?THE STESDAX OHEGOXXAST POItTtYAXI F32BBrABY 24, 1895.
1
3AP0LE0N THE GREAT
x ixTEnXssnxG account op his
ailUTARY CAMPAIGNS.
Vl'rlta Expressly -for the Sunday
Orcsonlnn. by Montgomery
B. GIbbs.'
(Copyright, 1SH. All rights reserved.)
XXIV.
The French line of battle was formed in
front of Planchenois. having the heights
ot La Belle Alliance in the rear of its cen
ter. The forces -were drawn up in six lines
on each side of the causeway of CharleroU
The ilrst ana second lines -were of in
fantry, having the light cavalry at each
of its wings, so as to unite them with the
six. lines of the main force. The artillery
"was placed in the intervals botween the
brigades. All the troops were in their sta
tlcns by about 1030 o'clock.
The grand attack on the center of the
"Anglo-Belgian army was to be made by
.Marshal Ney. The marshal had sent word
to Napoleon that everything was ready
and he only awaited the order to begin.
Before giving it Napoleon looked over the
.field of battle and the surrounding coun
trythe last he was ever to contest. lie
perceived a dark mass at a distance in the
direction of St. Lambert, where he had
ordered Grouchy to Bend a detachment,
ffhe glasses of all the officers were in
stantly tunned toward the object. Some
thought it was only a mass of dark trees.
To remove all doubts the emperor dis
patched General Daumont with a body of
.3000 light cavalry to form a Junction with
them if they were the troops of Grouchy
cr keep them in check if they were hostile.
Through a Prussian hussar, who was
brought In a prisoner, it was learned that
The dark mass was. the advance gnard of
Bulow, who was coming up with 30,000
fresh men; that Blucher was at Wavre
with his army and that Grouchy had not
appeared there.
A messenger was immediately flis
yatched to Marshal Grouchy to march on
St. Lambert without a moment's delay,
and take Bulow's division in the rear. It
-was believed that Grouchy must be near
at hand, whether he had received the
various orders sent him or not, as he
himself had sent word that be should
leave Gembloux in the morning, and from
Gembloux to Wavre was only three
leagues distance. Napoleon ordered Count
Lobau to follow and support the cavalry
of Daumont, and to take up a strong po
sition, where with 10,000 men he might
keep 30,009 in check; also to redouble the
attack directly he found that Grouchy
had arrived on the rear of the Prussians.
Napoleon thus found himself deprived of
the services of 10,000 men on this grand
Held, of battle. These events caused some
change in his first plan of battle, being
deprived of the men whom he was thus
obliged to send against General Bulow.
It was now 11:30 o'clock, and the em
peror at once turned his attention to the
main attack and sent word to Ney to be
gin his movement. Instantly 120 pieces of
artillery were unmasked. Then the French
opened their fire ot musketry on the ad
vanced post of Hougomont, and Jerome
Bonaparte, under cover of its fire, charged
Impetuously on the Nassau troops in the
wood about the house. They were driven
before the French, but a party of English
guards Immediately unmasked -10 pieces of
cannon and maintained themselves in the
chateau and garden, despite the character
of many repeated assaults. Jerome, mask
ing the post thus resolutely held, pushed
on his cavalry and artillery against Wel
lington's right. The English formed in
squares to receive them, and defied all
their efforts. For some time both parties
opposed each other here, without either
gaining or losing a foot of ground. At
length the English forced back the
3'rench. andthesfgarrison-tof Hougomont
was relieved and strengthened. There!
-wa3 great loss on the side of the British,
owing to the suddenness of the attack
and the fixed position and dense array of
the squares. The loss of the French was
also considerable, and, as the squares re
mained unbroken, no apparent advantage
"was gained by the assault.
The French, being again repelled, com
munication was reopened with Hougo
mont, and the small body of English
guards, defending the chateau, received a
re-enforcement under Colonel Hepburn.
