y in
killed: his force united in the position at Waterloo, therefore, was not
73,000 men, 21,000 of whom were Belgian and Nassau troops, mostly of
an inferior quality. Napoleon had lost many in his conflicts with the
Prussians at Charleroi and Ligny, and with the British at Quatre
Bras. He had also despatched 32,000 men, under Grouchy, to follow the
Prussians, and to prevent their joining the English, so that his army
was reduced to about 78,000 men when the battle of Waterloo commenced.
But his troops were veterans almost to a man, and there were at least
100,000 soldiers of the same quality behind them in France. He collected
his army on a range of heights in front of the British position, and not
above a mile from it. His right was in advance of Planchenois, and his
left rested on the Genappe road, while his rear was skirted by thick
woods. On the morning of the 18th, when Napoleon mounted his horse to
survey Wellington's position, he could see but few troops, and he
was induced to fancy that the British general had made a retreat.
"Wellington never exhibits his troops," said General Foy; "but if he
is yonder, I must warn your majesty that the English infantry in close
fighting are very demons." Soult added his warning to that of Foy; but,
nevertheless, Napoleon commenced the battle confident of victory. It was
shortly after ten o'clock on the Sabbath-day--a day sacred to devotion
and rest--that a stir was observed along the French lines, and
especially near the farm of Rossome, where Napoleon stood with
his celebrated old guard. The post of Hougoumont, on the right of
Wellington's centre, was first attacked, which post was occupied by
General Byng's brigade of guards: but the attack was vain; the post was
maintained, notwithstanding the desperate and repeated efforts of
large bodies of the enemy to obtain possession. This first attack was
accompanied by a heavy cannonade on the whole line of the British; which
was answered from Wellington's cannon, and which committed a fearful
havoc among the French columns, which successively attacked the post of
Hougoumont. The object of Wellington was to maintain his positions till
the arrival of some Prussian corps; and the object of Napoleon was to
crush him before Blucher could send a single battalion to his support.
Hence it was that he repeated his attacks with heavy columns of
infantry, with a numerous and brilliant cavalry, and with his formidable
artillery. But from every