The Elbert County tribune., 1906-01-04
On Field of Waterloo
Where the Shattered Eagles Of tho
French Sank to Earth for Rest
Especial correspondenceo

While standing on the great knoll
which rises over 200 feet In the very
lceRter of the battlefield of Waterloo.
turned to the commander of the
United States army and asked:
General. to what do you especial
ly attribute Napoleon's defeat?"
Before answering. Gen. Chaffee, who
had accompanied Congressman Moon
and myself on an automobile trip over
entire battlefield, stopping here and
there making a minute study of the
lay of the ground the grades, the for
ests and the Notifications TO Hougou-
mont, meditated for a moment and
hen replied rather slowly but as i'm
pressiveiy as a soldier would naturally
speak on such battlefield:
"One reason for his defeat was the
fact that he weakened himself fatally
when he divided his army, sending
Gronchy after the Prussians in one di-
rection and Ney after the allied forces
in another. But believe a more i'm
portant reason was the fact that Ma
poieons time had come and that a
commander greater than either Well
ington or Napoleon had ordained his
defeat"
The generals attention was called
to the fact that the opposing armies
were drawn up in semi-circles oppo-
site each other and within distance
of about half mile. The startling
proximity of the contending forces
and the clear. open field between them.
save for the few trees and the old
brick walls at Hougoumont, made it
apparent at once, when the courage
and determination of both armies were
recalled, why 10000 lives were sacri-
feed in the bloody conflict of that aw-
ful day
Would such carnage be possible IN
a wellfought battle between equal
forces of well-drilled men today" was
asked the general.
Such results" he replied. would
be almost impossible, for the reason
that with our modern artillery the
arndes would have been drawn up at
far greater distances from each other
and the wholesale slaughter that fol-
lows such hand-to-hand fighting as
Napoieon's and Wellington's men did
wUnld not be possible"
oae Of the Worlds Great Days.
What was the use of discussing
what might have been at Waterloo?
The 18th day of June, 1915, seems
10 be enc of the great days that have
been carved out of history and set
apart IN the corridors of eternity.
One of the most beautiful and pa
thetic objects that was ever cut in
mayble or cast in bronze is the monu-
ment erected to the "Old Guard"
amid the clover beds that line the
road through Waterloo to-day 1t
marks the spot where Ney charged
and recharged in vain against the bat
tie lines of the enemy when his ia
mons phalanx of brave Frenchmen
were moved down like weeds by the
very hell of fire that came from the
foe.
One by one they fell. With every
charge the ranks of the dead increased
and the enthusiastic cry of "vive
rEmperor!" gradually lost its echo in
the rattle of musketry and roar of
cannon until night came on and the
Old Guard lay sleeping as they fought
-sfide by side on the blood-soaked
field Of Waterloo.
and 1t is here to-day that the "Old
Guard" monument stands by the road
side. It is a marble floor with mar
BILE wall rising in the rear as a back
ground to give relief TO the outline of
wounded eagle that. with bleeding
breast and shattered wing. has fallen
to rise no more.
Where the Mighty Eagle Sank
1t looks pitifully toward the skies,