Wellington by Marshal Blucher: however, from the badness of the roads, he did not come up till eight o'clock in the evening; but even at that late hour he was of the greatest use, as we were severely galled by the artillery and musketry of the enemy

"At three o'clock, the Duke of Wellington despatched Major Percy to inquire how long it would be before General Bulow could come up; he returned in a short time, saying, that he would arrive in an hour; but, as I before observed, the roads precluded the possibility of his doing so.

"The enemy pressed the centre of the British line so closely, that we were compelled to leave the left, and form in line in the rear, and almost on the heels of the pressed infantry; and remained in that position for about a quarter of an hour, when the French gave way, and we charged, first the cuirassiers, then the lancers, and, at last, became so mixed with the enemy, that the confusion exceeded all description; bus terminated in the total defeat of the French.

"I must relate one occurrence which happened in our regiment. Serjeant Taylor, on coming up with the cuirassiers, made a cut at the head of one of them, which had no other effect on the Frenchman, than to induce him to cry out in derision, Ha! ha!' and to return a severe blow at the serjeant. This, however, was admirably parried, and Taylor then thrust his sabre into the mouth of the cuirassier, who instantly fell, and the conqueror cried, 'Ha! ha!' in his turn; a circumstance which greatly increased the ardour of the other men."

trenchments, but to fall back. Accordingly, about ten in the morning of the 17th, the infantry began to withdraw, leaving us to cover their retreat. The enemy, perceiving this, brought up their lancers to attack us; but we were ordered not to bring them to action, but retreat, which was accordingly done. General Vivian, who commands our brigade, conducted the retreat in a most able and skilful manner, covering it with our brigade of the whole army, that fell back on this point. The enemy, seeing us retreat, were highly delighted, and followed us with all speed, cheering and hallooing with a design to frighten us; but in this they were disappointed, for we did not lose a man, although they attempted to charge us several times Thus was our retreat completed, after having fallen back about eight miles. But we were much hurt by a thunder-storm, which brought with it the most heavy torrents of rain that I ever beheld, nor did it abate till about nine o'clock the next morning; and we were exposed to it all the time, for we took up our abode in a wood all night, so that we were like drowned men, more than soldiers: but, as many of us had been long enured to hardships of all descriptions, none seemed to repine.

"About nine, on the morning of the 18th, the clouds dispersed, and the enemy drew up in order of battle, and, as our line had been formed all night, we were quite ready for them. Our troops were posted upon some rising heights, which command the plain before them, whilst those of the French were posted upon a rising ground, parallel with that which we occupied ; and their position was covered by a long chain of

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A PRIVATE IN THE TENTH woods, which concealed many of their movements, so

DRAGOONS.

"I have embraced this opportunity of giving you as much information as comes within my knowledge, though you are, no doubt, well acquainted with what has transpired during our short, but glorious, campaign: but, as the editor of a newspaper can say what he pleases, I shall take the liberty of saying what I know to be true.

that we had no advantage of them; for we had the plain before us, and they the same.

"About twelve o'clock the onset commenced, by a brisk fire from the sharp-shooters, and soon after a very heavy cannonading ensued; and, by two, the action became general, and raged most desperately; for both sides seemed determined to keep their ground; but the enemy showed us, that they did not only mean to have "On the 16th of June, our troops were in motion. their own ground, but ours also. They accordingly At day-break in the morning, the British were advanc- brought up a strong force of cavalry and infantry, and ing as rapidly as possible towards the enemy, who were pushed with all their might upon the centre of our line, waiting our approach, and had already made an attack | thinking to break it; but in this they were disappointed, upon some Hanoverian troops. The brigade to which for our cavalry drove them back, as fast as they adI belong, marched a distance of about fifty miles, vanced. Finding, therefore, that they could make no taking their posts the same evening about seven o'clock; impression upon our centre, they endeavoured to turn and, being the first cavalry that arrived, we remained our left flank, by pressing upon it in the same manner. under arms all night, during which time several bri- Upon this point our brigade was posted; but they met gades of cavalry and most of our infantry arrived. with the same reception as before: so, finding that we The French, however, were so strongly posted, that it stood firm at this place also, they took up their own was thought prudent not to attack them in their en-ground, and soon after endeavoured to advance at all

