Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-05-25

Waterlcc.-Thc Last Hours of the Fight.

The battle of Waterloo, on the third day, con
! tinued for more than seven hours OF unintermit-
| ting fighting, during which the allied army, con-
sistng of $4,000 men successfully withstood the
attack of between 10000 and 10000 chosen
troops, accustomed to all the manoeuvers of war,
and rendered expert, fearless, determined, and,
in their own estimation, inviucble, aud led on by
the Emperor Napoleon in person.
OF the 54, 900 men commanded by the Duke of
Wellington, only $4,000 were British or German
legons the remainder was made up OF various,
perhaps discordant materials, and the greater
part of the men had now for the first time taken
1 the field.
The following sketch is by j. 7. Ieadley, an
American author of celebrity:
few months since was standing on the field
/ of Waterloo, on the anniversary day of that
| great battle. The fields were waving with the
| ripening grain, Just as they were on that memo
4 rabe morning. before being trodden down 10y the
I charging squadrons. AS stood where yelling
ton had stood, on the ridge occupied by the
English lines, and surveyed the entire Held, and
I looked down on the narrow valley where the
fate of all Europe was once put up ana hattleu
for, u world of conflicting emotions struggled
for mastery within me. The maguifcence aud
pomp of that stern array were before me, ana
my ear seemed distinctly to catch the trst eau
non shot that opened the conflict. Far on the
| right comes down, on the llougoumont jerome
Bonaparte, with his twelve thousand men. n
sheet of fire runs along the walls of the chatean,
/ aud gap opens up in the advancing columns OF
+ the foe It's mangled head melts like frostwork
+. before the destructive fire. The smoke OF the
battle covers them from sight, and rolls up the
! valley, and lol | see nothing but the melee oil
horses and riders, the tossing of banners aud the
soaring OF the French eagle amid the cloud OF
war; and hear naught but the roar at artillery,
the braying of trumpets, the blast OF the bugle
sounding the charge, and the heavy shock OF the
cavalry.
IoIlI L., nr 10 hn Crh
All its kings stood looking on with breathless
interest for their thrones were at stake. The
feelings of these two great military chlettains
themselves, as they thus for the first time stood
face to face and battled for u Continent, Were
stirred The British veteran wiping the sweat
; from his brow, exclaimed, "Oh, that Blucher ol
! night would cOme!" The next moment an i'm
mense body of French cavalry came laundering
down on one of the English squares.
1t had already become weakened by the loss
of whole ranks which the French artillery had
moved down. but withstood the desperate shock
with true bravery The French came down at u
7 aim ring trot then breaking into gallop, fell
like a rock Snrled back from the mountain, they
recalled from the shock. Driven to desperation
by their repeatedly foi.ed attempts, they stopped
their horses, and coolly walked them around
that brave square, aud whenever "'"n iol,
dashed in. Such desperate resolution, suoh
reckessness of life began, at length, to teli o,'
the conflict. The square began to shake ana
waver, when Wellington came dashng up with
his guard-they opened, aud he was in its bosom.
! The chief was in their keeping-hls late volun-
| tarily thrown into their hands, those British
hearts could not yield. Rank after rank fell
! but not "a man stirred from his footsteps. ihe
| French at length gave 1t up, aud retired 10 theH
position. Again, on separate squares were tnose
terrific charges made and again, as they wayered,
did Wellington fling himself in their midst Thus,
from II in the morning until IN the evening
had the battle ragged, when dark object was
seen to emerge from distant wood. Larger
and larger it grew, till whole column stood
revealed, with banners waving in the breeze
Blucher and his Prussians had come Both
armies saw that the hour had arrived Tor maj
issue Bonaparte then rode up to his old and
well-tried Imperial Guard that had not been IN
battle all day. Placing himself at their head,
he lead them half way down the slope, when he
halted and addressed them in his impet uous and
fiery manner He told them that the fate of the
battle and of France was in their hands lie was
answered by those devoted hearts, " the Emperor
forever !" with shout that rang over the storm
of battle and was heard all along the British
lines Then placed them under Ney, with orders
to force the British centre aud prevent the juno
tion of Blucher with the allied forces. That
hitherto invincible guard came down In beautiful
order and array, and with hearts burning WIN
high hopes. They knew that their Emperor and
the civilized world were looking on. They car
needed nothing to fire their steady courage. NO
drum or trumpet, or martial strain cheoied them
on. No bugle sounded the charge. In perfect
order and dead silence they moved over the
plain. Above them scared the French eagle no
power had ever yet wrested from their grasp
and on them was the eye OF Bonaparte. The
allied army saw, with awe aud dread the ap-
prOach of that uncOnquerable legion. The terror
of Europe was on the march. For moment the
firing ceased along the lines. The battle was
hushed The munled tread OF that magnificent
legion alone was heard. The sudden calm was
but momentary. The artillery again opened like
volcano on the foe Whole ranks went down
before the destructive fire, yet they iatered not
! for a moment Over their fallen comrades, with
the same steady 'front.' they moved on, across the
valley and up the slope. Before their cool rests
! less charge the English lines melted like frost
work. They took the last fire OF the artillery
| full on their bOsOms, then walked over the can
non, artllerymen and all On, on, like resist
less wave they swept, carrying everything down
| in their passage, till they approached within
few rods OF where Wellington stood. All seemed
lost when a rank Of men who had lain Hat on
their faces behind low ridge Of earth, suddenly
heard the ringing order, Up, Guards, aud at
lem W They started up as from the bowels Of
the earth, and poured in their destructive fire in
the very faces Of that mangled guard Thy re-
coiled from the discharge as If smitten with a
sudden blow second and third followed.
They reeled and staggered moment, aud then
turned aud fled The battle was over. The
thunder of the first cannon came at intervals on
the night air, telling where Blucher trod down
the foe. Wellington had left 10 him the pursuit,
and was leading back his weary and bleeding
army over the battle field The full round moon
was riding the quiet heavens, lighting up the
mangled masses Of human flesh that weighed
down the field. Here an epauette-there
shivered sword flashed back,ts beams. Groans
loaded the air, while the death shrek came at
intervals on the ear Wellington aoept. The ex-
element aud rage of battle was over, and his
heart sickened at the awful scene before him.
Tue sugar maple Is cultivated with great care
in the State Of New York and in upper Pennsyl-