CHAPTER IX.
Morning after the battle.—Extraordinary and distressing appearance of the field.—Solicitude for the wounded.—The Duke goes back to Brussels to consult the authorities and soothe the extreme excitement.—Humane conduct of all classes towards the wounded.—The allied army proceeds to Nivelles; joined by our detached force.—His Grace issues a general order.—Overtakes the army. On the 21st we cross the frontier into France.—Proclamation to the French people.—Napoleon abdicates in favour of his son.—Cambray and Péronne taken.—Narrow escape of the Duke.—Grouchy retreats upon Paris, closely pursued by the Prussians.—The British and Prussian armies arrive before Paris.—Combat of Issy.—Military convention.—The allies enter the capital on the 7th of July.—Louis XVIII enters next day.—Napoleon surrenders at sea, July 15th.—He is exiled to St.-Helena, where he dies in 1821.—Reflections.
Morning after the battle.—Extraordinary and distressing appearance of the field.—Solicitude for the wounded.—The Duke goes back to Brussels to consult the authorities and soothe the extreme excitement.—Humane conduct of all classes towards the wounded.—The allied army proceeds to Nivelles; joined by our detached force.—His Grace issues a general order.—Overtakes the army. On the 21st we cross the frontier into France.—Proclamation to the French people.—Napoleon abdicates in favour of his son.—Cambray and Péronne taken.—Narrow escape of the Duke.—Grouchy retreats upon Paris, closely pursued by the Prussians.—The British and Prussian armies arrive before Paris.—Combat of Issy.—Military convention.—The allies enter the capital on the 7th of July.—Louis XVIII enters next day.—Napoleon surrenders at sea, July 15th.—He is exiled to St.-Helena, where he dies in 1821.—Reflections.
On our awaking next morning, each of us must have experienced something like astonishment, not unmingled, I hope, with feelings of gratitude, that amidst such carnage as he had witnessed, his life and strength were still spared, to fight again, if need should be, the battles of his country. We knew we had beaten the French, and that too, completely; for our last charge had succeeded at every point. But they were not defeated because they were deficient either in bravery or discipline. Their bearing throughout the day was that of gallant soldiers: their attacks were conducted with a chivalric impetuosity and admirably sustained vigour, which left no shadow of doubt upon our minds of their entire devotedness to the cause of Napoleon, of their expectation of victory, and the determination of many of them not to survive defeat. The best and bravest of them fell; but not till they had inflicted almost equal loss upon their conquerors. To deny them the tribute of respect and admiration which their bravery and misfortunes claim, would tarnish the lustre of our martial glory. The British soldier is content with victory: he abhors insult and cruelty; he has a pleasure in being just and generousto a fallen foe. That the French in their flight from Waterloo were unnecessarily butchered during many hours by the exasperated Prussians, is a fact, which I can more easily explain than justify.
The field of battle, after the victory, presented a frightful and most distressing spectacle. It appeared as if the whole military world had been collected together, and that something beyond human strength and ingenuity had been employed to cause its destruction. Solicitude for the wounded prompted the Duke to ride back to Brussels immediately after the sanguinary contest. The assistance of the town authorities was requested, in collecting and removing the wounded from the field, burying the dead, etc., as well as to restore confidence amongst the population, and allay the extreme excitement which prevailed throughout Belgium. Right nobly did the inhabitants of Brussels respond to his appeal. The clergy, as might have been expected, were foremost in their exertions to relieve the dreadful agonies of so many gallant and innocent sufferers: the highest in rank rivalled the hardier classes in performing the most trying offices for the mangled heroes that filled the hospitals, and encumbered even many private dwellings. Ladies, of the honoured names of Mérode and Robiano set an illustrious example, by their presence on the field the morning after the battle; the scene of carnage, so revolting to their delicate and tender nature, stimulating, instead of preventing, their humane exertions. Many other ladies, like ministering angels, shared in this work of mercy to the wounded, of whatever nation they might be, or in whatever cause they had fallen[78].
