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Botley, June 21st, 1815.

WM. COBBETT.

the Westminster Meeting, discharged in a ever, be charged with partiality, I shal most manly and able manner; in a man-here insert the official details, which haze ner worthy of the public-spirited and en- been published respecting the first batfle, lightened citizens, to whom his speech or rather series of battles, that have been was addressed. I am, &c. &c. fought for the purpose of determining, whether France is, or is not, to be permitted to exercise the right of choosing her own government?-When the phrenzy, which has seized the public mind, has somewhat subsided, and we are in possession of the French official accounts of the opening of the campaign, without which correct ideas cannot be formed, it may then be useful to make some remarks on these interesting events. I shall begin with the London Gazette Extraordinary, containing the particulars of what the Courier calls, the "Complete Defeat of "Bonaparte."

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No. I.

HISTORICAL NOTICES OF THE WAR OF
ENGLAND, AUSTRIA, RUSSIA, PRUSSIA,
DENMARK, SWEDEN, HOLLAND, SAR-
DINIA, THE POPE, NAPLES, SICILY,
SPAIN, PORTUGAL, BAVARIA, WUR-
TEMBERG, &c. &c.; WITH AN ARMY
OF ONE MILLION AND ELEVEN THOU-
SAND REGULAR SOLDIERS, AGAINST
NAPOLEON AND FRANCE.

been a

66

DOWNING-STREET, JUNE 22 -Major the Hon. H. Percy arrived last night with a dispatch from Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, K. G. to Earl Bathurst, his Majesty', Principal Secretary of State for the War Department, of

which the following is a copy:

The mighty contest has begun. The new crusade against France and against liberty has commenced. The Times newspaper says, that the campaign has opened with a great and glorious vic"tory; that Bonaparte's reputation has Waterloo, June 19. "been wrecked, and his last grand stake "has been lost in this tremendous conMY LORD-Bonaparte having collected the "flict; the fabric of rebellion is shaken 1st, 2d, 31, 4th, and 6th corps of the French "to its base." The Morning Chronicle, army, and the Imperial Guards, and nearly all that pink of hypocrisy, tells us, that it has the cavalry on the Sambre, and between that river and the Meuse, between the 10th and 14th "brilliant and complete victory, "which will for ever exalt the glory of of the mouth, advanced on the 15th, «nd attacked "the British name; that it is the grandest the Prussian posts of Thnin and Lobez, on the "and most important victory ever ob- Sambre, at day-light in the morning. I did not "tained." The Courier, in the height of hear of these events till the evening of the 15th, its frenzy, declares, that there could not and I immediately ordered the troops to prepare have been " a greater victory in point of to march; and afterwards to march to their left, C6 glory, more vital to the real interests as soon as I had intelligence from other quarters and safety of Europe, big with more imto prove that the enemy's movement upon Charle. 66 portant political consequences."-Of roy was the real attack. The enemy drove the course, as this same Courier Prussian posts from the Sambre on that day; says, the city is a scene of complete confusion; and General Zeiten, who commanded the corps "business is entirely neglected; the im-which had been at Charleroy, retired upon "mortal Wellington is the universal Fleures; and Marshal Blucher concentrated the "theme; the streets and Exchange are Prussian army upon Sombref, holding the vil crowded to excess-all anxious to hear lages in front of his position of St. Amand aud "the details of the glorious victory ob- Ligny. The enemy continued his march along tained by our noble countrymen."- the road from Charleroy towards Bruxelles, aud While this delirium continues at its height, on the same evening, the 15th, attacked a brigade it would be useless in me to attempt to of the army of the Netherlands, under the Prince bring the public back to reason. I might de Weimar, posted at Frasne, and forced it back as well think of reaching conviction to the to the farm house on the same road, called Les minds of the inhabitants of St. Luke's; I Quatre Bras. The Prince of Orange immedimight as well expect that a drunken man ately reinforced this brigade with another of the could discuss, with calmness and perspi- same division, under General Perponcher, and cuity, an argument in mathematics or in the morning early regained part of the ground moral philosophy. That I may not, how-which had been lost, so as to have the command

