The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-16

piecemeal, and were fought In detach-
ments. The battle OF Quatre Bras was
a bloody one. but II was fought with only
one-hals OF Ney's command. Had he
obeyed orders. and had his whole COM
mand on the field. the part OF Yelling
tons army which he was able TO get
there must have been destroyed. No ex~
PLANTATION of Ney's delinquency has ever
yet been made, but Il cost the Emperor
what would have undoubtedly changed the
whole face OF the campaign.
The next feature OF Napolecn's plan
was that he should himself fall on
Butcher with the rest of his army
and destroy him before he could get IL
concentrated His plan contemplated that
as soon as Ney had driven the English
away from Quatre Bras, he (Ney) should
send 10000 men over to Ligny to attack
BIuchers rea-. Napoleon attacked
Butcher at Ligny about p. NJ. and
fought bloody battle with him during
the remainder OF the day. His plans OF
battle worked out perfectly. He had
hammered Butcher all along his whole
front until there was very little fight
left In him. At half-past he prepared to
make his final assault with the Imperial
Guard upon Blucher's centre. which. II
successful. would cut his army In two.
Just as the assault was about TO take
place It was reported 10 him that a
large and unknown body Of men was APP
preaching his left. The assault was de-
layed two hours while 1t was being as
certained who these men were. The fact
about that was this: D'Erlon's corps
which ought to have been at Quatre
Bras early in the morning OF the 10th,
was on its way there when one OF the
Emperor's staff officers falling in with It,
and misunderstanding his orders. divert
ed Il off towards Ligny. and 1T was this
body. the approach of which arrested
the final and grand attack.
Having reached the vicinity Of Lgny'
II D'Eron had remained there, the battle
Of Ligny would undoubtedly have de-
stroyed Blucher's army so far as further
participation in the campaign was con-
cerned. But he had hardly reached
point at which he could have aided the
Emperor when orders came from Ney,
peremptoriy requiring him to return to
Ouatre Bras, where he arrived TOO late
to be Of the slightest assistance TO him.
Napoleon charged the Prussian cen
ire at half-past 7, overthrow everything
IN his front cut the Prussian army In
two. and sent It Keeling from the heid'
Wellington was now at Napoleon's mer-
CIV. He did not have more than S5,oOO
reliable troops, while Napoleon could
easily concentrate on him 1000 OF the
best troops France ever had.
Detaching Marshal Grouchy with 90
900 men TO attend to Bluchers beaten
army he turned with the rest upon Well
ington. who retreated to Waterloo wnere
the decisive battle took place on the
18th. It is conceded on all hanos that
Wellington would have been disastrousiy
defeated III tildl Ddttic -
not come to his aid about p. Nj. OF the
18th. Why was Butcher able to do this?
whv did not Grouchy keep him away?
This has been the most disputed ques-
t,on in military history. Napoleon al
WAYS asserted thereafter that his orders
10 Grouchy were that he should follow
Butcher, keeping himself always In touch
with his, Napoleon's, right. and either
keen Butcher of entirely, or be with
Napoleon II Butcher arrived In time 20
attack his right. Grouchy published TWO
pamphlets, in which he denied that ne
had any such orders. But In lS42 acci-
dent developed the fact that on the l'th
the Emperor actually sent him written
order TO this effect and Grouchy nrst
ignored 1t and then suppressed it,
It is perhaps all the better for CIVIL
cation that he did ignore It, But II ne
had obeyed 1t, wellington would GER
tainly have been destroyed, and the face
of the world changed.
There is not much that is new In Mr.
Ropes book, but 1t is one of enchanting
interest.