Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-12-31
THE FIELD OF WATERLOO.

have spoken heretofore with some levty
of the contrast that existed between the Eng
lish and French character; but it deserves
more serious consideration. They are the two
great nations of modern times most dlametrl-
calv opposed and most worthy of each others
rivalry; essentially distinct in their characters,
exceling in opposite qualities, and rejecting
lustre on each other by their very opposition.
In nothing is this contrast more strikingly e.
WINGED than in their military conduct. For
ages have they been contending, and for ages
have they crowded each others history with
acts of splendid herosm.
Take the battle of Waterloo, for instance,
the last and most memorable trial CT their RI
val prowess. Nothing could surpass the brill
liant daring on the one side, and the steadfast
enduring on the other. The French cavalry
broke like waves on the compact squares of
English infantry. They were seen galloping
round those serred walls of men, seeking in
vain for entrance, tossing their arms in the air
in the heat of their enthusiasm, and Drawing the
whole front of battle. The British troops on
the other hand, forbidden to move or fire, stood
firm and enduring. Their columns were rip
ed up by cannory; whole rows were swept
down at shot; the survivors close their ranks,
and stood through the peltlng of the iron tenn
pest without firing shot. Death thinned their
ranks, but could not shake their souls.
A beautiful instance of the quick and gene
rous impulses to which the French are prone,
is given in the case of French cavalier, in the
hottest of the action by charging furiously up
on a British officer, but perceiving in the mo-
ment ofassault that his adversary had lost his
sword arm, dropping the point of his sabre, and
courteousy riding on. Peace be with that
generous warrior, whatever were his fate. If
he went down in the storm of battle, with the
laundering fortunes of his chieltain, may the
turf of Waterloo grow green above the gravel
aud happier far would be the fate of such
spirit to sink amidst the tempest, unconscious
of defeat, than to servive and mourn over the
blighted laurels of his country.
In this way, the two armies fought through
a long and bloody day-the French with en-
thusiastic valor, the English with cold, inhex-
ible courage; until fate, as if to leave the Dues
ton of superiority still undecided between two
such formidable adversaries, brought up the
prussians to decide the fortunes of the field.
1t was several years afterwards that visit.
ed the field of Waterloo. The ploughshare
had been busy with its oblivious labors, and
the vestiges of war. Still, the blackened ru-
ins of Hugumout stood, monumental pile. to
mark the violence of this vehement STRUGGLE.
Its broken walls, pierced by bullets, and Shat
tered by explosions, showed the deadly strife
that had taken place within, when Gaul and
Briton, hemmed in between narrow walls hand
to hand, and foot to foot, fought garden to court
yard, from courtyard to chamber, with intense
and concentrated rivalship. Columns of smoke
fumed from this vortext of battle, as from
volcano; $ it was" said my guide. I" like
hell upon earth.' Not far off, two or three
broad spots of rank, urwhoIesome green, still
marked she places where these rival warriors.
after their fierce and fitful struggle, slept uui-
city together in the lap of their common moth
er, each. Over all the rest of the field. peace
had resumed its sway. The thougtless whis.
tie Of the peasant floated in the air, instead Of
the trumpet's clangor; the team slowly labor
ed up the hill side, once shaken by the hoofs
of rushing squadrons; and wide fields of corn
waved peacefully over the soldiers graves. as
summer seas dimple over the place where ma
ny tall ship lies buried.-W. Irving.
VICTIMS OF YELLOW FEvER.-The N. Or.
leans Daily Evening Post Of the SD contains
list (made as perfect as possible) Of those
who have died-by yellow fever this year at N.
Orleans. The list of names gives the birth
place and age of the subject.
Inc whole number is I64l: of which IO55
We're from foreign countries, 2s8 natives of
me u States and 29s unknown.