Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-05
NAPOLEON'S STORY.
HIS ACCOUNT OF WATERLOO NOT
BEFORE KNOWN IN ENGLISH.
Called By the French the Battle OF Mont
saint-Jean-yictory rs Napoleon
Represented II.

Represented II.
Napoleon's bulletin of the battle OF
Waterloo, or Mont Saint-Jean. has never
yet been published in England. In the
opinion OF the United Sercice Gdzefte, which
gives the following translation, taken from
the correspondence of Napoleon l:
AT O'Clock in the morning. the rain
having ceased somewhat, the First corps
began to march and took its place on the
left of the road to Brussels and opposite to
tho village of Mont Saint-Jean, which
seemed TO be the centre of the enemy's po-
stion. The Second corps rested its
right on the road to Brussels and
its left on small wood. within cam
non-shot of the English army. The
cuirassiers kept in reserve in the rear,
aud the Life Guards were in reserve
on the heights. The Sixth corps, with
General Demons cavalry. under the COM
nand of Count Lobau. were detailed TO
take up position in rear OF our right to
oppose German corps which appeared to
have escaped Marshal Grouchy, and to IN
tend falling upon our right fiank-an H.
tention which we discovered by our re-
ports and by letter from the Prusslan
general which contained an order which
was captured by our scouts. The troops
were full of ardor. The English army was
estimated ut $4,000 men. the Prussian corps
was supposed to be 5000 men, with pos
sibleincrease toward evening. The enemy's
forces. therefore, exceeded 90.OOO men
ours were less numerous.
cANNoNADE COMMENCED.
"At midday all preparations were com:
pleted. and Prince Jerome, in command OF
a division of the Second corps detailed 70
| form the extreme left. took up a position
| by the wood, part oil which was occupied
| by the enemy The cannonade COM
menced; the enemy supported the troops
| he had advanced to guard the wood ny
| thirty pieces of cannon. We on our side
also posted some artillery. At O'clock
| Prince Jerome became master OF the
whole wood. and the whole English army
retired behind a ridge. The Count
d'Erlon then attacked the village OF
| Mont Saint-Jean; he supported ms
attack with eighty pieces OF can
non. He commenced there an overpower-
ing cannonade. which must have greatly
| harassed the English armv. The whole &C.
| ton took place on the plain. A brigade or
| Count d Lrlon's First division took posses
| sion of the village of Mont Salnt-Jean; q
second brigade was charged by corps OF
English cavalry. which inflicted upon 1t
| great loss. At the same moment advisor
| OF English cavalry charged Count d Erlon's
| battery on its right and dismounted seve-
raj guns; bat General Melhaud's culras-
sers charged this division, of which three
regimen were routed and fed.
at was now o'clock in the afternoon.
| The Emperor advanced the Lite Guards to
take up position on the plain-the same
| ground which was occupied by the FIRST
| corps at the commencement of the action,
| this corps being already in advance. The
| Prussian division, whose movement we
had foreseen. then became engaged with
! Count Lobau's skirmishers, directing their
| fire upon the whole OF our right flank. 1t
was expedient, before undertaking. any
| thing elsewhere, TO wait the issue OF this
attack. With this object tho whole
! strength of the reserve was held ready to
| come TO the assistance of Count Lobau and
! TO crush the Prusslan corps when 1t should
| advance.
| A MISTAKEN MOVEMENT.
This done, the Emperor intended TO
make an attack IN the direction Of the VII
| lace of Mont Saint-Jean. which it was ex-
/ pected would prove decisive blow; but,
| by a movement of Impotence, so frequent
| in our military annals, aud which has SO
often been disastrous to US, the cavalry In
reserve perceiying a retrograde movement
of the English to place themselves under
| shelter from our batteries. from which they
| had already suffered so much, crowned
| the heights of Mont Saint-Jean and charged
| the infantry. This movement, made at the
right moment and backed by the reserves,
! ought to have decided the day made seoa-
rately and before the operations on the
right were completed it proved fatal.
| Having no means to countermand 1t. the
| enemy showing large masses OF infantry
and of cavalry and the two divisions OF
| cuirassiers being engaged, the whole OF
| our cavalry started at the same moment to
support their comrades.
There during three hours they made
numerous charges, by which we gained the
| breaking of several squares and six flags OF
! the British infantry. an advantage hardly
commensurate with the losses sustained by
/ our cavalry from grapeshot and musketry.
| 1t was impossible to use our reserves of in
| fantry until the attack of the Prusslan
| corps on our flank was repulsed. This
attack still continued, and directly on
| our right flank The Emperor sent there
| General Duchesne with the Young Guard
| and several reserve batteries. The enemy
was checked, was repulsed, and retreated.
| He had exhausted his forces, and there
was nothing further TO fear from
| him. THIS was the moment suitable for
IN attack on the centre of the enemy. AS
the cuirassiers were suffering from mus
| kerry fra four battalions of the Young
Guard were sent TO the support OF the
cuirassiers to hold their position and If 1t
| were possible to disengage and withdraw
| part OF our cavalry TO the plain. Two
other battalions were sent TO hold the
| eminence on the extrome lett OF the dl-
vision which had maneuvred on our
| tanks in order that there might be no
| cause for uneasiness IN this direction; the
| rest were placed IN reserve one part TO
! occupy the emlnence in the rear of Mont
| Saint-Jean, the other in the plain behind
the field of battle which formed our line
| of retreat.
THE BATTLE GAINED.
"Under these circumstances the battle
was gained; we occupied all the positions
that were occupied by the enemy at the
commencement of the action; our cavalry
having been too quick and badly employ
ed. we could no longer hope for decisive
success. But Marshal Grouchy. having
learned Of the movement of the Prussian
corps, marched in rear of that corps,
which assured US O splendid success for
the next day. After eight hours of firing
and of charges of infantry and OF cavalry,
the whole army saw with satisfaction the
battle gained and the field OF battle IN
our power. At $50 o'clock the four
battallons Of the Young Guard, which
had been sent to the plain be-
yond Mont Saint-Jean to support the cui-
rassiers, being Inconvenience by the enc
my's grapeshot, advanced with bayoneta
fixed to sweep of its batteries. The day
closed in; q charge on their flank by seye-
raj English squadrons broke their ranks;
the fugitives repassed the ravine; the
neighboring regiments who saw. some
troops belonging TO the Guard IN disorder
thought it was the Old Guard and gave
way. The cry arose. All IS lost The
Guard is beaten backl' The soldiers even
maintained that Ut several points wretched
renegades cried out, SGure ga peutp BE
that as it may, terror and panic immedl.
ately spread over the whole battlefield; all
fled in the greatest disorder along the line
of communication-so soldiers, gunners. wag-
ons hurried on! The Old Guard, which
was in reserve, was pressed back and car
ried away.
PsSIC-TERR0R.
I'm an instant the army was only con-
fused mass-all the arms were intermln-
eled and 1t was impossible to reform a
corps. The enemy perceived this astound.
ING confusion; sent forward columns oil
calvary; the disorder augmented; the con.
fusion Of the night prevented tho rally oil
the troops and showing them their mis-