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of the communication leading from Nivelles and | Guards, upon their debouché from the village of Bruxelles, with Marshal Blucher's position. In Genappe, upon which occasion his Lordship has the mean time I had directed the whole army to declared himself to be well satisfied with that march upon Les Quatre Bras, and the 5th divi- regiment The position which I took up in front sion under Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Pic of Waterloo, crossed the high 10ads from Charleton, arrived at about half-past two in the day, roy, and Nivelle, and had its right thrown back followed by the corps of troops under the Duke to a ravine near Merke Braine, which was occuof Brunswick, and afterwards by the contingent pied; and its left extended to a height above the of Nassau. At this time the enemy commenced hamlet Ter la Haye, which was likewise occupied. an attack upon Prince Blucher, with his whole In front of the right centre and near the Nivelle force, excepting the 1st and 2d corps; and a road, we occupied the house and garden of corps of cavalry under General Kellerman, with Hougoumont, which covered the re-urn of that which he attacked our post at Les Quatre Bras. flask; and in front of the left centre we occupied The Prussian army maintained their position the farm of La Haye Sainte. By our left we with their usual gallantry and perseverance, communicated with Marshal Prince Blucher, at against a great disparity of numbers, as the 4th Wavre through Ohaim; and the Marshal bad corps of their army, under General Bulow, bad promised me that in case we should be attacked not joined, and I was not able to assist them as I he would support me with one or more corps, as wished, as I was attacked myself, and the troops, might be necessary. The enemy, collected lis the cavalry in particular, which had a long dis- army, with the exceptica of the third corps, tance to marchi, had not arrived. We maintained which had been sent to observe Marshai Blucher, our position also, and completely defeated and on a range of heights in our front, in the course of repulsed all the enemy's attempts to get possession the night of the 17th and yesterday morning, and at of it. The enemy repeatedly attacked us with a about ten o'clock he commenced a furious attack large body of infantry and cavalry, supported by upon our post at Hougoumont. I had occupied a numerous and powerful artillery; he made se- that post with a detachment from General Byug's veral charges with the cavalry upon our infantry, brigate of Guards, which was in position in its but all were repulsed in the steadiest manner. rear; and it was for some time under the com[Here his Lordship praises his troops and offi mand, of Lieut. Col. Macdonald, and afterwards cers.]-Our loss was great, as your Lordship of Colonel Home; and I am happy to aid that it will perceive by the enclosed return; and I have was maintained throughout the day with the utparticularly to regret his Serene Highness the most gallantry by these brave troops, notwithDuke of Brunswick, who fell fighting gallantly standing the repeated efforts of large bodies of at the head of his troops. Although Marshal | the enemy to obtain possession of it. This attack Blucher had maintained his position at Sambref, upon the right of our centre was accompanied by he still found himself much weakened by the a very heavy cannonade upon our whole line, severity of the contest in which he had been en- which was destined to support the repeated atgaged, and as the fourth corps had not arrived, tacks of cavalry and infantry occasionally mixed, he determined to fall back, and concentrate his but sometimes separate, which were made upon army upon Wavre; and he marched in the it. In one of these the enemy carried the farm: night after the action was over. This move- house of La Haye Sainte, as the detachment of ment of the Marshal's rendered necessary a the light battalion of the legion which occupied corresponding one on my part; and I retired it had expended all its ammunition, and the from the farm of Quatre Bras upon Genappe, enemy occupied the only communication there and thence upon Waterloo the next morning, was with them. The enemy repeatedly charged the 17th, at ten o'clock. The enemy made our infantrywith his cavalry, but these attacks no effort to pursue Marshal Blucher. On the were uniformly unsuccessful, and they afforded contrary, a patrole which I sent to Sambref in opportunities to our cavalry, to charge, in one of the morning, found all quiet, and the enemy's which Lord E. Somerset's brigade, consisting of videttes fell back as the patrole advanced. Nei- the life guards, royal horse guards, and 1st dragoon ther did he attempt to molest our march to the guards, highly distinguished themselves as did that rear, although made in the middle of the day, ex- of Major-General Sir W. Ponsonby, having taken cepting the following, with a large body of cavalry, many prisoners and an eagle. These attacks were brought from his right, the cavalry under the repeated till about seven in the evening, when the Earl of Uxbridge. This gave Lord Uxbridge an enemy made a desperate effort with the cavalry opportunity of charging them with the 1st Life and infantry, supported by the fire of artillry, to

