Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-11-23
Ar Err o o.
EHE LAST HOURS OF THE FIGHT.

SHE SIASt HOURS OF TIE FIGHT.
A few months since | was standing on
the fed Of Waterloo, Oh the anniversary
Of that great battle The fields were wa
wing with the ripening grain, just as they
were en- that memorable morning, before
being trcddcu down BY charging squad
rops. As stood where Wellington had
stood, on the ridge occupied by the Eng
lish lines, and surveyed the entire field
and looked down upon the narrow valley
where the fate Of all Europe was orce put
up and batled for, world of conflicting
emotions struggled fer the mastery within
me The maguifconce aud pomp Of that
stern army was before me, AID my ca.
seemed distinctly to ca ch the first cannon
shot that opened the conflict. Far on the
right comes down jerome Eonaparta, with
his twelve thousand men. A sheet of fire
runs along the walls of the chateau, and 0
gap opens up in the advancing COLUMNS cf
the foe. Its mangod head melts like frost
work before the destructive fire. The
smoke Of the battle covers them from sight,
and rolls up the valley, and 10. l see
nothing but the melee of horses and riders,
.ho tossing Of banners and the soaring of
the French Eagle amid the cloud of war,
and I hear nought but the roar of the ar
tilIery, the braying of trumpets, the blast
Of the bugle sounding the ch arge, and the
heavy shock Of the cavalry.
The great battle Of Europe was to be
fought. All its kings stood looking Oh
with brcachless interest, for their thrones
were at stake. The feelings Of these two
great military ehiefta!ns themselves as they
thus for the fr,t time stood face to face
and battled for \ continent, were stirred.
The British veteran wiping the sweat from
his brow exclaimed, 60, that BlucAer or
night would come !" The next moment
an Immense hody Of french cavalry come
laundering down on one Of the English
squares. 1t had already become weakened
by the losc Of whole ranks which the
French artillery had moved down, but
withstool tie desperate shock with true
bravery. The F-eueh came down at a
plunging trot, th,. breaking into :. gallop,
fell like a rock hurled back from the
mountain, they rvcolsd from the shock.
Driven to desperation by their repeatedly
foiled attempts, they stopped their horses
and coolly walked them around that brave
square, and whenever man fell dashed
in. Such desperate reso' uuon, .uch reok
lessuess Of life, began at myth % tell on
the conflict. The square bcgan to shake
and waver, when Wellington came dashing
Up with lis guard--thcy opened and he
was in its bosom. Their chief was in their
fate voluntarily thrown into
.heir hands, those British hearts could not
yield, Bank after rank fell, but not
man Stirred from lis footsteps. The
French at length gave it up, and retired
30 their position. Again, Gu separate
squares we're those terrific charges made,
and again, as they wavercd did Yelling
ton ding himself in THEN midst. Thus,
from | | in the morning until o'clock 10
the evening had the battle ragged, when
dark object was seen to emerge from
distant wood. larger and larger it grew,
ill whole column stood revealed, with
banners waving iI the breeze. Butcher
md his Prussans had come Both ar
MES saw that the hour had arrived for
inal issue
Bonaparto then rode up to his old aud
we'll tried Imperial Guard that had not
,een in battle all day. Placing himself
It their head, he led them half way down
he slope, when he halted aud addressed
hem in his impetuous and fiery manner.
lie told them that the fate of the battle
nd Of France was in their hands lie
,as answered by those devoted hearts,
Emperor forever !" with shout that
ang over the storm Of battle, and was
card all along the British lines, Then
e placed thosl under Ney, with orders to
,rce the British centre and prevent the
Inction Of Butcher with the allied forces.
hat hitherto inviucible guard came down
l beautiful order and array, and with
carts burning with high hopes, They
new that their emperor and the civilized ]
orld were locking on. They carried
lrones and kings as they went. They
eeded nothing to fire their steady cour-
ge, No drum or trumpet, or martial