New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-02
AT WATERLOO.
JOIyRNAI, OF A BRITISH OFFICER

the struggle which eliminated at Waterloo must
be of interest. The volume in band merely tells
the story Of young British officer VINO saw MS
first dead man in Portugal. got his own wounds
almost at the outset OF his career and subse-
quently was under fire not less than a hundred
times without scratch. He was gazetted to
cOrnetcy in the 18TH Light Dragons at the age
Of eighteen, and his military adventures began
in 1909 AS he retired on half pay in ISL MS
diary down to the close of the Waterloo cam
paign probably covers the whole period Of his
active service He became famous as a hunter
"Of his character" says his son, ut might be
said that. simple in tastes and habits, quiet ana
unassuming in dcneanor, yet prompt and deci-
sve in action. Of iron constitution. and an excel
lent rider. he was in all respects a worthy fol-
lower Of the great leader under whom he
served" After the close of the Peninsuar war
the regiment was stationed at Hounslow ana
Hampton Court but early in 1915 was called 10
the neighborhood Of Westminster Bridge where
riots were expected, because of the newly enacted
Corn laws. But in the midst Of this premature
Corn law agitation, there came the news mat
Napoleon had deserted his miniature realm on
the Island Of Elba and had re .urned In triumph
10 Paris The Corn law disturbances ceased, as
IL by common consent. and the 18TH Light ORA
goons In which Tomkinson was now cap
tain, was in Belgium by the middle or APRIL
1915. They found Louis XVIII at Client APP
parently ready to take flight again as he had
lust done from Paris but spreading, by means
of his staff very favorable reports as 70 the pros
pects Of the Royahst party in France. The
British felt themselves to be on ground sacred
to their own ancient renown. They remembered
the DAYS of Louis XIV. when they found the
Duke Of Wellington inspecting all the fortresses
Of the frontier. Captain TomInson conjectured
that the Duke would not lose many British
soldiers in occupying them. "The system of war
Is too much changed" he adds. ''to allow them
to be of the consequence which in Marlborough's
time was attached to them
In contrast to the difficulties of campaigning
in Spain the dragons here found themselves
in a land Of plenty. From the abundance discov-
cred everywhere Captain Tomkinson inferred
that with proper management subsistence could
be provided for an army for a long time. and in
a brief campaign It might march to any point
depending solely on the resources Of the country
But as late as May s. little more than month
before the great battle. the distribution or troops
resembled that for winter quarters rather thah
for an approaching campaign. The only indica-
ton Of future movements was the fact that the
Prlssians were closing up on the British leit.
IT was not till June 16 that the proximity Of the
troops then engaged We're nearly all IIighlanders,
and CAPTAIN Tomkinson remarks: "Of all troops
to resist cavalry. where great steadiness. cool
ness and obedience to orders is required should
select the Scotch" But in spite Of small sue
cesses Of this sort it was an anxious time for
the British l. was remembered that Napoleon
had only the Dul.e Of Wellington 70 beat 70 say
that Success had attended him with every gen
eral in Europe" Referring to the French at
tack under Ney on the British at Quatre Bras,
and under Napoleon on the Pruss.ans about Lig-
ny, Captain Tomknson discreditcd The contem-
porary reports that the Duke of Wellington was
caught mapping He thought that the Duke was
not bound to watch in any force that point on
the line which the two armies had occupied; and
as there was a considerable extent Of country
on the right by which the enemy might move
on Brussels. he was obliged 70 protect the from
tier on that side" The Duke may not have ex-
pected an attack but in any case ut would not
have been prudent to move his whole force to one
point on every demonstration Of the enemy
Captain Tomkinson then relates an anecdote
which he had on good authority:
Major-General Alien, stationed at Mons. sent
one or two reports Of the advance IL the enemy,
and conceivng. from all ne could collect, it was
with view 10 attack with their whole force,
lle sent off his adc-le-camp with another report
worded more decidedly. He arrived at Brussels
about on the morning Of the 18th, and. going
TO the Dukes house. requested to see him. He
shown into his room, where the Duke was
lying down in his clothes. He told him all he
had heard, and delivered his letter The Duke
said Then it is your opinion il is their intention
TO attack us?" He replied that il was his Opin-
ion they would The Duke then said: Ride up
Immediately To Waterloo. whore you Will find
Sir Thomas Picton with his division. and order
him TO turn out the troops Immediately" lie
did SO, and five minutes after ne arrived the
Duke himself rode up and directed the troops 10
move on Quatre Bras.
While the Prussians in the affair at Ligry
had been driven back. the British at Quatre
Bras had more than held their own. 1t was
with some regret that the order received
TO retire. But the sluggish movements Of the
French convinced the author Of this journal that
they had been haru hit He observed that they
did not move a in pursuit of either the
Prussans or English until late in the day. Two
more such successes as even the at Ligny
would. in his opinion, ruin the French army
He also noted the fact that the tactics Of the Old
Guard no longer had the effect which had once
been the occasion Of its renown. 1t the last
attack of the French at Waterloo. when they
brought up two close columns of infantry one
in advance Of the other and without attempt
ing to deploy into line seemed to expect that
their appearance should drive the allies
from the field. But they were shattered by
charge Of British infantry This" adds Captain
Tomknson was the last desperate effort in
which the Old Guard Of Napoleon was en-
ployed This is the system they have gone upon
with every other nation. and have succeeded
They move overawing column two to one !
point 1t comes up with the greatest regularity
and on arriving at close quarters with their
opponents they carry so steady and determined
an appearance that those hitherto opposed to
them have generally abandoned their positions
without being beaten out Of them" The world
had learned about all that Napoleon could teach
st, and this one of the lessons. As Napoleon
relied on effort in this merely to brighten
his foe 50 he seems TO have trusted that the
Prussians once they began to retreat, would not
ll1oc .i,..-