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Major-General Sir W. Ponsonby.

Colonels. Du Plat, K. G. L.; Omteta, ditto; Morrin, 69th Regt. ; Sir W. Ellis, 23d.

Lieutenant-Colonels.-Macara, 42d Regt.; Cameron, 92d Regt. ; Sir Alex. Gordon, K. C. B. Aid_ de-Camp to the Duke of Wellington; Canning Currie, Lord Hill's Staff.

Majors.-The Hon. Fred. Howard, 10th Hussars >
George Bain, Royal Artillery; Norman Ramsey,
ditto; Cairnes, ditto; Chambers, 30th Regt.
Brevet-Majors. Crefton, 5th Division; Rose-

Captains. Bolton, Royal Artillery; Crawford,
Curzon, A. D. C. to hig
Guards; the Hon.

Royal Highness the Prince of Orange; Chambers,
A. D. C. to Lieut.-Gen. Picton; Charles Ellis, 95th
Regt.; Robertson, 73d Regt.; Kennedy, ditto;
Schauman, 2d. Lt. Bat, K. G. L; Holycowan, 1st
ditto; Henry Marshal, 1st ditto.; Goeben ditto
Gunning, 10th Hussars; Grove, 1st. Guards.
Lieutenants. C. Manners, Royal Artillery;
Lister, 95th Regt.

11

Ensigns. Lord Hay, Aid-de-Camp to General Maitland; Brown, 1st Guards.

WOUNDED.

General his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, G. C. B. severely.

force our left centre, near the farm of La Haye
Sainte, which atter a severe contest was de-
feated; and having observed that the troops re-
tired from this attack in great confusion, and
that the march of General Bulow's corps by En-
sehermont upon Planchenorte and La Belle A¦li-
ance, had begun to take effect, and as I could
perceive the fire of his cannon, and as Marshal
Prince Blucher had joined in person, with a
corps of his army to the left of our line by Olaim,
I determined to attack the enemy, and imme.
diately advanced the whole line of infantry, sup-wiel, 2d Light Regiment.
ported by the cavalry and artillery. The attack
succeeded in every point; the enemy was forced
from his position on the heights, and fled in the
utmost confusion, leaving behind him, as far as I
could judge, 150 pieces of cannon, with their
ammunition, which fell into our hands. I con-
tinned the pursuit til long after dark, and then
discontinued it only ou account of the fatigue of
our troops, who had been engaged during twelve
hours, and because I found myself on the same
road with Marshal Blucher, who assured me of
his intention to follow the enemy throughout the
night; he has sent me word this morning that he
had taken 60 pieces of cannon belonging to the
Imperial Guard, and several carriages, baggage,
&e. belonging to Bonaparte, in Genappe. I pro.
pose to move, this morning, upon Nivelles, and
not to discontinue my operations. Your Lord-
ship will observe, that such a desperate action
could not have been fought, and such advantages
could not be gained, without great loss; and I
am sorry to add, that ours has been immense.-
{Here his Lordship praises his officers and men.}
-I should not do justice to my feelings or to
Marshal Blucher and the Prussian army, if I did
not attribute the successful result of this arduous
day, to the cordial and timely assistance I re-
ceived from them. The operation of General
Bulow upon the enemy's flank, was a most deci-
and even if I had not found myself in a
situation to make the attack, which produced the
final result, it would have forced the enemy to
retire, if his attacks should have failed, and would
have prevented him from taking advantage of
them, if they should unfortunately have suc-
ceeded. I send, with this dispatch, two eagles,
taken by the troops in this action, which Major
Percy will have the honour of laying at the feet
of his Royal Highness. I beg leave to recom
mend him to your Lordship's protection. I have
the honour, &c. (Signed) WELLINGTON.
LIST OF THE BRITISH OFFICERS KILLED
AND WOUNDED.