The garrison of Hougomont now made a
combined charge, and after a furious strug
gle, in which the utmost valor, both indi
vidual and collective, was displayed on
either side, drove the Frencli once more
out of the wood. The French in their
turn rallied, returned wit! renewed vigor,
and the English were now dislodged and
driven out with great slaughter. They
rallied in turn and immediately returned,
and again they recovered the position. The
French charged again, but the martial
spirit of the English guards was now
wrought up to the highest pitch, and all
the attempts of the assailants to dislodge
them proved unavailing. This contest
lasted through the greater part of the
day. The killed and wounded on both sides
during the struggle for this single outpost
has been estimated at upward of 4000.
The emperor, calmly observing the whole
from the heights, praised the valor of the
English guards highly. He now ordered
Hougomont to be attacked by a battery of
howitzers and shells. The roofs and barna
then took fire and the remnant of the Eng
lish guards remaining were obliged to re
treat before the flames over the mingled
heaps of dead and dying bodies of their
comrades and assailant?.
The first onslaught of the French made a
series of dreadful gaps along the whole of
the enemy's left, and one of its divisions
was completely swept away. The gaps
were quickly filled by fresh men, however,
as a column of French began to advance.
Before it could be supported a grand charge
of English cavalry was made, which broke
the column ot French infantry, routed it
and took two eagles and several pieces
of cannon. While the English were
wheeling off triumphantly they were met
by a brigade of Milhaud's cuirassiers. A
desperate conflict ensued at sword's length,
the combat lasting much beyond the usual
time, the result of a meeting of two
bodies of cavalry being generally deter
mined In a few minutes.
The French eventually carried La Haye
Sainte. a body of their infantry pushed
forward beyond the farm and overwhelmed
and scattered several regiments, but were
charged in turn by two brigades of Eng
lish foot and heavy cavalry and routed.
In consequence of this the farm of La
Hayc Sainte was vigorously assaulted by
the English, and with the assistance of
cannon and shell? was recovered.
This important post was taken and re
taken several tlmee. with an energy that
wever relaxed on either tide. An error in
tactics, of which Ney and d'Erlon had
been guilty, had left four or five columns
of French infantry at the mercy ot the
enemy's cavalry, and cost them 3000 men
In, dead, wounded and prisoners. The Eng
llshhad lost part ot their dragoons, part
of Kempt and Pack's cavalry and Generals
Pictou and Ponsonby, all amounting to
about the same number as the French had
lost, but the English had maintained their
position, and the whole operation was to
be recommenced under the disadvantage
of having failed in the first attempt.
The French were sUIl masters of a part
of La Hayc Sainte farm, and were rally
ing again on the side of the valley which
lay between them and the English. Na
poleon Joined them and walked in front
of their ranks amidst bullets rebounding
from one line to another and howitzers
resounding In the air. General Besvaux
eommandcr of the artillery of the guard
being killed at his side.
During these assaults on the center of
the British line, the French cnirasslcrs
lad advanced to the charge in the face of
a terrific Are from the artillery In front of
the British infantry. The Infantry await
ed it. formed In a double line of squares,
rlaced aheckerwlbe so that the sidos of
each square couhl lire a volley en the ad
vancing cavalry, and protected In front
by a battery of CO field pieces. The French
cuirassiers rode up to the very mouths of
the cannon, charged the artillerymen,
drove them from their guns, and then rode
fiercely on the squares behind. These re
mained steadfast, withholding their fire
until the French were within a few yards
of their bayonets, and then opened on
them with deadly effect. The cavalry was
all but broken, then rallied and renewed
their charge. This they did several times,
and always with the same result. Some
times they even rode between the squares
and charged these of the second line. As
the cuirassiers retired, the artillerymen
rushed from behind the squares, formed
four deep, manned their guns, and fired
grapeshot with terrible effect on the re
treating body of gallant but ineffective
cavalry.
At length protracted exposure to such a
murderous fire completed the ruin of
these fearless cavaliers, the far greater
part being annihilated In this part of the
battle.
When the relics of the cuirassiers at
last withdrew, the French cannonade
opened up furiously once more all along
the line. It was vigorously returned, but
the effect was far more devastating
amidst the British ranks than in those or
their assailants. The English were then
commanded by Wellington to lie flat on
the ground for some space in order to di
minish its effects. The duke had by this
time lost 10,000 men, and Napoleon possi
bly a few more.
