The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-06-06
How Waterloo was Lsss
A REVIEW OF THE MEMOIRS OF Marshal
GROUCHX. o.
IN. Y. Tablet

REVIEW o. TIE MEMOIRS OF MAhehAL
GRoUCHx. .
my. Tablet
Napoleon was asked by O'Meara, at Se.
Helena. whether, when the Pruesians ap-
peared on the field of Waterloo, he did not
believe them to be Grouchy's corps, and
he answered "certainly did. cannot even
now conceive why it Was not. have not
seen Grouchy since, and l cannot under
stand it." With curiosity to learn what
was denied to the Emperor, we have read
what Grouchy's excuses were, as set 1orth
in these interesting volumes, recently puo-
lished in Paris. They do not exculpate
the Marshal, and his arguments are more
epecious than sound. Throughout the
whole narrative the fact is too plain, that
while the army was devoted and full OF en-
thusiasm, most of the chief officers were
afraid to compromise themselves by show
ing too much energy, and were casting
MANY a backward look on Paris to keep or
secure favor with the Bourbon government
should the ampaign be unfortunate There
must have been treachery, too, in the stan,
for two important dispatches from the I'm
peror to Grouchy from the field of Water.
loo. one dated ten o'clock of the night OF
the l7th and a duplicate of it at two O toeR
A. NJ of the 18th, were not delivered to him
at ALL General Bourmont deserted to the
allies on the night of the 10th, and feel
ing of distrust and of being betrayed per
vaded the army.
The memoirs are replete with many an
ecdotes, personal and political. some
prove the wonderful sagaeity of mind AID
knowledge of human nature which marked
the genius of Napoleon, and Others STRIP
the tinsel from the characters whom par
tial history has clothed with false iustre.
Wellington was narrowmihded Tory, ano
not at all scrupulous in lavishiDS adulation
on any imbecile, provided only be Was OF
.royal or princely rank. In his despatch
announcing the victory of Waterloo to the
Prince Regent, be thursts to the foremost
distinction the Invaluable services and
great assistance he derived during the con-
test from "His Grace the DIXIE of Bruins
wick" Byron, too, misled by the assnr-
ance in this official state paper, aud never
suspecting it's entire untruth, peypetnates
the error in the beautiful lines Of 'Childe
Harold":
. within n virdowed niche of thai higtaAalf
Sat Brunswiok 3 fAted chieftain. he did hear
He rushed into the geld, and, foremoss! fighting fell
This is very beautiful, but Oh page l0l,
volume iv., are the facts from an eye wit
ness and an actor, recorded at the t1me,
which we translate as curious
"We had before us the trOopsr of BfDns'
| wick and Nassau. Marshal Ney, who Gem
manded us, ordered an attack or the im :
portant position of Quatre Bras, defended
on our right by some English and Scotch
| regiments and on Onrleft by German troops,
holding the wood of Bossus, on the top OF
which they had thrown up entrenebpents.
| At the moment when the division. Jerome
was advancing to the attack an officer OF
| elevated rank, wearing green unltora an
| covered with medals and decorations, wish
! ed to haraugue our men. Standing up, NE
chapeau in hand, he cried out, iny French
my friends, no fighting tpas de a"ersst
Keep the peace; we are coming to bring
1t to you, like brothers. 1t seeme TO ms
that he had not finished his sentence, wher
| Captain de Brea che who was SO fatally
assasslnated in June, IS4s, at the Barriers
d'Italie), coming up at doubie quick will
his company of carbineers, to scale TIT
works from the top of which the orato
Grated (perorail) gave the word 'aee' TIT
Unfortunate paIaverer (discourseur)fell deas
Iiddled with balls. We all thought ut frs
it was the Duke of Berri, but he was sool
recognized to be the Duke of Brunswick.
1t is difficult to imagine less appecia,
tive audience. His Grace "BTuBew lex
fated chieftain" must have been drank or
fool. Most likely latter bis kind. he wa
both. General Bourmont, he who deserte,
the night before Waterloo and revealed al
he knew to Wellington, had made gFea
exertions to obtain commando A. ecen
Is described at the Tuileries, a day OF tW
before Napoleon left Paris to join the arm
= page 100, vol w.:
.Generais Flahault and Girard fmpol
tuned the Emperor to accord it to him. II
reluctantly yielded to the solicitations {
two such attached friends, but said to then
you uTgs it gentlemen be it 60. eor
6 sent to let NJ. de Bourmont have con
mand, but God grant that We do not Tt
pent of it,"
: The plan of the campaign has been PIT
e nouuced sublime in its simplicity. A mi
lion of troops were swarming from ell par
e of Europe to overwhelm Napoleon. I
: could only muster 1876 600 to meet the AM
Re To- Belgic army of SIS 600, under Wellinl
e ton, aud 65, 600 Prussians under Bluche
70 Had Wellington retreated to antwerp,
,e all military critics unite in thinking
al ought to have done, time would have Ell
4 abled the rapidly approaching millions
ID arrive, ana Napoleon could not have had
1T chance. His strategy was, therefore,
le surprise them, cut in between and sepa
l. ate them, turn on BlHcher and defeat hill
Is and throwing him into retreat, send Gro
lie cby, with ~ 900, to complete his rout
re and then turn, with all his remainiug 95, o
"a numerical superiority-Oa Wellington