The Arkansas banner., 1850-01-29
tFrom the Louisville Journal. Foreign Correspondence II.
RnuasrIa Inlv

.
 l BRUssELs, July, IS49. GExFLEMBN: The batile-h ot. Waterloo as peacefully waves with Iipened graia as if it bad never witnessed the fearful shocks ot hostile squad
 rons-as if 1t had never been shskeH by the thunder of artilIery--nor drunk the mingled blood Of those l bitter foes who could only be usited in death. | The immense artificial mound surmounted by the
 Begique lion in brass, and the aiiBs of the chateau I oi Hongonment. with its battered walls and half. burned gates, alone mark 1t ss the spot upon winch l the desiinies of Europe were decided Waterloo is not alone interesting the scese of the ercest and
 most important battle oC mode'n times--not alone as the place of comba, be.wses two of the greatest generals that the world has ever known; 1t is not visited only as the closing scene of the startling career of that man who, at a time of life when other
 men begin to be great bad raised himself from ob-
 scuiity to being the gTeateS commander and the
 most powerful sovereign of the world; who had given and taken away kingdoms tt they were playthings who had dictated terms of peace To every country of Europe, and had compelled the greatest of its kings To do homage for their kingdoms; but the spot upon which the fate of Europe and perhaps of the world yves decided. No man can visit it
 without thousand iumuliuous recollecticns oi the
 past and vogue speeulations of the future crowding upon him.
 | As I paused npon those spots from which Nspo- leon bad hurled his tremendous attacks up the Brit | ish Iines--as fingered in the rayine from winch
 he witnessed the final charge and repulse of his old
 guard and where his proud heart must have endured
 m that instant of defeat lifetime of agonyI could
 but think il Fortune, who had spoiled Napoleon. had
 smiled on her old favorite hs,e--if Grouchy had done his duty, and the Emperor been victorious how different mig now be the siihatica of Europe. Napolenns restless ambition would only have been l bounded by universal empire. He would have pulled down the old kings and put up new. And | the liberal views and enlightened policy which marked his rule would have weaned the people from their innate attachment 10 the hereditary families, and gradually prepared them for that freedom which they know not how to enjoy, even when they pos- sess it. When hIs master mind had ceased to direct, the puppets which he bad clothed in roya; robes would soon have been forced to yield 10 the | united voice of the people and been compelled
 peacefully to grant that liberty to the which cannot be wrested from their rulers by violence. 1 Had Bonaparte come oil from " a,erioo victorious, | as ne had done from SO many other engagements
 when the odds were against him. Europe might now | be a number of prosperous Repubcs, instead oT
 teing shaken by the bloody revolutions which have | so long conyulsed 1t. .... . H
 Even after standing upon the spot where Yelling
 ton, watch in hand so eng and 50 patiently awaited | the coming of Butcher, whiIst his brave soldiers
 were being cut down in thousands in the farioas charges oi the French cuhassiers--aiter wandering | over the intermediate valley, which was ploughed
 by the artillery and trampled almost into qusg-
 nre by the raging struggles between the cayaTy of the two arnes-and even after visiting that portion cf the road from which the English guard wno had lain concealed. suddenly sprung up at Wellingtons command of "up and at them" and drove back, panic stricken, NaPoleons old guard, who had never
 known fear or defeat befoIe-I could not even then
 realize that spot now smiling with cultivation,
 with white faFm- houses and pretty villages had been l the scene of conflict 90 bloody; and when had toiied up the high mound and looked out upon the
 vast plain rich in the comlng harvest-hesrd the | song of the sky-lark as he almost hid himself among in Httsht fatN l,,Ila 1 the spirit of peace. which seemed 10 hover in the
 still summer air, could but reflect how different
 was the scene thirty four years ago when suewn
 with the dead and the dying oi that eventfu battle | Never was battle % fefcely fought so long | doubtful, that Of W ateroo. Three times, when
 the lines of the allies shrunk before tte impetuous charges of the French cuirassiers, did victory on the side of Napoleon but at last turned against him, with slaughter of hs troops that almost l incredible. Had Napoleon, when the dark lines of | advancing Russians trstcissued from the, wood, headed m person the ihai chargr oi his guard he | might have iRspred them with that confidence. and carried with Tim that success which Ney failed to do. But 1t seemed indeed that inc taies were ieagued against him when the Old Guard, with "the bGavest nf the brave at their head would turn their | backs upon any ioe. He might not have changed the fortune oi the day-he might have lost hs lite but whai was lie when glory and power were gone! And death at the head of his tathfal old soldiers, m last struggle against bis foes would have been more m accordance with the hte he had lived than A miserable exile in the island of Si. Helena. Ieannot forgive the mistaken zeal of those friends who persuaded the hero of a hundred ylcto- res to outlive his honOr. HE7
 How strange and unaccountAbie Is the terrible a
 per vading influence oi panic How unlike them selves men when unnerved by fear. The French veterans at atrrloo, who had always followed then
 great leader to victory, who were flushed with recent success at Ligny and Qlaire Bras, who had not hitherto known the name of fear, when once their ranks were broken, rushed wildly on, deaf to the voices of their officers. who vaniy struggled to stop them, and erowding pell nell into the roads offered no resistance 10 the pursuing enemy. but allowed 1 themselves to be slaughtered like sheep. At Char irrci. Napoleon himself attempted 10 arrest the flight ot has troops by placing eoapaLy ot grensdiefs on l the bridge, with fixed bsyonets. Bul the fearful shout that arose iron the rear, Of " the Pfussisns, the Russians v urged on those in front That cry ot agenised fear was mote powerful than the voice of their beloved Emperor himse, and the ressties. tide of fagitives swept away :he genadiers and rcssed onward. The Prussiaus and Brunswickers
 hurried after them more like savage beasts of prey
 thsa men. muriering sii the miserable strhggiefs
 who, exhsusited by woands or fatigue, ~ere uDaoie
 to fee further. The vinfietive fury with whsch he
 pursued the retreating French has stained the name
 ef BIueheE who arriving lime tcs the daughter.
 engaged in this ~ hotiy II he had met with sli
 the resistancr of battle. '@-a
 How terrible must have appeared this bloody
 battle Held, when resounding with the shfeks of the l wounded and ghastfy with the mangied forms Of the dead . II seems 10 me that stout heart could
 better brave the danger and excitement of the battle than bear those fearful scenes which must aiwsys follow even victory. And on that great day the
 the soldiers had only to mourn tho loss oi thou.
 sands of their compAnioas, but many of their most distinguished leaders. The number of charges
 which the English that day made. with their lead