It was now 4 o'clock and about this
time the emperor received Intelligence
from Gembloux that, notwithstanding all
his repeated orders. Marshal Grouchy had
not left his encampment at that place till
after 10 o'clock in the morning, in conse
quence, it was said, of the state of the
-xeather. The body of 10,000 men. under
Count Lobau and General Daumont, were
now in action with the Prussians under
Bulow, near St. Lambeth. The cannon
ade continued for considerable time. The
Prussian center was then attacked and
beaten back, but its wings advancing.
Count Lobau was obliged to retire.
At thlj crisis Napoleon dispatched Gen
eral Dufresne with two brigades of Infan
try of the young guard and 24 pieces of
cannon, and the Prussian advance was
checked. They still endeavored to out
flank the French right, when several bat
talions of the Old Guard, with 16 pieces
of cannon, were sent fcrward. The Prus
sian line was then outflanked, and Bulow
driven back.
At about 5 o'clock Count d'Erlon had
taken possession of the village of Tcr-la-Haye,
outflanking the English left and
Bulow's right. It appears that Count
Mflhaud's cuirassiers which Ney had so
often led against the enemy and who
were behind d'Erlon and the Chasseurs
of the Guard, supported by an Incessant
fire from the infantry of General Le-
febvrc-Desnoettes, dashed across the
plain beyond the farm of La Haye
Sainte. The advance of eight regiments
and four brigades of these formidable
horsemen created a great sensation, as it
was believed the final moment was come.
As General Milhaud passed before Le-febvre-Desnoettes
he grasped his hand
and said: "I am going to charge, support
me!" The commander of the light cav
alry of the guard believed it was by order
of the emperor he was desired to support
the cuirassiers, and following their move
ment he took up a position behind them.
It was Ney's belief, as he had said 1o
Druot, that were he allowed to act he
could, unaided, with such a body of noble
cavalry at his disposal, now put an end to
the English army.
A fierce struggle ensued In which Ney
had some advantage over the English,
but not what had been expected. He now
hastened toward Lefebvrc-Desnoettes,
made a signal to advance, and precipitated
himself on the Duke of Wellington's Eng
lish and German cavalry. This charge
allowed the somewhat disorganized cuir
assiers time to form again, and they, with
the chasseurs and lancers, fell again upon
the English cavalry. Thousands of hand-to-hand
conflicts were jiow In progress,
ending In the enemy retreating hehind the
"squares ot the English 'infantry, thus
stopping the onward progress of the
French horsemen.
Ney had two horses killed under him,
but he was still determined to fulfill his
vow to break the English lines. Observ
ing now, on the other side of the plateau,
3000 cuirrassiers and 2000 mounted grena
diers of the guard that had not been yet
engaged, the marshal asked that they be
given to him to complete the victory.
About G o'clock there was disorder in a
great part of the Duke ot Wellington's
army. The ranks were thinned by the
number killed, by those carried off wound
ed, and by desertions. Soldiers of various
nations, Belgian, Hanoverian and English,
"crowded to the rear" and ficd In a panic
from this dreadful action.
A distant cannonade was now heard in
the direction of Wavre. It announced
the approach of Grouchy or Blucher.
Meantime the emperor, on the battle
field of Waterloo, had reluctantly ordered
the charge of Kellerman's 3000 cuiras
siers, asked for by Ney, to sustain and
follow up the advantages of the cuiras
siers of Milhaud and the Chasseurs of the
Guard, on the plain below. The marshal's
contest had been carefully watched by
Napoleon, who declared at once that Ney
was too Impatient and began an hour too
soon. "This man is always the same."
said Marshal Soult. "He will compromise
everything as he did at Jena and Eylau."
Kellerman was now all ready for action,
but he condemned the desperate use which
at this moment was to be made of the
cavalry- Distrusting the result, he kept
back one of his brigades, the carbineers,
and most unwillingly sent the remainder
to Ney. whom he accused of foolish zeal.
While Napoleon was watching their sev
eral charges General Guyot's division of
heavy cavalry was seen following the
cuirassiers of Kellerman. This latter
movement was without the emperor's
orders, and seemed to have been the result
of ungovernable excitement on the part
of the officers and men, who thought they
could finish the battle by a coup de main.