sive one;

KILLED.

Duke of Brunswick Oels.

Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton.

Lieut-Generals, the Earl of Uxbridge, G. C. B. right leg amputated ; Sir C. Alten, K. C. B. severely, Major-Generals -Cock, right arm amputated; Sir E. Barnes, K. C. B. Adjut.-Gen. severely; Sir J. Kempt, K. C. B. slightly; Sir Colin Halkitt, K. C. B. severely; Adams, severely; Sir W.

Doruberg, K. C. B. severely.

Colonels.-Sir J. Elley, K. C. B. slightly; Harris, 73d Regt. Quentin, 10th Hussars, slightly; the Hon. Fred. Ponsonby, severely; Sir W. De Lancey; severely.

Lieutenant-Colonels.-Lord Fitzroy Somerset, right arm amputated; Hay, 16th Light Dragoons, severely; Vigoureau, 30th Light Dragoons; Abercrombie, A. Q. M. G. slightly; Hamilton, 30th regiment; Cameron, 95th, severely; Wyndham, 1st Foot Guards, severely; Bowater, 3d Foot Guards, slightly; Macdonell, Coldstream, slightly 5 Dashwood, 3d Guards, severely; Sir R. Hill, Royal Horse Guards Blue, severely; Norcott, 95th, severely; Hill, severely; Schreider, 8th Line battalion; Adair, 1st Guards, severely; Miller, 1st Guards, dangerously; Sir George Henry Berkeley, A. A G.

Majors.-Maclean, 73d; Beckwith, 95th, severely; Jessop, Assistant Quarter Master General; Bush, 1st Light Batt. K. G. L. right arm ampu tated, Parkinson, 73d, severely; Parker, R. H. Arlillery, leg amputated; Robert Ball, Royal Ar tillery, severely; Hamilton, Aid-de-Camp to MajorGeneral Sir E. Barnes; Watson, 69th regiment,

severely. Brevet-Major, Einem, dangerously. devour the states of the second rank of Germany, Majors Wilkins and Miller, 95th regt. severely;| The madmen! a moment of prosperity blinds Lindsay, 69th, dangerously, them. The oppression and humiliation of the Captains.-Smith, 95th regiment, severely; | French people are beyond their power. If they Tyler, Aid-de-Camp to Sir Thomas Picton, slightly; enter France, they will there find their tomb, Dance, 23d Light Dragoons; Johnston, 95th; Car. Soldiers! we have forced marches to make, batmers, 95th; Darney, Napier, A. M'Donald, Web. tles to fight, dangers to encounter; but with ber, Royal Artillery, severely; Dumaresque, And steadiness, victory will be our's; the rights, the de-Camp to Gen. Sir J. Byng, severely; Whyn- honour, the happiness of the country will be renates, Royal Artillery, severely; the Hon. conquered! To every Frenchman who has a Erskine, D. A. A. G. left arm amputated; A. Dang-heart, the moment is arrived to conquer or perish. ton, Aid-de-Camp to Lieutenant-General Picton, severely; Barnes, Brevet Major, Royal Artillery, (A true copy) The Marshal Duke of Dalmatia, severely.

