Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-09-26
WATERLOO.
Extracts of q Letter from an American Gentle
man in Europe to his friend in Portsmouth.

Extracts of q Letter from an American Gentlo-
man in Europe to his friend in Portsmouth.
From The oracle.
have Just returned from Brussels which |
visited for the purpose Of examining the field
Of battle at Waterloo. and | have some circum-
stances to communicate which think will not
be uninterestng to you.
Upon leaving Brussels by the southern road,
about three miles from the city, you enter upon
the Forest de Soigne, thick wood which ex-
tends to Waterloo, a village about nine miles
from Brussels The great military paved road,
extending from Brcda to Puris, passes through
Brussels Waterloo and ChaIeroi. At Water
loo, the forest de Soigne forms a crescent, the
village being situated in the centre of the con-
cave side. About two miles in front Of Water
loo, as you advance towards Cbarleroi, YOU
come to the hamlet of Mount st. Jean, consist
ing of three or four brick cottages, and taking
its name from neghboring farm house. At
this place the road dydes-the right hand
road leading to Niveles, and the left, being the
military road to Charlero About a quarter of
q mile from the hamlet on the Chareroi road
stands the farm house of Mount St. Jean, and
quarter Of mile beyond that, the farm house
Of Haye Sante-three quarters of a mile far
ther you come to the little farm house called
La Belle Alliance. About mile from the ham
let on the Nivelles road, is a country scat called
the Chateau Hougoumont. Immediately in
front of the hamlet, four or five rods from the
fork of the roads, is gentle swell Of land
crossing both roads and extending to the right
and left as far as the eye can reach. AT llaye
Sainte is another swell parallel to this, extend
ing to the left beyond Hougoumont. Near la
Belle Alliance are two other swes of land par
allel to these, and apparently of the same
height and extent These lands were all sown
with wheat, and excepting at Mount st. Jean,
llaya Sainte and IIoIgoumont, there is not
single tree, hedge or fence. The ground is
perfectly smooth and regular, and artillery or
cavalry could be used at any point. Lord Wei
lingon drew up his army on the two swells of
land in front of Mount st. Jean, the centre of
the right wing occupying Hougoumont, and
the centre of the left wing llaye Sainte. The
French occupied the two ridges of land near Ia
Belle Alliance. About fortnight before the
battle Lord Wellington had erected an obser-
vatory sort of tower, like light house,
mile beyond la Belle Blliance, which during the
battle was in the rear of the French army. The
battle commenced at 10 O'Clock on Sunday
morning. 1t rained very hard and continued
to rain during the day. The Chateau Hougou-
mont consisted of small dwelling house and
outhouses forming three sides-of square, and
q
ing three sides of another square, adjoining the
former. Back of these is very large garden
having the buildings on one side, high brick
wall on ryo other sides, and thick hedge on
the fourth. On one side of the chateau are
several acres of wood, chiefly young trees. In
this wood the French placed several field pieces
and began most furious attack on the chateau
which continued through the day. Had they
carried this point, they would have been able TO
outAank the English army The house was
taken and retaken several times, and at length
was burnt, but the English were never dislodged
from the garden. They made several portfolios
in the wall and formed a staging of planks
within, by means of which they could slanu AMI
fire over the wall. The French finding they
could make no impression upon the enemy, sent
party round to the other side to cut down the
hedge. They succeeded in opening a passage
to the garden; but the Eglish met them with so
much frmness and resolution, that after suffer-
ing tremendous loss they retired from the at
tack The bodies of five hundred Frenchmen
were taken up there alter the battle and burned
in one pile. At the farm of la Haye Sante
there was a most terrible conAct-the severest
shock of the whole battle. Early in the action
the French obtained possession of il, and after
wards advanced to the first eminence upon
which the British were posted. A body of
two British regiments on the right CT la Haye
Sainte, crossed the road and assembled towards
the first British line. a body of cavalry de-
scended to meet them. At the foot of the hill
the cavalry suddenly opened to the right and
left, and exposed the cuirassiers as they ad-
vanced, to the fire Of the English artillery sta
toned on the second ridge, which Immediately
threw them into confusion, and the cavalry ad-
vancng completely destroyed them. Though
every thing valuable has long since been CLEANED
from the field. that spot is at this moment cov-
cred with caps and helmets, and breastplatcs
literally cut in pieces by the sabre. The barn
of la Ilaye Sainte like most of our American
barns has wide passage through it fog load
of hay to pass, and is closed at each end by
large doors. That passage was occupied by the
English, and contested by the French for tloC
hours and a haif at the point of the bayonet.-
The walls are every where smeared with blood
the doors perforated by thousand bullets, and
| the roof and sides penetrated in many places by
cannon balls. The Duke OF Wellington took
his station for several hours on little emlnence
about ten rods from the farm house, where he
st unmoved in advance of his army in the
hottest of the battle. Bonaparte was either at
la Belle Alliance between his two lines, or al
the observatory in the rear OF his army.
Very few traces now remain of the battle
| NO DrenSlWOiK was thrown up OH lle lltlu unO
there were no trees, or fences or buildings to be
DESTROYED. AS the crop of wheat was trodder
down, the peasants Immediately plowed it in fol
manure. A few spots however remained un
touched, and there you can distinctly trace tht
footsteps of the cavalry and infantry in thu
mud. A thousand men We're employed tiy'
days in removing the wounded allies to Brus
sells and in burying the dead so that not
single Frenchman was removed from the felC
until the sixth day, and many remained on tn,
ground until the tenth day with their wounds
1ndressed The English supplied them will
food, but God only knows how they survived
The Prussians would do nothing for them. bu
reproached them with suffering the Devil t,
break loose, and receiving him among then
again. Sometimes their prayers for assistance
were answered with a blow of the musket
which released them from all further palms,
The English treated them with great humanit
after they were removed to the neghboring vii
lagos.
One of the vessels worked by steam was re
Gently navigated with great success in man
parts of the coast of Scotland and Ireland oi
making the 1uscar Rock, the captain took in
pilot. and directed him to steer the vessel 70
Wexford Harbor;
"Aad is Il game you are making Of meg re
piled Paddy, "cant y0u see the wind and It'd
are smack in your teeth-and a dega of a clou
| ~ 81, s,,y bope ,,ou sci and bU jSt. Patrick moi