The emperor instantly sent Count Bert
rand to recall them, but it was too late.
The cavalry once started, nothing could
arrest its rush they were in action before
the order could reach them; and to recall
them now would have been dangerous,
even If possible. This division was the
reserve, and ought by all means to have
been held back. Thus was the emperor
deprived of his reserve of cavalry as early
as 5 o'clock.
The matchloss body of French cavalry
continued to dash forward toward the
hostile lines in successive masses, and
with all the triumphant fury of a charge
upon a retreating foe. Breaking through
many squares ot infantry, overthrowing
the opposing cavalry and overwhelming
the artillery in front of the lines, they
were received by the squares of British
infantry, first with a volley ot muskct
balls, and then upon the immovable array
of bristling bayonets. Men and horses,
struggling in the agonies ot violent death,
bestrewed the ground. In his extremity
Wellington determined on employing Cum
berland's 1O00 hussars, who had not yet
been engaged: but at the sight of this
scene of slaughter the hussars fell back In
disorder.
The resistance of the duke was most
stubborn, but Ney. still hoped to destroy
the English army at the point of the
sword, by keeping up a continued charge,
having been re-inforced by the heavy cav
alry of the guard whose advance had been
made apparently without orders.
Meantime Ney, seeing Kellerman's car
bineers In reserve, hastened to where they
were, asked what they were doing, and
then, despite Kellerman's resistance, led
them to the front, where they succeeded
in making fresh breaches in the British
infantry, but were unable to get beyond
the second line.
By 7 o'clock Bulow's corps of 30.000 men
was successfully repulsed." and Count Lo
bau. with M.000 men. occupied the posi
tions from which the Prussian general
had been drlx'en. Still the French cavalry
could do no more than maintain itself on
the plateau from which the duke's 36.003
men bad made a slight retrograde move
ment. A fresh cannonade was opened by
the French along the British line, after
the assaults of the cuirassiers, but. no
further advance was attempted by the
former. As one authority truly says, the
British were beaten to a standstill but
there they stood. It was, in effect, a draw
battle up to this time.
There was not the least demonstration
on the part of the Duke of Wellington to
make any general advance during this
almost interminable contest, nor had'
there been all day, and as little sign of his
moving back. About 20,000 men had al
ready been killed or otherwise lost on
each side.
It was now nearly 7 o'clock. The dis
tant cannonade, which had been faintly
heard in the direction of Wavre. opened
nearer at hand. It was the announce
ment, not of the arrival of Grouchy In
the rear of Bulow's division, but that of
the two columns of Blucher, amounting
to about 31,000 fresh troops.
The relative strength ot the two armies,
allowing 20,000 as lost on both sides, was
now considerably over two to one against
the French, the majority on the other side
being chiefly composed of fresh men. Well
ington was heard ,to say during the day,
"Would to God that Blucher or night
would come!" and now both were at hand.
The fresh xirray, advancing to the as
sistance of the Anglo-Belgian forces, was
soon discovered by the French troops, who
were in action on the field. The cavalry
on the plain were waiting in constant ex
pectation of the emperor's orders for the
advance of his reserves of the infantry of
the guard. They were no.t alarmed when
they saw the communication finally effect
ed between Bulow and the English, but
when they perceived the approach of the
dense columns of Blucher they were con
founded and several regiments began to
fall back.
Napoleon now sent his aides-de-camp
along the whole line to announce the ar
rival of succor, and that Blucher's advance
was only a retreat before Grouchy, who
was pressing in the rear. It was a clever
ruse, and warranted by the situation in
which he now found himself, as it momen
tarily revived the spirits ot the- weary
troops to a wonder.ful degree.
At the head of four battalions of the in
fantry of the guard the emperor now ad
vanced on the left in front of La Haye
Sainte. He ordered General Reille to con
centrate the whole of his corps near Hougo
mont and make an attack. He then sent
General Friant to support the cavalry on
the plain with four battalions of the mid
dle guard. If. by sudden charge, they
could break and disorder the center of the
British line before the columns of Blucher
could force their way into the plain a last
chance of success still remained. Blucher
was hurrying on to La Haye; there was
not a moment to lose!