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Lieutenants-Royal Artillery, Foster, Crome, Robe, Smith, Strangway, Brierton, and Forbes, severely; Hormey, arm amputated; Bloomfield and D. Crawford, slightly.--Haverlock, Aid-de-Camp to Gen, Sir Charles Alten; Pringle, Royal Engineers, slightly; Hamilton, 46th regiment, slightly; Heise, 1st light battalion; Gardiner, Johnstone, Moltry, Simmons, J. Gardiner, Fitzmaurice, Shenley, and Wright, 95th, severely.

FRENCH ACCOUNTS.

The following relate only to the operations of the army previous to the battle of the 18th, the French account of which has not arrived.

GENERAL ORDER,

(Signed)

NAPOLEON.

Major-Gen.

Charleroi, June 15.

On the 14th the army was placed in the following manner:-The Imperial Head-quarters at Beaumont. The 1st corps, commanded by General D'Erlon, was at Solre on the Sambre. The 2d corps, commanded by General Reillé, was at Ham-sur-Heure. The 3d corps, commanded by General Vandamme, was on the right of Beaumont. The 4th corps, commanded by General Gerard, had arrived at Philippeville On the tacked the enemy, and advanced upon Marchien15th, at three in the morning, General Reillé atThere were various engagements, nes-au-Pont. in which his cavalry charged a Prussian battalion, and made 300 prisoners. At one in the morning, the Emperor was at Jamignon-sur-Heure. General Daumont's division of light cavalry sabred two Prussian battalions, and made 400 prisoners General Pajol entered Charleroi at mid-day. The sappers and marines of the guard were with the advance to repair the bridges. They were the first to penetrate into the town as sharp-shooters. General Clari, with the 1st Hussars, advanced upon Gosselies, on the Brussels road; and Geneal Pajol upon Gilly, on the Namur road. At three in the afternoon General Vandaname debouched with his corps on Gilly. Marshal Grouchy arrived with the cavalry of General Excelmans. The enemy occupied the left of the position of Fleurus; at five in the afternoon the Emperor ordered an attack. The position was turned, and carried. Four squadrons of the

Avesnes, June 14, 1815. Soldiers!-This day is the anniversary of Marengo and of Friedland, which twice decided the destiny of Europe. Then, as after Austerlitz, as after Wagram, we were too generous! We believed in the protestations and in the oaths of Princes whom we left on the throne! Now, however, coalesced among themselves, they would destroy the independence and the most sacred rights of France. They have commenced the most unjust of aggressions. Let us march, then, to meet them. Are they and we no longer the same men? Soldiers, at Jena, against these same Prussians, now so arrogant, you were one against three, and at Montmirail one against six! Let those among you who have been prisoners of the English, detail to you the hulks, and the fright-Guard, commanded by General Letort, the Emful miseries which they suffered! The Saxons,peror's Aids-de-camp, broke three squares; the the Belgians, the Hanoverians, the soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine, lament that they are compelled to lend their arms to the cause of Princes, the enemies of justice and of the rights of all nations; they know that this coalition is insatiable! After having devoured twelve millions of Poles, twelve millions of Italians, one million of Saxons, six millions of Belgiaus, it must

26th, 27th, and 28th Prussian regiments were routed. Our squadrons sabred from four to 500 men, and took 150 prisoners. During this time General Reillé passed the Sambre at Marchiennesau-Pont, in order to advance upon Gosselies with the divisions of Prince Jerome and General Ba chelu, attacked the enemy, took from him 250 prisoners, and pursued him on the road to Brus.

