Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-05-17
!. WATERLoO.

miles from Brussels. |, was CLOUDY
/ gloomy day, lha, fell the city 10 visit th
spot on which the fate Of Europe was ono
decided. stopped moment 10 look Q
the house where tho ball was held the nigt
before the battle, and fri N the ihoughtles
i gas ely of which so Many officers wer
SUNNI oned by the thunders Of cannon I
the field OF battle. Before reaching III
field, we passed through the extremel
beautiful forest of Solgnies, composed Q
tall beeches, and which Byron, BY poetica
license, has changed into the forest of Ar
denIes is more than thirty miles distant il
an opposite direction, but still it was NOR
classic than Soignies, aud so Byron, il
describing the passage Of The British arm,
through il, on their way 10 battle, says:-
aAnd Ardennes waves above them her gree,
leaves,
We with natures tear drops, as they pass
Grieving, taught inanimate e'er grieyes,
Over the unreturning brave alas!
Ere evening to be etrodden down like the grass,
Which, now beneath them, but above shall grow
In. its next verdure, when this fiery mass
OF living valor, rolling on the foe,
And burning with high hope. shall moulder cold
and low.
i Atlength we came 10 the small village
Of Waterloo, and, taking guide, wan.
dered over the field. Not to weary one
with confused details, conceive large TN.
dulating plain, with two ridges rising oul
of il, lying opposite to each other, and
gently curying in from the center. These
opposite ridges are mere elevations ol
ground, separated by shallow valley, va
rying from quarter 10 half mile in
width. Standing on one of these curved
ridges, along which the English army was
posted in two lines, the o:her ridge or ele-
vation Of ground faces you, along which
the French were drawn up. The 7main
road from Brussels to Gennppe, cuts direct
lp across this valley. and through these
ridges, in the center Of the field On The
extreme right is the chateau Of Hougen.
meni, farm house, with an orchard SUR
rounded BY high wall in the shape of a
pnrailelogram. This defended yelling.
TOMS right. The cen,re rested its left on
n small house called La 4Haye Sainte, while
the left wing extended farther on 10 anoth.
er farm house, called Ter la Hays. Thus
fortified at both extremities, and in the
center, lhe allied forces awaited the ap.
proach Of the French on The opposite ridge.
Fifty -four thousand mon were drawn up.
for the slaughter on one side, mile and
q half in length, while Bonapar,e brings
10 the battle seventy five thousand French
men. Back Of the French lines is house
called La Belle Alliance. near which Bo
naparte placed his observatory.
This was the position Of the field, and
such The strength of The mighty armies
that stood thirty years ago, on the morning
Of the l5lh Of June, looking each other i,
the faces. Two unconquered genei als
were al their head. As stood on the
mound reared over the slain, and looked
over the fed along which the grain waved
as i. waved on the day Of that fierce bnttle.
a world Of conflicting emotions struggled in
my heart. Onemoment the nagnifcence
and pomp OF this stern array. converted it
into field Of glory-the next, The concep-
tian Of the feelings that agitated the bosoms
Of these two military leaders, and the ter
rlble results depending oil Europe hangs
ing in breathless suspense on the battle,
impaired TO itn moral sublimity utterly
overwhelming; the next the fierce set, the
squadron, the melee Of horses and
riders; The falling of mangled companies
before The destructive fire; the roa. Of ar-
,iilery, and the blast Of the bugle, and
brayiug oftrumpets, and roll Of drums, and
the tossing Of plumes and banners, and
wheeling ofregimen,s, and shock of casal-
ry, changed il into scene of excitement,
and daring. and horror, TINT made the blood
flow back chill and dark on The heart -
Then came the piles Of oead and the
groans OF the wounded, whole ranks of orr
phans, aid whole villages of mourners;
iiiIn half uttered awoe to the warrior"
was choked by tears Of compassion.
Thirty years ago, Wellington stood
where stood, and surveyed the26eld over
which The two mighty armies were nance.
yering. AT length, this very hour (elevea
o'clock when | am gazing upon it, the
cannoning begins, and soon rolls the whole
length OF the line. Yonder on the ex.
IRENE right, Jerome Benaparte, with l2.
600 men, descends like q mountain stream
on the chateau Of Hougoumont. Column
after column, the dark masses march
strnigh, into the deadly fire that opens in
every directien. In perfect order and
steady front they press upt The very walls,
ana thrust their bay onets through the door
itself. Atlength the house takes fire, and
the shrieks Of the wounded who are burn
ing up, rise moment over the roar Of The
strife, and then naught is heard but the con-
fused noise Of battle, Slowly, reluctantly,
those II, 600 surge back from The wall
IL, 900 did | say? No, in this rapid half
hour 1900 have fallen to rise no more, and
there in that orchard Of four acres, the
bodies are scnttered, rather piled, besmear.
ed with powder and blood. Between me
and them fresh columns Of French lnfan>
Try. headed by long row OF cannon that
belch forth their fires every few moments,
come steadily up the English squares -
Whole ranks Of living men fall at every
discharge, but these firm squares neither
shake nor falter. The earth trembles as
cannon answers cannon, burying their
b,,,xa,v, Gaek In