The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-30
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town by superior force of the allies, after the
| oppoftune arrival of Blucher, the French had
10 retreat through narrow streets and over
Two small bridges, with much marshy ground
between them. OF the French twenty-five
thousand men were made prisoners. and Pom
latoWskl was drowned in covering the re-
treat. Napoleon himself narrowly escaped.
A small victory at Hanau enabled him TO re-
treat. Dresden, Stettin. and Dantzic soon af-
ter surrendered to the allies.
1t was not long before France was invaded.
blucher and the army of Silesia blockaded at
once the frontier tortfesses of Metz, Thion-
vile, and Luxembourg, and passing the de-
Mes OF the Nosges, pushed forward TO Join
vile, Vitry, and Saint Dizier Napoleon, fly
lnS at Blucher first attacked him at Brenne.
blucher was surprised at the chateau, and
with difficulty escaped. Napoleon himself
soon after was all but cut of by the Cossacks
Blucher eventually retreated, but only to turn
again at La Rothiers, and take four thousand
FreDchmen prisoners, and capture seventy
four guns. Fiercely defending every step, Ma
poleon surprised and repulsed the allies at
Sacken, and drove back BlGcher. The old
Prussan, with only three regiments of caval-
~, had to fight a way for his infantry through
columns OF French horse. AT Cronne and
Laon, Napoleon again plunged at Blucher,
but with little success. At the latter place.
the French, indeed, lost thirty guns and thir-
ty thousand men. A'few more struggles and
Napoleon signed his abdca:ion at Fontane-
bleau.
In the Waterloo campaign Bliicher and the
Prussians again had their share OF fighting.
General Zethen was driven back from Char.
leroi and Fleurus and with difficulty joined
the main body at Li9ny. Napoleon attacked
Ligny furiously, and his heavy cavalry as
cerding the heights assailed Blucher in the
rear. The Prussian horse were driven back.
and Butcher. dismounted, escaped by a mira
Gle only from the hoois of whole regiment of
French cuirassiers. The battle ended by the
Prussians' retreat to the heights Of Tilly. In
their last fight the Prussians lost ten thou
sand men, and the French not much fewer
The part which the Prussans took at Wat
erloo il is even yet difficult to ascertain. That
1t was important no one can deny, that it
turned repulSe into a defeat is probable,
that it changed defeat into a rout is certain.
The French writers make the Prussians ar
rive as early as eleven. In reality, the cannon
OF Bulow and the fourth Prussian corps were
heard about hali-past four; the second grand
division actually arrived about halfpast six.
At seven took place the final charge of the
Old Guard. We had then had seven hours
fighting. Blucher knew Grouchy was in the
rear, but he still pressed on for Waterloo. We
had promised him cooperation at Ligny but
we could not fulfill our promise. Wellington,
too, hoped for earlier assistance on the eigh-
teenth, but it was unavoidably delayed. But
for the Prussian pursuit Napoleon might have
rallied another army. Blucher's men were
cruel with their sabres there is no doubt and
the pursuit was hot and furious. At
Gemappe alone the French soldiers tried to
barricade the streets, but were murdered in
moment. The Prussians had their revenge
for jena then, as at Jena the French had had
theirs for Rossbach.
When the allies reached Paris, the duke, it
was said, had the greatest difficulty in pre-
venting the Prussians blowing up the bridge
of Jena, it being the memorial OF the battle
which had prostrated their country.-AH the
Year Round.