an Englishman; but, when we charged the infantry, vancing; and when the infantry engaged, our cavalry one of them shot him dead, just as we got within was not come up. The French made dreadful havoc bayonet-length of them. We had two officers killed, amongst the first brigade, which was almost entirely and three captains and two lieutenants wounded. But cut off; our cavalry then arrived, but too late to afford how many privates we have lost, I do not know: but any essential relief, and the advantage rested with the not so many as might have been expected; for the French the first day. On the following day (the 17th), French fired so high, that, when we came to close the action re-commenced at day-light with great spirit, quarters with them, half their shot did not tell, or they as we received, during the night, a reinforcement of inmight have killed every man of us. But Providence fantry and artillery. We opened a brisk fire upon the is ever on the watch, and orders every thing as it enemy, but apparently with little effect, until our capleases; and I can never return too many thanks to valry began to charge amongst them, when they did the Almighty, for preserving me through that day's great execution, and the infantry again advanced; but peril; for never did I behold such a scene of slaughter. we were almost exhausted by the fatigues of the day, Never did British troops try more for victory, and never and the heavy rain which fell during the time. All the were they nearer being defeated. But, thanks be to fields, where the action took place, were covered with Heaven, the work was at last completed; for the Prus- standing corn; and, as we had lain on the wet ground, sian troops finished what we had begun, pursuing and in the open air, all night, our spirits were completely driving them all night, the darkness of which helped spent. The combat, however, served to re-animate our to add to their horror-struck minds. Thus was the men; and as the action grew warm, they became fired proud and destroying tyrant once more beaten, and with impatience for revenge. For a long time our compelled to fly to his capital for shelter, leaving his troops could make no impression on the enemy, (the troops to their destructive fate. His fate, and that of odds against them, in point of numbers, being as eight all Europe, depended upon that day; but the evening to one,) till at length we got amongst them two or three saw him a wretched fugitive, not daring to stop a mo- times, and then we literally cut them down in sections. ment. We took from the enemy two hundred and ten Never were the skill and courage of Britons so compieces of cannon, and stores of all descriptions, and pletely tried before, and never was their resolution many prisoners. He had, during the action, in several more determined against the rebels. Numbers of our places of his line, the black flag flying, which signifies men having been cut down by the enemy with their no quarter; and, if they had beaten us, I dare say own swords, after they had surrendered themselves prithey would have showed us none." soners, the British were exasperated to that degree, that they spared neither men nor officers, old nor young; but sent them after the many hundreds that had been slain without the least chance for their lives. Thus the natural humanity of British hearts became steeled to every generous feeling. However, we made good our retreat, and we kept our ground the second night, but with some difficulty, on account of the immense superiority of the French.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER.

"On the 26th of April we landed at Ostend, whence we proceeded to Brussels, which was then the headquarters of the British army, where we lay till the battle took place, which, I think, was the most dreadful that ever was witnessed by British troops. I have been in four engagements and at two sieges, but this surpassed all that I have ever seen.

"The third day brought the business to a final issue. At break of day, we faced the enemy again, and Lord "On the 14th of June, a movement was observed Wellington began to manoeuvre, by retreating a little, in the French lines; but no one imagined they were with a view of drawing them out of a wood: the enedrawing so strong a force against our front as it after- my followed, and were in hopes of getting to Brussels; wards proved to be. We thought they were observing but we soon made the ground too hot for them. For a the Prussians; but we soon discovered their meaning. long time our cause hung on a single thread, and I am On the 16th, they advanced against our front like moats sure the oldest soldier in his majesty's service never in the sun the advanced posts began the fray-a fray saw Frenchmen stand so before. At length, to our that deprived many a mother of her son, a wife of her great joy, we learnt that the Prussians were coming up; husband, and a child of a father. Our victory has, in- we then gave the French a charge; the Prussians deed, cost us dear; but, thank God, I have escaped flanked them at all points, and a most dreadful slaughfrom harm in this as well as all other engagements. ter ensued. The enemy were thrown into confusion, "At the commencement of the action, our front was and fled in all directions, leaving their baggage, artilvery weak, as we had no expectation at the time of ad-lery, and every thing behind them, and we pursued

them into their own country. The wounded that fell | put his whole army, amounting to fourteen thousand into our hands are in the most shocking state I ever saw, from the cuts of our cavalry. Thus have we gained another victory for Old England."