The allied army proceeded on the 19th to Nivelles, (a most wonderful military exploit after such a desperate battle,) where it was joined by the detached force under prince Frederick and general sir Charles Colville. His Grace overtook us on the 21st, on which day we entered France. On the day previous to the allied army entering the country, the Duke issued the following
GENERAL ORDER.“Nivelles, June 20th, 1815.“1. As the army is about to enter the French territory, the troops of the nations which are at present under the command of field-marshal the duke of Wellington, are desired to recollect that their respective sovereigns are the allies of his Majesty the king of France, and that France ought, therefore, to be treated as a friendly country. It is therefore required that nothing should be taken either by officers or soldiers, for which payment be not made....“2. The Field-Marshal takes this opportunity of returning to the army his thanks for their conduct in the glorious action fought on the 18th inst., and he will not fail to report his sense of their conduct, in the terms which it deserves, to their several sovereigns.“Wellington.”
GENERAL ORDER.
“Nivelles, June 20th, 1815.
“1. As the army is about to enter the French territory, the troops of the nations which are at present under the command of field-marshal the duke of Wellington, are desired to recollect that their respective sovereigns are the allies of his Majesty the king of France, and that France ought, therefore, to be treated as a friendly country. It is therefore required that nothing should be taken either by officers or soldiers, for which payment be not made....
“2. The Field-Marshal takes this opportunity of returning to the army his thanks for their conduct in the glorious action fought on the 18th inst., and he will not fail to report his sense of their conduct, in the terms which it deserves, to their several sovereigns.
“Wellington.”
The Duke’s head-quarters on the 21st were at Malplaquet, the scene of one of the great Marlborough’s victories, in 1709. He immediately issued a proclamation to the French people, which exemplifies the wisdom, firmness and moderation that ever marked the career of our illustrious commander. He worthily represented a brave, victorious, but humane people, the inhabitants of the British empire.
PROCLAMATION.“Be it known to the French people, that I enter their country at the head of a victorious army, not as an enemy, (excepting to the usurper, the declared enemy of the human race, with whom we can have neither peace nor truce,) but to assist them to throw off the iron yoke by which thy have been borne down.“For this purpose I have issued the accompanying orders to my army; let all who shall infringe those orders be reported to me.“The French people, however, must be aware that I have a right to require them so to conduct themselves, that I may be warranted in protecting them from all aggression.“They will therefore provide whatever shall be demanded of them by persons duly authorized, receiving in exchange receipts in proper form and order: they will remain peaceably in their dwellings, and will hold no correspondence nor communication with the usurper or his adherents.“All persons abandoning their homes after our entry into France, or absenting themselves in order to serve the usurper, shall be looked upon as his partisans and our enemies; and their property shall be confiscated and applied to the maintenance of the troops[79].“Wellington.“Given at head-quarters,Malplaquet,“June 22d, 1815.”
PROCLAMATION.
“Be it known to the French people, that I enter their country at the head of a victorious army, not as an enemy, (excepting to the usurper, the declared enemy of the human race, with whom we can have neither peace nor truce,) but to assist them to throw off the iron yoke by which thy have been borne down.
“For this purpose I have issued the accompanying orders to my army; let all who shall infringe those orders be reported to me.
“The French people, however, must be aware that I have a right to require them so to conduct themselves, that I may be warranted in protecting them from all aggression.
“They will therefore provide whatever shall be demanded of them by persons duly authorized, receiving in exchange receipts in proper form and order: they will remain peaceably in their dwellings, and will hold no correspondence nor communication with the usurper or his adherents.
“All persons abandoning their homes after our entry into France, or absenting themselves in order to serve the usurper, shall be looked upon as his partisans and our enemies; and their property shall be confiscated and applied to the maintenance of the troops[79].
“Wellington.
“Given at head-quarters,Malplaquet,“June 22d, 1815.”
