that the English and Prussians were desirous to fight in the celebrated plains of Fleurus, on account of these alleged advantages. But in the day of trial, Napoleon was found superior in the number both of horse and fieldguns.

Thus perfectly prepared for action, no doubt was made, that Buonaparte would open the campaign, by assuming offensive operations. Of peace there remained no hope, for the war had been actually commenced by Great Britain in her own proper element, by the capture of the Melpomene, and some slight skirmishes had taken place on the advanced posts. To wait till the enemy had assembled their full force on his frontier, would have suited neither the man nor the moment. It was most agreeable to his system, his disposi tion, and his interest, to rush upon some separate army of the allies, and its dispersion, or annihilation, give Courage to France, animate her to fresh exertions in his cause, intimidate the allies, and gain time for sowing in their league the seeds of disunion. Even the royalists, whose interest was so immediately connected with the defeat of Buonaparte, were dismayed by witnessing his immense preparations, and sadly anticipated the first victories as their result, though they trusted that, as in 1814, he would be at length worn out by force of numbers and reiterated exertions.

But though all guessed at the mode of tactics which Napoleon would employ, there was a difference of opinion respecting the point on which his first exertions would be made; and, in general, it was augured, that, trusting to the strength of Lisle, Valenciennes, and other fortified places on the frontiers of Flanders, his first real attack, whatever diversion might be made elsewhere, would be made upon Manheim, to break asunder the Austrian and Russian armies as they were

forming, or rather to attack them separately to prevent their consolidation in line. If he should succeed in thus overwhelming the advance of the Austrians and Russians, by directing his main force to this one point, before they were fully prepared, it was supposed he might break up the plan of the allies for this campaign.

But Buonaparte was guided by no ordinary principles of tactics on this occasion. He was aware his first pass would be the most decisive in vigour, and determined to aim it at the heart of his enemy. Schwartzenberg he knew, and had heard of Wellington; he, therefore, opposed walls and fortified places against the slow and cautious approach of the Austrian general; while he himself, with his chosen army of veterans, should engage the more enterprising Briton. Entrenchments were, therefore, constructed in the five principal passages of the Vogesian mountains, and all the natural passes and strong-holds of Lorraine were put in the best possible state of defence. The posts on the inner line of defence were strengthened with the greatest care. The fine military position under the walls of Lyons was improved with great expense and labour; a tete-de-pont was erected at Brotteau ; a draw-bridge and barricade protected the suburb la Guillotiere; redoubts were erected between the Saonne and Rhine, and upon the heights of Pierre Encise and the Quarter of Saint John. Guise, Vitri, Soissons, Chateau-Thierry, Langres, and all the towns capable of any defence, were rendered as much so as posts, palisades, redoubts, and field-works, could make them. The Russian armies, though pressing fast forward, were not as yet arrived upon the line of operations; and Napoleon doubtless trusted that these impediments, in front of the Austrian line of operations, would arrest any hasty advance on their part, since the well-known tactics of

that school declare against leaving in their rear fortresses or towns, however insignificant or slightly garrisoned, or however completely they might be masqued. But there was no trusting to the skill of Wellington, and the dauntless indefatigability of the Prus sian veteran; and had Buonaparte made his advance in the direction of Manheim, leaving their course unopposed, unless by the frontier fortresses of French Flanders, there was the chance of their pressing forward on the capital, and becoming lords of the ascendant at Paris, while he was engaged with the Austrians or Russians. All his dispositions, therefore, were made with reference to the English and Prussians, as the objects of his first assault.

For this important purpose, he sum, moned round him his best and most experienced generals. Soult, late minister of war for Louis XVIII., was named major-general. He obeyed, he says, not in any respect as an enemy of the king, (for he knows not how to be ungrateful), but as a citizen and soldier, whose duty it was to obey whomsoever was at the head of the government, as that of the Vicar of Bray subjected him in ghostly obedience to each head of the church pro tempore. Ney was ordered to repair to the army at Lisle, "if he wished," so the command was expressed, "to witness the first battle." Macdonald was strongly solicited to accept a command, but declined it with disdain. Davoust, the minister at war, undertook to remove his scruples, and spoke to him of what his honour required. "It is not from you," replied the Marshal," that I am to learn sentiments of honour," and persisted in his refusal. Drouet, D'Erlon, Reille, Vandamme, Gerard, and Mouton de Lobau, acted as lieutenant-generals. The cavalry was placed under the command of Grou

chy, (whom, in reward for his treachery, he had created a marshal.) Pajol, Excelsman, Milhaud, and Kellerman, were his seconds in command. Drouet, Flabault, Dejean, Labedoyere, and other officers of distinction, acted as his aids-de-camp. The artillery were three hundred pieces; the cavalry approached to twenty-five thousand men; the guard to the same num ber; and there is little doubt that the whole army amounted to nearly one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, in the most complete state as to arms and equipment, who now marched to a war which they themselves had occasioned, under an emperor of their own making, and bore both on their hearts and tongues the sentiments of death or victory.

For the protection of the rest of the frontier during Napoleon's campaign in Flanders, Suchet was entrusted with the command on the frontiers of Switzerland, with directions to attack Montmellian as soon as possible after the 14th of June, which day Buonaparte had fixed for the commencement of hostilities. Massena was commanded to repair to Metz, to assume the government of that important fortress, and the command of the 3d and 4th divisions. All preparations being thus made, Napoleon at length announced what had long occupied his secret thoughts. "I go," he said, as he threw himself into his carriage to join his army, "I go to measure myself with Wellington."

