The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-23
NAPoLRoN's We as.ON.
How Waterloo Was Lost, According to
aPaper Hitherto Unpublished.

Paper Hitherto Unpublished.
From the London Globe.
Napoleon's version of the battle of Water
loo, which has never been published before
in English, is to appear in the next number
of the United Service Gazette. The fol-
lowing are some extracts:
After detailing the preparations for the
battle Napoleon says: The caunonade
commenced; the enemy supported the
troops he had advanced to guard the wood
by thirty pieces of cannon. We. on the
other side also posted some artillery. At
one time Prince Jerome became master OF
tho whole wood, and the whole English
army retired behind ridge The Count
d'Erlon then attacked the village Of Mont
Saint Jean; he supported his attack with
| eighty pieces of cannon.
He commenced there an overpowering
| cannonade, which must have greatly
harassed the English army. The whole &C
ton took place on the plain. A brigade Of
! Count d'Erlon's first division took possession
| of the village or Mont Saint Jean q second
brigade was charged by a corps Of English
cavalry, which inflicted upon it great loss.
At the same moment division of English
cavalry charged Count d'Erlons battery on
tbs right, and dismounted several guns; but
Gen. Melhaud's cuirassiers charged this di-
vision, Of which three regiments were
routed and fed"
In the afternoon the Prussan division be-
came engaged with Count Lobau's skirm~
isherS and the whole strength of the reserve
was held ready to assist Count Lobau aud
crush the Prussian corps when 1t should ads
vance. He continues: This done, the en-
peror intended TO make an attack in the
direction of the village of Mont Saint Jean
which was expected would prove q decisive
blow, but by movement of impatience, so
frequent in our military annals, ami which
has so often been disasterous to us, the cav
airy in reserve, piercing a retrograde move
ment of the English to place themselves
under shelter from our batteries. from
which they have already suffered so much,
crowned the heights of Molt Saint Jean,
aud charged the infantry.
This movement, made at the right
moment, and backed by the reserves, ought
to have decided the day; separately, and
completed, it proved fatal. Having nc
means to countermand it, the enemy
showing large masses Of infantry
and of cavalry, aud 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
ny WulCA We RdlIlbu Dut
| 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 Prussian
| corps on our flank was repused. This at
| tack still continued and directly on our
right flank. Inc emperor sent there Gen
| Duchesne with the Young Guard aud sew
eral reserve batteries. The enemy wa
checked, was repulsed and retreated; he
had exhausted his forces, and there wa,
nothing further to fear from him.
"ThiS was the moment suitable for an at
tack on the center of the enemy. AS tn
cuirassiers were suffering from musketr,
fire four battalIons of the Young Guar(
were sent to support the cuirassiers to holt
their position, and if it were possible to dis
engage and withdraw part Of our cavalry
to the plain. Two other battalions were sen
to hold the eminence on the extreme lef
Of the division which had mauelVr or
our TANKS in order that there might be M
cause for uneaslness in this direction: tn
rest were placed in reserve, one part to oc
cupY the eminence in rear of Mont Sain
Jean, the other on the plain behind tn,
field of battle which formed our line of re
treat
Under these circumstances the battl
was gained; we occupied all the position
that were occupied by the enemy at tn
commencement Of the action; our cavalr,
having been too quick and badly employed
we could no longer hope for decisive sue
cess. But Marshal Grouohy, having learne
OF the movement of the Russian corps
marched in the rear of that corps, whic
assured US a splendid success the next day
After eight hours of firing and of charges o
infantry and of cavalry, the whole arm
saw with satisfaction the battle gained an
the field of battle in our pc wer. AT $50 tn
four battalions Of the Young Guard, whic
had been sent to the plain beyond Mon
Saint Jean to support the cuira ssiers. BEN
Inconvenience by the enemys grapeshot
advanced with bay onets fixed to sweep OF
its batteries.
The day closed in; charge on thei
flank by several English squadrons brok
their ranks; the fugitives repaSsed tn
ravine; the neighboring regiments, VIII
saw some troops belonging to the guard il
disorder, thought it was the Old Guard AM
gave way. The cry arose, All is lost Tn
guard is beaten baokr The soldiers eve
maintained that at several points wretche
renegades cried out, 'SuaUe qtti peutp
''Bs that as it may, terror and panic i'm
mediately spread over the whole battle
field; all fed in the greatest disorder alon
the line OF municatlon-soldiers, gur
ners, wagons hurried onl The Old Guard
which was in reserve, was pressed back an
, carried away. In an instant the army wa
only a confused mass-all the arms wer
1ntermingled and it was impossible to re
form corps. The enemy perceived thi
astounding confusion, sent forward col
umns of cavalry, the disorder augmented
the confusion Of the night prevented tn
rallying Of the troops and showing ther
their mistake"