Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-18
Centennial of Waterloo


Of the northwestern battle front OF 1915 The
allies al Waterloo enemies today France under
Napoleon fought the British Prussan and Dutch
armies. Today Germany alone contests for supremacy
against the allied French British and Belgian armies
in the west The alignment has changed, but the hub
Of the struggle is much the when the sun Get
forever Napoeons power and prestige
Waterloo has become the world synonym for defeat
and disaster. The battle which immortaSed the
would today he regarded insignificant from
the viewpoint Of numbers Where millions now give
battle, then the total barely reached 10000 Napoleon
brought 20 Waterloo approximately 1900 men, The
Angio-ailied army under wellington numbered 10000
and the Prussan army under Butcher I1.O0 The
odds In numbers largely balanced by the prepon.
derance OF French artillery2ls guns the allies 15s
A vital element in NapoIeon's plan secrecy.
The allies loosely scattered country only half in
sympathy with their cause. not TO know OF hts
approach IN time TO concentrate. And they did not
Not until June IS did the critical nature of their
ponentS operations dawn them. Then, thanks to
the fine delaying fight which Zietens corps made,
Butcher by nghtfaIl OF that day had occupied the
ground necessary for his concentration Butcher
headquarters closest the front. and he first
perceived the gravity OF the moment Besides he had
had experience with Napoeon's vigorous strategy.
wellington in Brussels was more unprepared.
There was a sound Of revelry by night,
n s saV snS Sa Sap cb hSS sSthered tnen
when the Iron Duke was apprised OF Eapoleon's ap-
proach Only the boldness of his subordnates among
them Prince Bernard saved ouatre Bras TO the allies
NapoIeon's letter TO Marshal Ney. written at
Chartered at o'clock the morning OF the 18th, SET
forth his strategy Il have adopted. = he wrote as
the general principle for this campaign 10 divide
army into two wings and reserve The Guard
win form the and shall bring 1t into action
either wing Just as circumstances dictate
According circumstances. shall weaken one wing
to strengthen my reserve" BY this he disclosed his
intention OF aiming at decisive result only on that
wing upon which he engaged his reserve.
But Ney's failure to carry out his instructions
the 18th furnished good reason for Napoleons bitter
complaint that Fey had ruined France He had been
ordered seize Quatre Bras and then turn to crush
Butcher caught at Lgny. Ney delayed and yelling
ton with reinforcements able to check him.
Butcher on the other nank at IAgly had been beaten
by the emperor. but not destroyed, was 80 neces
sefy to Napoleon's success.
Napoleon had planned 10 begin the attack early
the morning Of the 18TH fate against him in
heavy downpour of rain. The horses fiorndered in
the mud and II impossible TO get the artillery
place Shortly after o'clock the rain ceased and be-
fore noon the battle had begun. But Butcher
already well under way from wavre, and Grouchy
did not know where he
Back and forth surged the battle until near night
fall Twenty thousand French infantry charged TO
the very top Of Mont st. Jean, Wellington's CENTER
but Picton hurled his brigade against Them
losing his life in the act and the British cavalry drove
them back down the hill Three times the charge was
renewed with the result Ney having four horses
killed under him.
The afternoon half gone. Looking toward
wavre Napoleon Butcher approaching Yelling
ton must be disposed OF before he arrived. Ney
ordered TO carry la Haye Sainte at any cost, and
Milhauds cuirassiers to carry the summit of
Mont st. Jean. Under this fearful charge the English
drew back, and Napoleon, thinking that they were IN
retreat sent off Paris to announce the
victory.
Boys. can retreat be thought of" cried weling-
ton Think OF old England"
The French were pressing past the guns. Kempt
the left called for re-enforcements
There none" replied Wellington He must
let himself be killed The French halted win the
English never their backs7, exclaimed Napoleon
II fear not till they cut to pieces replied soult
In three hours had occurred those memorable
charges that have become world-famOus. Thirteen
times the French cavalry had been sent plunging up
through the gap between Hougomont and la Haye
sante Thirteen times those gallant riders charged the
stubborn red squares and each time the English with
stood attack.
Most military students divide the battle of Water.
loo into five phases. In only them the fourth
did Napoleon gain any decided advantage. That
when Ney. under orders 20 carry La Haye at
any cost. succeeded. and this advance was followed
by the brilliant bayonet charge OF two battalions
OF the old Guard. which drove the Prussians Of
Pancenoit But Zietens reinforcements for yelling
ton saved him at the critical moment and the danger
was passed The final fierce French attack all aions
WellIngton's front into which the Guards sent
In three echelons beaten back by the indomsble
British and Dutch allies Then when the French
line reeoled. zeten with his Prussians pierced It.
ana all the Allied troops poured after the routed
French army. little better than rabbie In all the
wreck three battsens Of the First Grenades Of the
Guard made glorious stand. defying all efforts to
break them
Fortunately for the Emperor the French troops
holding PlsPeenoit kept the charero for
retreat Grouehy in the meantime had been fight
ing distinct and separate action wave where,
entangled contrary 20 all good judgment he was
unable to 10 his chiefs aid His victory in fore
ing a passage over the Dyle therefore barren.
He finally brought his command through 10 Paris,
but the speed OF the Prussisn pursuit OF Napoleon
and the movement OF the Allies on Paris gave
Napoleon no time TO reorganize his men. ana on July
IL he abdtcated and surrendered 10 the British The
price paid for this final overthrow OF Napoleon was
very great although compared with the slaughter ~
recent months even these figures lose some OF their
impfessiveness The French lost 5000 men on June
Is. the Prussisns 1000 and wellington over 1900 So
concentrated was the fighting and determined that
S.O0 men killed and wounded are said 70 have been
stretched out over an area three miles square.
n few weeks later the greatest soldier OF the
modern world was borne over the seas on a British
frigate OF war TO the Island OF ST Helena to spend
the last few OF his life I'M bitter contrast TO ali
that makes his name OF the most marvellous IN
the worlds history He died In exile; at St. Helena.
May s lS2l.