The Osceola times., 1879-02-01
How Waterloo Was Won.
Van Laun's Revolutionary Epoch.


Ney was unable TO maintain his
position without infantry, and had TO
order retreat. His gallant men had
already partially descended the slope,
but every hollow, every Nusre yard of
the wel-chssen field, was commanded by
English guns. He resolved to attack
the English squares once more, assisted
by fresh brigades OF cavalry under
Killerman, whom N0poleon had sent to
his support. Even enc hundred car
bneers, who were held in reserve, were
ordered to advance in spite OF the remon-
STRANGE of their commander. Seventy
seven squadrons o, cavalry-10,00O he
roic and picked meD-rushed once more
upon the heights. But again the En-
glish formed their solid squares and re-
ceived the enemy with their concentric
and terrible fire. The fighting now
grow more desperate than before, and
the loss was great on both sides. Both
armies were almost exhausted. We'll
lington had called up his last reserves
and his ranks were thinning fast, while
Belgian fugitives were crowding the
Brussels road. Six flags were captured
and taken to Napoleon in the midst OF
the battle, and he acc, ptins it as an
omen of success hoped every moment to
witness the retreat OF the enemy. What
then was it which caused the French,
and not the English, To retire from the
heights on the center and right .! the
allied positions? There can be little
doubt that the battle of Waterloo, as a
battle between French ssnd English
alone, was Lost and won upon these
heights, though its success was rendered
complete by the arrival of the Prussians
1t is, therefor, interesting to inquire how
the victory WAS gained. Perhaps the
majority of foreigners are wont to main
tain that the English were beaten by
Napoleon and rescued from utter defeat
only by the opportune arrival of Blucher,
by which the French army were over
wbelned. This. however is wrong
opinion. Even ii Napoleon, who was
aware that the Prussisns had arrived in
the neighborhood Of Waterloo, had in
teriered with or recalled the cavalry un-
der Ney's command, or had withheld
any forces he might otherwise have sent
to Ney's assistance, the only argument
which might be reasonably brought for
ward is that the Prussians created a
divergence in favor of the English de-
tenders of the Heights of Mont st. Jean
But the cause of the withdrawal OF Ney's
gallant sq uadron need not be looked for
outside the circumstances OF the despel-
ATE duel which had been waged from
tour to seven O'Clock, and which must be
regarded as either drawn battle or as a
victory for the allied troops. "On the
plateau" writes M. Quinet, "the ex-
hsustion OF the French was equal TO that
OF the Eoglish. Seven generals were
seriously wounded Lheritier, ,Donop,
Bisncard, Picquet, Delort, Travers, Col.
bert. No one gave the order TO retreat,
no one sounded the recall. The dimin-
ished ranks, pierced by grape-shot, by
musketry fire and the saber, disorgan-
lied by three hours of unprecedented
conflict, by the failing strength OF the
men, and yet more OF the horses, neces-
sity which sets limit to every thing
all these things occupied the place Of
orderly array" If TINS was so, what is
the conclusion except that the French
found it impossible to achieve what they
had so gallantly attempted, while the
tenacity of the English enabled them to
remain glued to the ground when the
enemy had disappeared