Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-08-08
NAP0LEON'S VERSION.
THE GREAT SOLDIERS VERSION or
HOW WATERLOO WAS LOST.

Beaten Back. Then All Was Lost.
The London Globe asserts that an AZ.
count OF the battle Of Waterloo. given by
Napoleon himself. which has never been
| published, is soon to appear.
The Globe prints the following ex.
tracts:
After detailing the preparations for the
battle, Napoleon SAYS: ~The cannonade
commenced; the enemy supported the
troops he had advanced to guard the
wood by 80 pieces of eannon. We, on
our side, also posted some artillery At
| one time Prince Jerome became master
| of the whole wood, and the whole Eng
lish army retired behind ridge. The
Count d'Erlon then attacked the village
of Mont Saint Jean; he supported his
attack with 80 pieces Of cannon. lie
commenced there an overpowering can
nonade, which must have greatly harassed
the English army. The action took place
on the plain. A brigade of Count
| dErlon's 1st division took possession of tho
| village of Mont Saint Jean; second bri-
gade was charged by corps of English
cavalry, which inflicted on it great loss.
1 nv thC rtttftC AAiohiCht a AlNAoAOh VI
| lish cavalry charged Count d'Erlons
battery ON its right and dismounted
several guns; but General Melhaud's
cuirassiers charged this division, of which
three regiments were routed and fed.
Ia the afternoon the Prussian division
became engaged with Count Labou's
skirmishers, and the whole strength Of
the reserve was held ready TO assist
Count Labou and crush the Prussian
corps when it should advance. He con-
tinues "This done, the emperor in
tended to make an attack in the direction
of the village of Mont Saint Jean, which
it was expected would prove decisive
blow, but by a movement of impatience.
so frequent in our military annals, and
which has so often been disastrous to us,
| the cavalry in reserve, perceiving a retro
/ grade movement of the English to place
themselves under shelter from our bat
teries, from which they had already suf-
fered so much, crowned the heights OF
Mont Saint Jean and charged the in
fantry. This movement, made at tho
right moment, and backed by the re-
serves, ought to have decided the day;
made separately, and before the opera
tions on the right were completed, it
proved fatal. Having no means TO coun-
termand it, the enemy showing large
masses of infantry and of cavalry, and
the two divisions Of cuirassiers being en-
gagged, 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 advan-
tage hardly commensurate with the losses
sustained by our cavalry from grapeshot
and musketry. IL was impossible to use
our reserves of infantry until the attack
OF the Prussian 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 batter
les. The enemy was checked, was re-
pulsed, and retreated he had exhausted
his forces, and there was nothing fur
ther to fear from him. This was the mo
ment suitable for an attack on the CEN
ter Of the enemy. As the cuirassiers
were suffering from musketry fire, four
battalions of the Young Guard were sent
| to support the cuirassiers, to aid their po-
sition, and if it were possible to. diten-
gage and withdraw part of our cavalry
70 the plain. Two other battalions were
sent to hold the eminence ON the extreme
left Of the division which had maneu-
vered on our fanks in order that there
might be no cause for uneasiness in this
direction; the rest were placed in re-
serve, one part to occupy the eminence
in rear of Mont Saint Jean, the other on
the plain behind the field of battle, which
formed our line Of retreat.
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 cav
airy having been too quick and badly
employed, 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 a splendid sue
cess for the next day. After eight hours
of firing and of charges of infantry and
or cavalry, the whole army saw with sat-
isfaction the battle gained and the field
Of battle in our power. AT $50 the four
battalions of the Young Guard, which
had been sent to the plain beyond Mont
Saint Jean to support the cuirassiers,
being inconvenienced by the enemys
grapeshots, advanced with bayonets fixed
to sweep off its batteries.
~The day closed in; charge ON their
flank by several English squadrons
broke their ranks; the fugitiyes repassed
the ravine; the neighboring regiments.
who saw some troops belonging to the
guard in disorder, thought il was the
Old Guard and gave way. The cry arose,
sAll is lost The guard is beaten backF
The soldiers even maintained that at
several points wretched renegades cried
out save qui peutP Be that as it may,
terror and panic Immediately spread
over the whole battlefield; all fed in the
greatest disorder along the line of COM
nunication- soldiers, gunners, wagons
hurried on The Old Guard, which was
in reserve, was pressed back and carried
away. In an instant the army was only
confused mass-all the arms were inter
mingled and it was impossible to reform
corps. The enemy perceived this
astounding confusion; sent forward col
umns Of cavalry; the disorder aug