sels. We thus became masters of the whole position of Fleurus. At eight in the evening the Emperor ›e-entered his head-quarters at Charleroi, This day cost the enemy five pieces of cannon and 2,000 men, of whom 1,000 are prisoners. Our loss is 10 men killed and 80 wounded, the greater part | belonging to the squadron of the guard who made the charges, and to three squadrons of the 20th dragoons, who also charged a square with the greatest intrepidity. Our loss, though trifling in amount, has been sensibly felt by the Emperor, from the severe wound received by General Le- | tort, is aid-de-camp, in charging at the head of the squadrons. He is an officer of the greatest distinction: he was struck by a ball in the lower part of the belly, but the surgeons give hopes that his wound will not be mortal. We have found some magazines at Charleroi. The joy of the Belgians it would be impossible to describe. There were some villages which, on the sight of their deliverers, formed dances; and every where there is a movement which proceeds from the heart. In the report of the Major-General of the Staff. the names of the officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves will be inserted. The Emperor has given the command of the left to the Prince of Moskwa, who, in the evening, had his head-quarters at Quatre-Chemius, on the road to Brussels. The Duke of Treviso, to whom the Emperor gave the command of the young guard, has remained at Beanmont, ill of the rheumatism, which has forced him to keep his bed. The 4th corps, commanded by General Gerard, arrives this evening at Chatelet. General Gerard has stated, that Lieut. General Bourmont, Colonel Clonet, and the chief of squadron Villoutreys, have passed over to the enemy. A lieutenant of the 11th Chasseurs has also gone over. The Major-General has ordered that these deserters shall be immediately sentenced conformably to the laws. It would be impossible to describe the good spirit and ardour of the army. It views the desertion of this small number of traitors who thus throw off the mask, as a fortunate event.

NEWS FROM THE ARMY.

In rear of Ligny, half past & in the evening
of the 16th of June, 1315.

The Emperor has just obtained a complete victory over the Prussian and English armies, united, under the orders of Lord Wellington and Marshal Blucher. The army at this moment de bouches by the village of Ligny, in advance of Fleurus, to pursue the enemy.

* A letter of the Emperor, of the 16th, ends with these words, written with his own handf he is going on well."

Fleurus, June 17,4 o'clock in the morning. The battle of yesterday lasted till ten o'clock in the evening. We are still in pursuit of the enemy, who has experienced a terrible overthrow. We have hithertʊ 8,000 prisoners, 20 pieces of cannon, and several standards, many officers of rank, among others Count Lutzow. We expect at day break to collect a great number in the villages of St. Amand, and others who were cut off by the movement which the Emperor caused his guard to make. The grenadiers and chasseurs of the old gnard massacred entire masses, and have lost very few men. It appears that it was a charge of bayonet by the Imperial Foot Guards which de cided the battle. The enemy have been extremely numerons. I never saw such enthanjasm in our soldiers. The columns which marched to battle, the wounded who returned from being dressed, never ceased to exclaim “ Live the Emperor!"

COPY OF A LETTER FROM THE MAJOR-GENE
RAL TO THE WAR MINISTER.

Fleurus, June 17, 1815,
Monsieur Marshal,—I aunounced yesterday,
from the field of battle of Ligny, to his Imperial
Highness Prince Joseph, the signal victory which
the Emperor has gained. I returned here with his
Majesty at 11 o'clock in the evening, and it was
necessary to pass the night in attending to the
wounded. The Emperor has remounted his
horse, to follow the success of the battle of Ligny.
It was fought with fury, and the greatest enthu-
siasm on the part of the troops. We were one to
three. At eight o'clock in the evening, the Em-
peror marched with his guard: six battalions of
the old guard, the dragoons, and horse-grena,
diers, and the cuirassiers of General Delort, de-
bouched by Ligny, and executed a charge which
separated the enemy's line. Wellington and
Blucher saved themselves with difficulty: the
effect was theatrical. In an instant the firing
ceased, and the enemy was routed in all direc
tions. We have already several thousand pri,
soners, and 40 pieces of capuou. The 6th and
1st corps were not engaged. The left wing
fought against the English army, and took from it
cannon and standards. At night I will give you
further details; for every instant prisoners are
aunounced, Our loss does not appear enormous ;
since, without screening it, I do not reckon it at
more than 3000 men.
(Signed)

Marshal, Major-General Duke of DALMATIA. (A Copy)

Marshal, Minister of War, Prince of ECKMUHL

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