ABSTRACT
In this way ended the bloody day of Waterloo,—a day which will ever be remembered, and will for ever adorn the brightest page in Britain’s annals. The Duke of Wellington was the conqueror, and his name must, in the opinion of Europe, ever rank foremost among the Generals of the age. Lord Castlereagh, in his speech on a motion for presenting the thanks of the House of Commons to him and his brave companions in arms, justly marks out his great fame and talent. “Never,” said he, “among the mighty achievements which have swelled our military renown, since the illustrious Duke of Wellington has been placed at the head of our army, has it been my lot to submit to Parliament a proposition founded on an event so glorious as that which calls for the expression of our gratitude to-day. It is a triumph 354of such a character, that, without disparagement to those notions in which his great genius has been formerly displayed, it may be truly affirmed that it never happened, even to him, to confer so great a benefit on his country before. It is an achievement of such high merit, of such pre-eminent importance, as never graced the annals of this or any other country until now: and when considered, not only with a view to the immediate loss inflicted on the enemy, but with reference to the moral effect which it must produce on the war now commenced, and in the issue of which the fate of England, of Europe, and the world are so closely bound up, it opens before us a prospect so cheering, and so transcendently bright, that no language can do justice to the feelings it must naturally inspire. There was something in the situation of the hostile armies, which, withoutdetracting from the high merit and military skill of the great commanders who placed the allied force in the position that it occupied, gave the enemy a decided advantage. It had been necessary to distribute the combined armies where sustenance could most conveniently be procured, there to await the arrival of the innumerable forces, by which one simultaneous attempt was to be made to crush the power of the enemy. Ere these forces were collected, the enemy had an awful advantage, and might choose on what part of the scattered troops he would direct his first attack. The Duke of Wellington 355and Prince Blucher could not concentrate their forces, without leaving a large portion of Belgium exposed.—It was the evident policy of Bonaparte to attack some points of this extended line before the Russians arrived. Whatever might be the risk of assailing the armies under the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blucher, it is obvious that if he could bring them into action, before they were supported by the armies advancing to co-operate with them, the chance of success would be greater than that which would remain to him after they had actually got up. Bonaparte considered this, and formed his resolve with all that judgment and decision of character which belonged to him, when he determined on the forward movement which terminated so gloriously for the British and their allies. He advanced with the flower of the French army, brought together from all parts of Europe where they had been prisoners, and concentrated for this desperate attack. They were in a high state of organization before the return of Bonaparte to France; and since his restoration to power, every care and preparation has been accumulated upon them to add to their efficiency. To this was opposed a young and green army, the greater part of which had never been in action before; an army, composed of different nations, and therefore more difficult to manage; and an army far inferior in numbers to the French. Yet for nine hours did 356it repulse all the attacks made by the French army, directed by Bonaparte in person. The powerful and often repeated efforts directed against it wholly failed. During the whole of the day, the British stood immoveable, nor was there any species of heroism, or of military science, which could adorn a field of battle, which was not here displayed by the Duke of Wellington. He owed much to the illustrious warrior of Prussia. Had they not done as they did, the British commander, consistently with these military principles by which his conduct is regulated, could never have acted on the offensive. Had they not shewn themselves as they had done, to insure complete success if the attack made any impression, and to prevent disaster if it failed, the Duke of Wellington could not have been able to take that course which the energy of his mind prompted, and which was encouraged by the example of his person. It is painful to reflect that that invaluable life was exposed to more danger in this action than that of the meanest soldier. The common soldier had only his local duties to perform, but the Duke of Wellington was every where in the heat of the action, and every where in the presence of danger. Having remained on the defensive for nine hours, the moment at length arrived, when he saw there was a prospect of acting on the offensive with success. He then ordered the line to advance. The shock was irresistible. The French 357could not resist our attacks as we had resisted theirs. Their ranks were broken. Their first line was thrown into disorder on the second, and they soon betook themselves to flight, in the greatest confusion. What the final result may be I cannot presume to predict; but it is glorious to reflect, that the Duke of Wellington was enabled, at the close of a day in which he had obtained a most splendid victory, to hand over the pursuit to the Prussian army, which, compared with the British or the French army, was fresh and ready to receive the charge. It must, however, be acknowledged, that the plan of Bonaparte, though completely frustrated, was not unwise; for if he could not beat the forces under the Duke of Wellington and Prince Blucher, while they were unsupported, he could have no hope of finding a more favourable opportunity when the allied armies had cached the frontiers. But defeated by the valour and military skill opposed to him, he is now thrown back upon France, and new strength is added to the confederated Powers.”
