Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-11-01

Waterloo sealed the doom of the
greatest world figure of modern
times. With its ending was decreed
that never again should Napoleon
Bonaparte, immense somnambulist or
a shattered dream, menace the fu-
ture of kings and continents, with
nations and peoples as mere pawns
upon the chess board of his gigantic
ambition. 1t requires rare flight
of mind to imagine what might have
been the state of Europe and the
rest of the world today had Napo-
leon, at the climax of his Belgian cam
paign, overthrown his enemies and es-
tablished himself and his dynasty firm
.iy in power. History as it was writ
ten I'D to the evening of his doom
had failed to indicate any limits for his
possible sway.
Waterloo was a battle of "ifs."
Such an authority as Lieutenant
Colonel Shuttleworth, q. S. A, as
serts that if Napoleon had enjoyed
the advantage of a small runabout
motorcar he would have triumphed
most certainly. If Grouchy had come
up instead of Butcher the day must
have belonged to France. If Ney had
displayed more military acumen in
the preliminary fight at Quatre Bras
the backbone of the English resistance
might have been broken. Napoleon
himself commended that if somebody
had not, without authority, ordered the
unsupported charge of his splendid
cavalry, he would have won. The "if''
ia everywhere in every story of Wa
terloo.
Before the main battle Napoleon
had beaten the Prussians at Llgny
and had dispatched Grouchy with
10000 troops to prevent the defeated
army from marching to Wellington's
aid. In this mission Grouchy failed
and the emperor ever after censured
him bitterly for the failure. Ney,
meanwhile, attacked the English at
Quatre Bras, but while he kept them
from aiding Butcher and his Prus-
slams he yet failed to break or demon
alize them. Wellington, retreating,
took up positions on the plateau of
Mt. st. Jean, or Waterloo. Butcher,
at Wavre, left Thielman to be over
whelmed by Grouchy while with his
main army he marched to Wellington's
assistance. Thus, in the language of
Greasy, she risked a detachment and
won campaign accordingly"
There is some variation in the es-
innate of the strength of the oppos-
ing forces. Greasy gives Napoleon
71,947, Wellington 67,655, and Blu
cher something over 10000, only
part of whom, of course, were en-
ployed on the main field. Captain
Becke and Colonel Hime give Napo-
leon $4,000, agreeing in substance
with Greasy as to the number COM
manded by Wellington and Butcher.
OF British troops, however, yelling
ton had but $4,000. The balance of
his forces comprised Dutch, Bel
gians, Hanoverians, Brunswickers,
Nassauers and the like, whose loyalty
and effectiveness was in more or less
doubt. On the morning of June IS,
102 years ago, the two armies were
drawn up opposite each other, with
valley between. The Prussians were
at Wavre. IL miles away.
Here again, enters the eff" The
night of the 18th had been stormy.
The ground was soft. Finding the
movement of artillery difficult Ma
poleon delayed the start of the
action until nearly noon. If he
had been able to begin at daybreak he
might have demolished Wellington be-
fore Butcher could have reached him
with aid.
Napoleon's first assault was against
the farm of Hougoumont, on the
right of the British position. Col
umn after column was hurled upon
this post, which a detachment of the
British guards, fighting with the most
desperate valor, held throughout the
day. At one time, indeed, Foy's at
lacking regiments forced the stockade,
but at the gate Colonel mcdonnell ran
through French infantrymen with his
sword and Colonel Mackinnon dashed
up under heavy fire with the Grena-
diers to the relief.
At one o'clock, with every cannon
ON both sides laundering, Napoleon
launched his first grand attack against
the British left center. For this
he selected $4,000 infantry, support
ed by Kellerman's horse and led by
Ney, "the bravest of the brave" The
Dutch Belgians in the first line fed in
terror before the furious onslaught of
these veterans, but the British infan-
try behind held firm. Pincton, COM
manding the thin red English line, only
5000 strong, took advantage of the
French moment of deployment to loose
a devastating volley. after which the
British cavalry charged, sending the
French Keeling back.
At three O'Clock Wellington's forces
having suffered severely from the
Commandment, and fresh troops appear
ing on the horizon (these were the