The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-04-18


attempt TO carry it by assault having
proved unsuccessful, o general s. com.
bined attack became necessary to force
the passage of the river and carry the
position. Orders we're Immediately
given 10 that effect. The corps of gen.
Vandamme, supported by the cavalry
ut gen. Exelman, was ordered TO renew
u maintain the engagement in Wavres,
whilst the body Of infantry and cavalry
o! generals Gerard and Pajol, was TO
cross the river at Bielgt and Limelelte,
Villages situate TO the left of the
Wavres. Whilst these arrangements
were carrying into effect, towards four
O'Clock in the afternoon orders arrived
from the Emperor. They were dated
from the field OF battle on the 18Th, al
half past one O'clock, p. Nj. and direct
ed marshal Grouchy, TO march by the
way OF st. Lambert, 10 Waterloo. The
enly mode OF efIecting this, was to open
the passage of the Dyle, and overthrow
the Prussian army in order of battle be.
hind II; had this event been immedi>
ately succeeded in, the distance ftom
Wayres to Waterloo, and the nature of
the soil, which is covered with woods
without roads, and broken up, would
not have afforded sufficient time to ar
rive soon enough TO prevent or repair
INC mistortuEes Of that disastrous day,
However, as The attacks which had been
| ordered, was the only means OF reioin-
ing the operations of Napoleon, and ac-
comprising his views, they were urg-
cd and executed with vigor. At first
they did not succeed; gen. Vandamme
was unable 10 carry the bridge OF
Wavres; gen. Gerard was wounded in
the breast by ball, in the lruitloss at.
tack on the mill below Beige. New ef.
forts were directed TO be made, and
| marshal Grouchy, who himself led the
| attack on the lef., after gen. Gerard
was wounded, succeeded in passing the
Dyle, beyond the village of Limelette,
with few thousand men, but that part
OF Wavres on the right oil the Dyle was
! still occupied by the enemy. Such was
the state o! things on the 18Th, at | /
O'Clock at night Five or six thousand
men, with whom was the marshal, were
on the other side ofthe Dylc; the corps
of Vandamme occupied that part of
Wavres, of which it had possessed it
self IN the morning, and the Prusssn
army In possession of the bridge and
other parts ofth city, still covered the
| heights and surrounded the small num-
bers with which The marshal had sue
ceeded in gaining the right bank OF the
river. Without news from the Emper-
or since his despatch, received at four
o'clock in the afternoon, marshal Grou-
chy then thought him congueror of The
English, engaged in pursuing them, and
in iull march towards Brussels.
| ImPatienttoe xtricate himself from
| the -,iisadrantageous position in which
he was placed, and to move also towards
/ the capital of the Netherlands, he has
tened TO re-attack the Prussiaus, which
was done on the lslh June, before the
dawn of day-they had also prepared 10
do the same thing, but pressed by the
troops which had crossed beyond Lines
cite, and who annoyed them on their
flank, they soon gave way.
| WaVres was occupied by the French,
and the enemy in full retreat was pug.
sued, On the road &c Brussels beyond
the Rosierne. 1t was at that time.
which was about eleven in the morning
of the 9th of June, that Polish officer
who had been dispatched the proceed
ing evening by the Major General
(Marshel SoulD but who had not been
| able to join Marshal Grouchy, brought
him intelligence Of the disasters of the
grand army. and the verbal order oi tho
Emperor to retreat whittier and in the
best manner lie could.
The retreat made by Marshal Grou
chy, the details OF which would be SUI
perfluous here, was as glorious to the
arms af Franco, as il might have been
serviceable to his country, if personal
interest, tIeacheIy and an i'll timid poll
cy had not presided over the desiinies
of France
Being attacked on the morning Of The
20th of June, at Namur, the Prussians
we're so vigorously repulsed, that they
we're unatle to possess themselves Of
the city, and it was not until evening
that it was evacuated, and soon losing
all hope of cutting of the MarshaPs ar
my they abandoned the pursuit.
Although during his march he was
nearly surrounded by the coalssced tor
ces, he reached scissors without suffer.
ing any loss there rallied the remains
of the Emperor's army, and after eau
sing Napoleon the 2nd to be proclaimed
at Rethel, he returned TO Paris with $50
riacaa oT cannon ODD r,ore tlor rO pCc.