Whilst the Duke was addressing this language to the French people, the fallen usurper, having awakened from his short dream of empire and spoliation, made a last but fruitless effort to continue to delude his discomfited partisans. On the very same day that Wellington’s proclamation went forth from Malplaquet, Napoleon issued the following declaration:
“Palace of the Élysée,June 22d, 1815.“FRENCH PEOPLE!“In commencing hostilities to uphold your national independance,I relied upon the combined efforts and good will of all classes, as well as the cooperation of all official persons in the country. Hence sprang my hopes of success, and willingness to set at defiance all the proclamations of the powers against me.“Circumstances appear to me to be altered. I tender myself in sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France. May they be sincere in their declarations! May their hostility really aim at nothing but me personally!“My political life is at an end; and I proclaim my son, under the name of Napoleon the Second, Emperor of the French.“The present ministers will constitute provisionally the council of state.“My interest in my son’s well-being leads me to invite the Chambers to proceed without delay to provide a regency by an enactment for this purpose.“Make united efforts to preserve the public peace and your national independence.“Napoleon.”
“Palace of the Élysée,June 22d, 1815.
“FRENCH PEOPLE!
“In commencing hostilities to uphold your national independance,I relied upon the combined efforts and good will of all classes, as well as the cooperation of all official persons in the country. Hence sprang my hopes of success, and willingness to set at defiance all the proclamations of the powers against me.
“Circumstances appear to me to be altered. I tender myself in sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France. May they be sincere in their declarations! May their hostility really aim at nothing but me personally!
“My political life is at an end; and I proclaim my son, under the name of Napoleon the Second, Emperor of the French.
“The present ministers will constitute provisionally the council of state.
“My interest in my son’s well-being leads me to invite the Chambers to proceed without delay to provide a regency by an enactment for this purpose.
“Make united efforts to preserve the public peace and your national independence.
“Napoleon.”
This production neither aroused the French to make fresh sacrifices for his sake, nor stayed the victorious march of the allies upon Paris.
On the 24th of June we took Cambray, which was given up on the following day to Louis XVIII. This was the last occasion on which I saw a shot fired in a hostile manner.
Our first brigade of guards took Péronne on the 26th. The Duke on this occasion had a narrow escape. After directing his staff to get under shelter in the ditch of an outwork, he posted himself in a sally-port of the glacis. A staff officer, having a communication to make to his Grace, came suddenly upon him and drew the attention of the enemy, who treacherously discharged a howitzer loaded with grape at the point; it shattered the wall against which the Duke was standing, and made (to use the words of one who saw him immediately afterwards,) “his blue coat completelyred.”
Meanwhile Grouchy, who was at Wavre, having heard of the utter failure of his Imperial master at Waterloo, commenceda retreat on Paris, vigorously followed by the two Prussian corps under Thielmann and Pirch. During this retreat, Grouchy displayed more skill, energy and decision, than in his pursuit of the Prussians, on the 17th and 18th.
The Prussians, who were on our left, had several sharp engagements with the enemy during their advance upon Paris; and both armies reached the environs of the capital on the 1st of July. Hostilities ceased, and a military convention was signed in the evening of the 3d. On the morning of this day Zieten’s corps had a sharp action, in which they were victors, at Issy near Paris.
The campaign thus, by a singular coincidence, was brought to a close by the same troops that opened it. The allied and Prussian armies entered Paris on the 7th of July, and were followed next day by Louis XVIII. Before the end of the month, the armies of Europe congregated in and round Paris, amounted nearly to the enormous number of a million of men in arms.
Napoleon, in the mean time, had left the capital. The Emperor surrendered at sea, on the 15th of July[80], to captain Maitland, of the Bellerophon. By a decree of the allied powers, he was sent to St.-Helena, where he died May 5th, 1821.
Since these events, more than thirty years have passed over us; and peace between the two greatest nations of the globe, England and France, has been uninterruptedly maintained. Long may it continue, to the honour of those whose blood and valour purchased it, and to the lasting happiness of the civilized world! It was the prospect of securing this immense benefit to mankind that united all European nations against the ambition of Napoleon, and that afforded the best comfort under the distressing sacrifices made to ensure his overthrow. Perhaps no people benefitted by his fall so much as the French themselves: his triumphs (often great in a military point of view,) left nothing in their hands, whilst they filled every family in France with mourning. The conscription was amore searching tyranny than civilized men had ever before endured; and all this blood flowed in vain. Our Gallic neighbours have sometimes mistaken the tone of triumph in which we speak of the downfall of Napoleon, and have regarded it as insulting to them: nothing is farther from the mind and heart of the British soldier, who is always ready to acknowledge their military excellence.
(end of chapter; image of a soldier)