It appears by Brussels papers, that the Duke of Wellington arrived at Brussels on Monday, the 19th, to visit the Prince of Orange, and those of his brave companions in arms who had been wounded in the battle of the 18th. Buonaparte had promised his troops three hours pillage in Brussels; and the inhabitants on Monday manifested the most enthusiastic joy at the victory of the preceding day, which had saved them from plunder, and secured the triumph of a cause in which their hearts were so much interested.

At the close of the pursuit of the enemy, in the great battle, the Duke of Wellington, finding the troops so exhausted as to be unable to proceed, recommended it to them to give the flying enemy three British cheers before halting.

men, in mourning, ever since the death of his father, and made his soldiers swear that they should never leave it off until they had avenged the insult offered to his father's tomb by the French.

The true British perseverance of generals and soldiers were crowned with a success so much the more precious, as it had remained long in a state of the most awful suspense. "Never before," said the Duke of Wellington, “was I obliged to take such pains for victory, and never before was I so near being beaten."

An immense number of inhabitants from Brussels and its neighbourhood were so anxious to see the grand battle, that, at last, they got intermixed with the soldiery, and materially assisted in relieving the unfortunate wounded men. The whole of the people in Brussels had voluntarily quitted' their houses to receive the wounded. Towards the close of the battle, the Earl of Uxbridge, at the head of the First Life-Guards, penetrated within three yards of Buonaparte's person. At this moment, when calling to the men to come up the hill, the Earl of Uxbridge received his wound. He was immediately carried off, and could not communicate to his men the glorious enterprise which he had in view, otherwise it would have been accomplished; in the subsequent confusion, Buonaparte unfortunately escaped.

So confident was Buonaparte of getting to Brussels, that several bales of proclamations were found among his baggage, dated from "Our Palace of Laekin," a royal residence near that city.

A party of gentlemen recently returned to town from a visit to the scene of the late battles in Belgium, relate the following anecdotes:

A British officer, who was made prisoner in the battle of the 16th, was brought before Buonaparte for examination. Being asked "Who commands the cavalry?" he answered, "Lord Uxbridge." "No, Paget," replied Buonaparte. The officer then explained that they meant the same person, and Buonaparte nodded assent. He was then asked, He was then asked, "Who commanded in

The amputation on the Earl of Uxbridge was of necessity performed very high upon the thigh-bone, from the fracture having extended far above the knee, from which unfortunate circumstance, great danger was ap-chief?" and was answered, the Duke of Wellington; prehended from the operation. upon which he observed, "No, that cannot be, for he The gallant Sir Thomas Picton, so memorable in the is sick." It seems that his Grace had received a fall Peninsula campaigns, as the leader of what was pre-from his horse, on the 14th, and was reported to be ineminently called the fighting division, commonly known also by the appellation of the right hand of Wellington, received his death-wound in the daring enterprise of leading a charge of infantry against a solid square of French cavalry, an enterprise scarcely before attempted, except by Picton himself, who had more than once successfully executed it in the Peninsula.

disposed in consequence, and Buonaparte had received intelligence to that effect. The conversation continued in this line for a considerable time, during which Buonaparte shewed himself perfectly acquainted with the strength and position of the several divisions of the allied armies, and the names of their several commanders. As they were successively mentioned, he The gallant Duke of Brunswick who has fallen, had occasionally remarked, "Oh! yes, that division cannot

be up in time."-" This division cannot be up in a called them the Red Lions. Among the effective inciday," and so on.