Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-07-07
A MONTH OF BATTLES - THE
BLOODY RECORD OF JUNE.

MONTH OF BATTLES - THE
BLOODY RECORD OF JUNE.
The ''leafy month has a melancholy
record in history. The 18th inst. was
the fftv-Gfth anniversary Of the battle of
Waterloo, which was fought on the 18th
of June, 1865. 1t was the most remarka-
BILE conflict Of modern times. We say
remarkable, because it was the most de-
cisive and important in its results. The
word Waterloo has passed not only into
history but into the language itself. 1t
designates an overthrowal that is final in
its character, and from which there is no
appeal. The 18th Of June, 1915, will
ever figure as one of the great landmarks
of time. 1t is like the sea fight of Antony
and Lepidus with Octavius Caesar, which
decided the fortunes of the world There
is much in the history Of Waterloo which
is net understood by the masses of the
people. AS is we'll known, the arrival of
Butcher and his Prussians to the aid of
Wellington decided the victory, which 9TH
erwise would have been with the French.
He arrived at 6 o'clock in the evening"
The 18th of June is among the longest
days of the year, and it had been deter
mined by the French Emperor. Napoleon,
10 open the contest at the break of day,
which is before four o'clock. But for two
Or three days previous there had been
heavy falls of rain. Waterloo, which was
wheat field in the neighborhood of Brus-
sells, was converted almost into a morass
Napoleon had large prcponderance in
the number of his great guns, 230 against
ITO. He was strongly in favor of the ar
tillery service, in which he had entered as
a youth in the College of Brienne. The
advantage which he had in it he was not
in favor of surrendering by commencing
the action when the field, from the recen.
rains, was unfavorabie to his cannon. He,
therefore, waited until the rays of the hot
sun had dried up the field, and made it
passablc for artillery. The action did not
commence until eleven o'clock in the morn
ing, when otherwise it would have COM
menced before six o'clock. five hours pre-
vious. This delay was fatal to Napoleon
The Prussians arrived at six o'clock in
the afternoon, and changed the fortunes of
the day. Had it not been for the delay
of five hours on the morning of the 18th
of June, the British would have been de-
feated and in full and irreparable retreat
before the arrival of thci: allies. As Vic
tor Hugo apply observes in his remarkable
and eloquent work. Les "MiserAbles." ga
few drops of rain, more Or less, changed
the fortunes of the Continent of Europe"
But this was not the only mishap of Ma
poleon in this extraordinary campaign.-
In its very outset one of his Generals,
Bourmont, deserted to the enemy and
carried with him all his knowledge of the
military project. of the Emperor. There
was a surprise, but it would have been far
greater had it not been for this unforeseen
and unexpected desertion. Wellington
and his leading generals were attending
brilliant ball at Brussels. The troops
were scattered and cautioned all over the
the country when the news was brought
that Napoleon, at the head of I20, 900
men, had made his appearance in Belgi-
um. The scene that ensued is beautifully
described by Lord Byron in ''Childe Har-
DID," in which he says:
There was a sound of revelry by night,
And Belgium's Capital had gathered there
Her beauty and her chivalry, and bright
The lamps shone DER fair women and
brave men,"
The Duke of Wellington was caught
mapping. He had made arrangements
with the distinguished French traitor and
hero of many revolutions, Fouche, then
the Minister of Police under Napoleon, to
communicate to him the movements of the
great Emperor. He sent them, but with
double-faced duplicity stopped them on
the frontier, so that in case of either re-
verse or success he was to have plea in
his defence. The accession of Bourmont
to the allied councils explained the W hole,
and then there was mounting in hot haste
and the muster far and wide of the steed
of war. The celebrated Marshal Ney
was directed to occupy the four roads of
Quatre Bras, which had he done would
have rendered junction of the armies of
Butcher with Wellington impossible. Dur
ing an inclement rainy season the gal
liant Marshal had proceeded to within two
or three miles of the point designated.
His troops were greatly fatigued, and rs
his scouts reported that the place was IN
occupied by the enemy he dispatched a
courier to Napoleon informing him that
they were already in possession Of the
French troops. When morning dawned
and Ney proceeded onward he found the
whole English army in possession of Qua
ire Bras, which was unoccupied several
hours before. This was the direct and
fatal cause of the loss Of the battle which
en-sued.
On the day itself Ney brought out the
cavlary for an attact on the British lines
several hours too soon, and before the in
fantry squares had been broken. Napole-
on observed with great distress, and ac-
cused Ney for destroying his cavlary. Blu.
where was Murat, the brotherinla law OF
the Emperor, WHO should have command
ed it? On account of a personal quarrel
with the Emperor, he was compelled by
that potentate to remain at distance, in
exile, his presence would probably have
changed the destinies of the world. With
Grouohy's detection, with his failure to
join the Emperor with his corpse everybody
is familiar. The cannon of Waterloo
was heard in his command. He was adj
vised by his officers to proceed to the saeae
Of the firing. He was told that it was a
general engagement; that the Emperor
had the whole European army on his
hands. 1t was remarked that it was the
cannon of Austerlitz, bat still he would
not stir. Appointed to watch Blucher