sus.
ltained, when such were the feelings with
which the battle was waited for and be.
gum
When cooking their breakfasts, tn.
troops were called upon to desist by tn
'pirit-stirring preparative from the aids
|de-camp passing at full gallop-" STAND
10 your arms. the French are moving
"hey had moved. An immense array OF
|cuirassiers had already swept across the
liam, to embarrass the British deploy
Iments. A mOmentar, alarm and CORE
fusion were created among our infantry
and cavalry. The life guards, who had
mainly covered the retreat the day be-
lfore,t had the honor OF the first dash at
the enemy on the 18th of June; the COM
lnencement only i much good service OF
theirs throughout the day. No charge or
That fields described as more magnificent
than this, the first from the brilliant and
tremendous troops. lhe shock was MOI
waited for by the enemy; d moment
cleared The whole front attacked ; and in
|no part of the day was the flight Of the
enemy more unequiyocal. except at the
termination of the battle than it was I'M
|mediately after their first onset
A sentiment Of pride is universal in the
country, because of the well earned dis
tinction of the household troops OF bolu
arms and with ole voice is hailed the
wise abandonment of that system, so un-
Just to them, which kept them exclusive
Nv for show, and denied to the British,
monarch the high sight of circle ofprov.
ed warriors Immediately around his pei
son, of the same cast with those who cav
ry his name with their own to the reElot-
est quarters Of the world.t
AS we stood or cur commanding spot,
the first thought was naturally to the
Numbers of the contending armies res
rectiveIv. The British were stated by
Bonaparte himself at $4,000, and Ger.
talnly they have never been made out t.
have been more. OF these moi more than