The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-06-19

HIS SAliauSteu lIOoEiS u supp lew IIllcS
before reaching that all important point,
which he intended to take with the ear
liest morning light. He sent word that
the post was actually in his possession
Wellington, at a ball in Brussels, turned
pale with dislnay, as he heard Of the ap-
proach Of Napoleon.
1t was fifteen miles from Brussels to
Quatre Bras. Fully aware of the import
ance of that post, he instantly dispatched
division to occupy it. Through the
whole night these troops pressed along
the miry road, mingling their tumult with
the roar Of the tempest. In the morning,
Ney, in CONSERVATION, found that the Eng
lish had possession of the post. The en-
tire day was spent in the most bloody, des-
perate aud unavailing endeayors to regain
it. The anguish Of Ney, in view of the
irreparabe fault, was awful. The night
of the 10th of June came night of
darkness and deluging rain. Napoleon,
at Ligny, was victor. Ney, ten miles
distant, at Quatre Bras, was baffled, bleed
ing and exhausted. Blucher, with his
broken battalions consequently escaped,
and retreated towards Wavre, where he
was joined by reinforcements. Napoleon
sent Grouchy with $4,000 men to pursue
him. Wellington fell back to Waterloo,
to be joined by his Prussian allies Such
was the state of affairs when the morning
of the 18th of June dawned upon these
drenched armies.
Napoleon, leaving Grouchy to pursue
Blucher, passed over to Quatre Bras, join
ed his troops with those of Ney, and with
this combined force Of 10000 followed
| Wellington to the spacious plain Of Wat
erloo. Wellington had hare skilfully pos
ted his troops on an extended ridge, and
was anxiously awaiting the arrival Of
| Blucher. 1t was the night of the 18th,
dark and rainy, when Napoleon reached
the field. For eighteen hours he had not
| INDUCED in moment OF repose or recel-
we'd any nourishment All the night the
rain fell in torrents, as the Emperor sta
toned his men for the battle of the NOR
row.
Wellington's force has been variously
estimated at from r 600 to 10000 men.
Napoleon had from 65 600 to $4,000
The morning of the 18th dawned lurid
and stormy. 1t was the Sabbath. The
undulating plain of Waterloo was vast
wheat field. Soaked with rain and cut
up by the wheels and the tramp of these
armies it LOW resembled a quagmire. At
eight o'clock the clouds broke, and the
sun brilliantly shone out. At half past
ten the troops were all in their positions,
the hospitals established in the rear, and
the surgeons, with bandages, splinters,
knives and saws, ready for their melan-
choly work
At IL O'Clock the carnage commenced.
The English with their formidable bat
teries, were extended along the ridge Of a
gentle elevation, about a mile and half
| in length The French, from an oppo-
sing ridge, not an eighth of mile dis
tant, were forming In solid columns, and
| charging the British line up to the very
muzzle of their guns. Hour after hour
the murderous fight continued, each par
ty apparently as Indifferent to bullets,
balls and shells, as if they had been snow
fakes.
About the middle Of the afternoon the
victory seemed to be decided in favor OF
Napoleon. In many places great gaps
had been cut through the British lines,
and fugitives, in broken bands, were fly
ing in dismay towards Brussels. It Is
said that Wellington was in anguish
deeming the battle lost, and that he wiped
the cold sweat from his brow, saying
"Would that Blucher OF night were come. .
just at this time the quick eye Of the
Emperor discerned, far off upon the ri ght
an immense mass of 10000 men, rapidly
emerging from forest and descending
upon the plain He hoped that it va,
Grouchy. 1t ought to have been. 1t wa,
Blucher Napoleon had now bat 30, ,00(
men, exhausted by exposure, marchirgs
and many hours of the most desperate
fighting. Wellington, with the reinforce
ments of Blucher's fresh troops, had 100,
900 to oppose to him
Twenty thousand of the French soldier:
we're now either dead or wounded Du
$4,000 remained to oppose 100000
Everything now depended upon the sue
cess of desperate charge, before tn,
Prussians should reach the field. Th'
Imperial Guard was Immediately brcugh
forward Napoleon wished to lead it, bu
Welding to the earnest solicitation Of IN
staff, surrendered the command 60 Ney
, In two columns t,ais band, which had nev
: or moved but to victory, advanced agains
the batteries of the foe. Both armies
for a moment, rested to behold the sut
lime spectacle. Not drum beat, not
bugle sounded, not a word was uttered :
/ Stcrnlv they strobe on, till within |e,