On the 12th of June, the imperial guard arrived at Vervins, and joined itself with the army of the north, one great division of Napoleon's forces being so termed, which was speedily put in march to unite with the army of the Moselle on the frontiers. Their combination near Beaumont formed five divisions of infantry and four of cavalry, composing the grand army. The whole troops were in line on the

verge of the frontier on the 14th of June, and the order of the day now publicly announced this destination. This, the last triumphant address of Napoleon to his soldiery, may with propriety be introduced into our annals.

"Soldiers,-This day is June 14. the anniversary of Marengo and of Friedland, which twice decided the destiny of Europe. There, as after Austerlitz and Wagram, we were too generous. We believed the protestations and oaths of the kings whom we left in possession of their thrones. Now they have formed a new coalition to destroy the independence and the most sacred rights of France. They have com-. menced the most unjust of aggressions. Let us march to meet them. Are they and we no longer the same men? "Soldiers, at Jena, when contending against these Prussians, of late so arrogant, you were but one to three, and at Montmirail, but one to six.

"Let those among you, who have been prisoners among the English, describe the misery of their prisonhulks.

"The Saxons, Belgians, Hanove rians, the soldiers of the Confederation of the Rhine, lament that they are compelled to lend their arms to the cause of these princes, the enemies of justice and of the rights of nations. They know this coalition is insatiable. After having devoured twelve millions of Poles, twelve millions of Italians, one million of Saxons, and six millions of Belgians, it is preparing to swallow up the inferior states of Germany.

"The madmen! A glimpse of prosperity has blinded them. To oppress or humble France is beyond their power. If they enter her territory, it will be to find their sepulchre.

"Soldiers, we must undertake forced marches-battle-perils; but, with constancy, victory will be ours. The rights, the happiness of the coun

VOL. VIII. PART I.

try, will be secured by conquest. To every Frenchmen who has a soul, the moment of death or victory is arrived."

This address, read publicly at the head of each regiment, produced the strongest effect on the minds of the French soldiers, always alive to military and national glory. Their baser propensities are said to have been bribed by the promised pillage of Brussels, and their spirits were excited to the highest pitch of enthusiasm.

The storm being thus up, it remained to watch the direction in which the destroying spirit, by whom it was governed, should please to direct its course. Napoleon is known to have been guided in chusing his times for. action by that which ancient superstition called day-fatality: it is possible that he considered a similar principle in chusing the scene of combat: and as he marched forward on the anniversary of Marengo, he may have destined that France should a second time break the allied forces of Europe in the plains of Fleurus. idea predominated in the British army, that the French would advance on Brussels by the way of Namur, whose dismantled walls now afford no protection against invasion, and where it was supposed they would most easily have passed the river Sambre. Buonaparte had determined, however, to commence his manœuvres on the same line indeed, but at the town of Charleroi, twenty miles up the river, and of course so much nearer to the French territory.

An

The allied generals had made every disposition for the ready and rapid concentration of their army, either to advance or to repel an attack. Three of the Prussian divisions occupied Charleroi, Givet, Namur, and defen‹ed the left bank of the Sambre. The fourth, under General Bulow, about thirty thousand strong, was quartered between Liege and Hanaut. These cantonments were so chosen, that a

Brussels; and it was by the first of these that the communication was maintained with the Prussians. That communication, however, was neither clear nor safe; the distance was considerable, and Buonaparte had all the advantage of acting against two separate armies, instead of one concentrated and united force. It is probable, that in this way he attained the advantage which made him select Charleroi for the point of attack, in order, if possible, to interrupt the communication between the English and Prussians. To counterbalance this advantage, there occurred symptoms of treason in his camp. General Bourmont, who had remonstrated so warmly against the treachery of Ney, took the advantage of his vicinity to the Prussian army, to go over in the night, with a few officers in his suite, to the head-quarters of Prince Blucher, and from them to Ghent, to reassume the service of his lawful sovereign. His example made little impression upon the French army, for his defection was execrated by all who shared the general enthusiasm for Buonaparte; and the time and mode of it censured by some, who, sharing Bourmont's general sentiments, yet held it unworthy to desert the banners of France, while they were displayed against a foreign enemy.

Meanwhile the Prussian, as well as English general, were now taking eve. ry measure to concentrate their for ces, and abide the brunt of this fear ful onset. Marshal Blucher, whose army was divided into four corps, directed them with all speed to concentrate themselves upon Fleurus, the point where Gen. Ziethen, after his retreat of the 15th, had made good his position. Three of these corps were able to form the proposed junction; by means of which, the Prussians, with an army of about eighty thousand men, occupied the high grounds

VOL. VIII. PART 1.

which extend betwixt Brie and Sombref, and the villages of Ligny and St Amand, which lie beneath and in front of these heights. But the fourth corps, commanded by General Bulow, being stationed between Liege and Hanault, could not by any exertion be brought up to join in the approaching action. As its arrival, however, might be expected in the course of the ensuing day, the Prince Marshal determined rather to await the attack of the French in his present position, than, by retiring on the line in which Bulow was advancing, to hasten their junction at the expence of increasing the distance between his own and Lord Wellington's army, the divisions of which were, according to the plan of operations previously adjusted, already in motion to concentrate themselves near Frasnes, on the right of the Prussian line.

It was during a ball given by the Duchess of Richmond to the most distinguished officers of the British army, that first a stifled and uncertain rumour, and next hasty and breathless couriers, brought notice of the advance of the enemy. Yet the dance for some time continued uninterrupted, for when such immense armies are put in motion, the utmost caution is used, lest a false alarm should give rise to a false movement. It was about one in the morning when certain intelligence assured the duke, that Buonaparte was at Charleroi with his whole army; and at that early hour, the summons of the trumpets and drums, with all the clamour of a collecting army, and a commencing march, alarmed the inhabitants of Brussels. Regiment after regiment formed and marched out of the city, with their artillery and field equipage, headed by officers, some of whom went to meet death in the gala dresses in which they had lately mingled among the lively and the gay. From

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