Waterloo his division formed the extreme left of
the French infantry, opposite Hougomont, and was engaged in the struggle
for that post. Whatever his failings may have been, he is acknowledged
to have fought gallantly. After the battle he was given the command of
the army by his brother, and was told to cover the retreat to Laon, which
he reached on the 21st of June, with 18,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry and
two batteries which he had rallied. This, be it observed, is a larger
force than Ney told the Chambers even Grouchy (none of whose men are
included) could have, and Jerome's strength had swollen to 25,000
infantry and 6000 cavalry when he handed over the army to Soult at Laon.
Napoleon had intended to leave Jerome with the command of the army, but
he eventually took him to Paris.

When Napoleon left the country Jerome was assured by the ambassador of
Wurtemberg that he would find a refuge in the dominions of his
father-in-law; but when he arrived there he was informed that if he did
not wish to be, according to the original intentions of the Allies,
handed over to the Prussians, and separated from his wife, he must sign
an engagement to remain in Wurtemberg under strict surveillance. He was
then imprisoned at Guppingen, and afterwards at Ellwangen, where he was
not even allowed to write or receive letters except through the captain
of the chateau.

Part of Jerome's troubles came from the conduct of his wife Catherine,
who had the idea that, as she had been given in marriage by her father to
Jerome, as she had lived for seven years as his wife, and as she had
borne a child to him, she was really his wife, and bound to remain with
him in his misfortunes! The royal family of Wurtemberg, however,
following the illustrious example of that of Austria, looked on her past
life as a mere state of concubinage, useful to the family, and to be
respected while her husband could retain his kingdom, but which should
end the moment there was nothing more to be gained from Napoleon or his
brother. It was all proper and decorous to retain the title of King of
Wurtemberg, which the former Duke and then Elector had owed to the exile
of St. Helena, but King Frederick, and still less his son William, who
succeeded him in 1816, could not comprehend Catherine's clinging to her
husband when he had lost his kingdom. "I was a Queen; I am still a wife
and mother," wrote the Princess to her disgusted father. Another
complaint against this extraor