The native American., 1838-07-21
THE BATTLE OF TOULOUSE-GREATE ERROR
COMMITTED BY WELLINGTON.

/ COMMITTED BY WELLINGTON.
| At the hotel de Europe, met with facetious old
gentleman who had served under Napoleon in his Italian
campaign, and who volunteered to conduct me the
battle field Of Toulouse. From wounds received in tia
y be had been obliged to retire from the army when he
settled in his native town and was present sen amateur"
at the fight of the 18th of April 1914 could not have
had better guide, more impartial narration Of the
events of that day From his having no duties to per-
form, he was al liberty to go where he pleased and be
come an eyewitness OF the movements in all parts of the
field Soult after the battle Of Orhes rereacd to Tou
ouse as expedously possible taking the line of road
by ST. Gaudens. Wellington on the other hand follow
ed his enemy slowly, and took the longer route by
Auch. The consequence was, that Sout had not only
time to take up of the strongest positions in the
country, but TO entrench and ortfy it. He encircled the
rising ground, Immediately to the east of the town, with
strong reouhts and trenches he had his left protected
by the town and the canal in his front the ground sloped
down to the plain and at the bottom of the declivity
and along the front Of his position narrow but deep
and muddy river; while the ground rising TO his right
enabled him to plant redonbs still higher thus protect
ing well commanding his position, should it be
ried by assault. Although more than twenty years had
elapsed since our gallant soldiers drove the enemy from
this strong position and the plough had passed. year a
ter year, the field Of battle, the embanknents and
trenches remain undestroyed and like the Roman hill
forts Of my own land, may exist for centuries TO
My conductor pointed out to in the distance, front
Of Souts position the chateau from which the duke Of
Wellington surveyed the field; he described to me the
manner in which the British advanced TO the attack,
distinguishing the points against which the Spanards
and the sans cnloes, the Regiments d'Ecosse" were
opposed. The first Impression which made upon this
strong position, the eastern redoubt being carried by
the cnottcs 1t seems that according to the ac-
count given me, Souli had placed in defence Of this re-
doubt officer with whom he had had snme difference,
| TO whom he Imputed some blame, and whose impatence
to the stigma cast npon him. cost him his life,
and the loss Of the post he was ordered to defend
had ordered Scottish brigade to attack this ront
Wio with difficulty, crossed the river their front,
and advanced against it. The French officer, command
ling the edoubt burning with eagerness TO retrieve his
character and favored by the situation of the ground,
rashy, and against his ORDERS quilted sposon, and led
his against the Scottish brigade. The French had
all the advantage Of the higher ground, and The struggle
Twas fierce but decisive The French driven back,
and endeavored 10 regain their redoubt which they did,
but was company with the Scottish regiments who
entered pell along with them and final drove them
from it, My conductors admiration Of my conntrymen
was great and would be difficult to say whether he was
most eloquentin extoing their inrepidy, in exc
Icrang the folly of the andant which lid 10 the
disaster The spaniars and Portuguese advanced against
the left of the position They behaved gaIany, and
fought brayey; and would, but oran unforeseen circum
stance, have been more successful than they Be-
tween the canal and the strong redo'bt upon the left
country road which led into the plain had been cut
through the bank Immediately in front Of the redoubt,
forming and almost impossible trench. To
the columns advancing against the relobt this obsta
Gle was impercepbe, and it was not ut the foremost
OF their ranks advancing up the slope, and within few
yards. as they thongh of the low breaworks OF the
doubt found this yawn;ng chasm in front Of them. In
attempting to cross It they were nown down by hun
dreds, their bodies forming the OF passage to those
who followed. When the dead were collected nearly
1000 Spanish and Portuguese We're iont within this
row way, confined. that they might have been buried
en- in the trench whose existence had destroyed
| them. The most n'polta part Of the position gained,
the defeat OF the French the certain consequence;
and Sont vas again driven from his stronghold. was
delighted by the in which my companion spoke
Of the British troops. while qartercd Toulouse and
the adjoining district il was highly complimentary, and
tailed with what had heard in other provinces, and Of
which shall hereafter have occasion To speak The
short sketch which he gave OF the battle OF Toulouse,
may may not he correct but such II is have given
! it, nearly possible in his words.
il remember observation which he made when talk
i ing of the merits Of the duke of Wellington
mahder lie is great general, said he, "mas il est
/ tonours trop long fare alare;" at the same time
nstancng the circumstance OF the dukes permitting such
and his appearance before Toulouse to enable Soult
to remedy his losses and to establish himself in COM
parative security there. s.lf' said he s'Wengon had
followed up his al Olhes, he might have destroy
ed the rereang French army before it reached Tou
louise; at all events prevented their enenchng them
selves they did, and throwing another cast IN the game
they playing merely replied, that we had old
proveb in country, that it better 10 do thing
slowly and surely than quickly and imperiectly and
perhaps the duke of Wellington had not hitherto found
| The maxim a bad one.-Nurray's Summer IL The Pwe.
i neeS" t 0s.
n Dream Gods Gorerament.-l dreamed that
from country full of wealth, popula ION and activity,
took away the good king who caused 10 flourish thus,
and his country SINK beneath its loss. Then dreamed
that another country, barren, desoatr and perishng
placed this good king, and the country fourshed al
once. Thereon woke and gazed around me; but for
tunatey for man. the good king not removed from
land 10 rule another he ruled alike the prospe
rous and the suffering and abandoned neither for the
1 other.
The royal sceptre of England is made Of gold the han
die plain the upper part wreathrd; in length about two