Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-16

ing, advanced, and stood between the troops and their adored chief. Napoleon, with tears dimming his eyes, embraced the veteran gen. eral, who, entirely unnamed, sebbed aloud. There were few dry eyes at that moment. Then the Emperor. neIving himself, said: "Bring me the eagle" A grenadier advanced, bearing one of the eagles of the Guard. Ma poleon kissed it and pressed it to his heart, saying, with tremulous voice: "Dear eagle! May this last embrace vibrate in the hearts of all my faithful soldiersl Farewell, again, my old comrades, farewell" Cold critics have ridieuled this scene as studied acting, but there can be no doubt that the feelings were deep and genuine, although the man Hesitation of them was in the theatrical style of the national character. The men before the Emperor were the representatives of the famous Guard whieh formed the elite of the French armies, and the history of which was interwoven with the glorious re- cords of victory in many @ hard,fought battle in the great wars of the empire.
 This was not, however, the last appear ance of the Imperial Guard in history. When all Europe was in commotion on the return of the Emperor from EIbe, the yet erans ot the Old Guard, the men who had fought ct Jena and Austerlitz, were among the first to welcome their old chief In the campaign of the hundred days the Guard was organized anew, and in the decisive battle of Waterloo it formad two battalions
  in all about 10000 strong. The Imperial Guard did not take part in the long days conflict on June IS; they were held in re- serve on g height near La Haye Sainte. Toward evening, when the near approach of the Prussians under Butcher was no longer doubtful, the Emperor felt that the time had come for 8 supreme effort to force the British position, and to overwhelm the troops wearied with the incessant ar tillery and cavalry attacks of the day. About o'clock Napoleon rode to the po- sition of the Guards, when he was welcomed with the utmost enthusiasm. He intended, or gave out that he intended, to lead them to the attack. He was dissuaded from risk ing his life, and Ney-"the bravest of the braye"-took the command. They moved in two mighty columns, separated by only few paces, and preceded by 8 cloud of skirmishe1s. They advanced steadily down the slope, the drums beating the pas de of "Vive rEmpereurl" The English Guards -Maitland's brigade-were in reserve on the opposite height, lying down, just over the crest, to be as long sheltered as possible. The French artillery kept up fierce fire from the height during the advance till the head of the site slope.
 The English Guards, who then had little spare ammunition, drove the skirmishers down the slope, to the top of which they had nearly advanced, and returned to their posi- tion, awaiting the nearer approach of the Imperial troops. On they steady came, led by the gallant Ney on foot, his horse hav- ing been shot under him. There was now Hull in the conflict on most parts of the bat tlefeld, and the movement of the dense col umns of the French guard was watched with anxious gaze by many an eye. Every British gun that could reach the place was brought into play, and fearful gaps were made by the halI Vuh J0ln nhnd fhrnn0h "a crowded mass. Wellington had shortly be- fore visited Maitland's position, and as he rode past the Light brigade of Adams, which was nearest to the line of the French ad vances, he spoke 8 few words of warning and encouragement. Just at this moment movement took place which has not received adequate notice in the usual accounts of the battle. Sir John Colborne (afterwards Field Marshal Lord Seaton), who was then in com mand of the Fifty y-second regiment, when the French were within four hundred yards of that part of the British position occupied by Maitland's brigade of guards, having watched his opportunity, ordered his men to wheel round and charge the advancing first column of the guard on it's flank. As many as possible of the left of each company of the guard faced outwards to meet this unex- pected attack. But the dense column had no advantage from it's numbers against the flank attack. The whole column was thrown into confusion and it's onward progress arrested. It is generally supposed that the French ad- vanced till the English guards sprang to their feet and charged down the slope. But it was not so, as many eye witnesses testified.
 A French writer in his account of the bat tie says: "Le 52me regiment Anglais en pro6te pour venir audacieusment se deployer sur le fanc gauche. Quand ce regiment Anglais, Peut deborde tout entiere, il ouvrit son feu brule pour point qui "ecrasait." The same expression was used by an officer of Ney's staff in conversation with Colonel Brotherton in Paris. He said that this advance was stopped not by troops in front, but by very sharp flank attack, which crushed us-''Neus fumes principale- ment repousses par une attaque de hanc tres vive qui nous ecrasa." It was when the French column was staggering under this sudden attack that the British guards rushed forward and completed the defeat. Let due honor be given to the Eifty-seeond, that fs- nous regiment of which Sir William Napier, the historian of the Peninsular war, said, s'It was regiment never surpassed in arms since arms were first borne by men"
 It was not till after he"had sent off his dis patches that Wellington knew the details of this critical time of the battle. When spo- ken to about it he merely said that "surely there was glory enough for all"-one of the few times. by the way, that the word "glo- ry" came from his lips or his pen. Sir John Colborne, man as modest as he was brave, rarely referred to the subject Once, at @ dinner table in London, being asked about the flank charge of the Fifty-second, his re- ply was, "Did you ever hear what Sir John Byng said to me at Parisa' He referred to what Byng, in command of the guards brig ade, said few days after the battle. Meet- ing Sir John ColbOrne, he asked, e"Hew do your fellows like our getting the credit for what you did at Waterloo? I could not ad- vance when you did because all our ammu- milton was gone" Let it so remain. By the flank attack of the Fifty second and the bayonet charge of the guards, the French Imperial guard received it's final defeat and overthrow. The reserve of the guard checked the advance of the British troops and gave time for Napoleon and his staff to get start on their retreat, before the way was blocked by the sauve qui peut rush of fugitives flying from the pursuing Prussians.