The attack was made, the infantry drove
back all that opposed them, and repeated
charges of the French cavalry disordered
the hostile ranks. General Friant was now
carried by wounded. He said that all was
going well, but that the attack could not be
successful until the balance of the guard
were employed. This movement could not
be effected on the instant, and In a few
minutes it was too late, as the Prussians
were coming up in great numbers. The
British still stood on the defensive, and
Blucher had reached the village of La
Haye. A violent struggle now ensued, but
it was of brief duration; the overwhelming
mass of resh men soon bore down all op
position. The Duke of Wellington now prepared
for the first time during the day to ad
vance his entire line. A panic soon seized
some of the French soldiers, exhausted
and maddened by the terrible strain they
had undergone during the day, and at the
sudden appearance before them of ' the
dark mass ot fresh assailants, the cry of
"Souve qui peut!" (every man for him
self!) was raised. The disorder soon be
came general and the men fled as the col
umns of Prussians poured on the plain.
Napoleon Instantly changed the front of
the guard so as to throw its left on La
Haye Sainte and its right on La Belle Al
liance; he then met the fugitives and led
them back to their post. They then faced
the Prussians, whom they Immediately
charged. A fresh brigade of the Eng
lish caalry from Ohain arrived at this
crisis and forced their way between Gen
eral Rellle's corps and the guard, to their
utter separation. The emperor now or
dered his four reserve squadrons to charge
the fresh brigade of English cavalry, but
their attack met with no success. As he
was leading the four battalions destined
to their place of attack on the Charleroi
road he met Ney, who was greatly ex
cited, and who declared that the cavalry
wouid certainly give way if a large re
enforcement of infantry did not Immediate
ly arrive. Napoleon gave him the battal
ions he was bringing up and promised to
send six more.
The ranks of the French were now In
general confusion all over the field. Na
poleon had barely time to gallop into one
of the squares of the Guard which still
maintained its position. Ney, Jerome,
Soult, Bertrand, Durot, Corblneau, de
Flahaut, Labedoyere, Gourgaud and
others drew their swords, became soldiers
again and followed closely at their chiefs
heels. They entered the square of the
last battalion of reserve, the illustrious
and unfortunate remains of the "graifite
column" of the fields of Marengo, who
had remained unshaken amidst the
tumultuous waves of the army. The old
grenadiers, incapable of fear for them
selves, were alarmed at the danger threat
ening the emperor, and appealed to him
to withdraw. "Retire." said one of them.
"You see that death shuns you!" The
emperor resisted, and commanded them to
fire.
But one last effort to stem the torrent
still remained. If the British center could
be broken end their advance checked,
some favorable chance was Just possible.
The emporor therefore ordered the ad
vance ot the reserve infantry of the Im
perial Guard the flower of his army. He
exhorted them by a hasty personal appeal
and confided the direction of their efforts
to "the bravest of the brave," who had
had five horses killed under him, and who
now advanced on foot, sword In hand.
The 2900 heroic stalwarts moved forward
in two columns, headed by Ney and sup
ported by a heavy fire of artillery, while
four battalions of the Old Guard, formed
Into squares, took post in their rear to
protect the march of the columns.
Either wing of the English line had by
this time advanced in consequence of the
rcpulseo of the French, and their line now
presented a concave. They were formed
in an unbroken array, four deep, and as
the French advanced poured on them a
shower which never intermitted, each
man firing as often as he could reloads
Wellington gave the order to advance in
the familiar and brusque terms of, "Up
gaurds, and at them!" The English
wings kept moving on all the while, and
when the heads of the French columns,
who continued to advance till within 40
or 50 yards, approached to this point they
were met with such a storm of musketry
in front and on either flank, that they in
vain endeavored to deploy into lin for
the attack, under a terrific and unremitting
fire. They stopped to make this attempt,
reeled, lost order and the 00 men wno
were left standing fled at last In one mass
of confusion.
Napoleon, who had watched the last
terrible contest from the heights of La
Belle Alliance, suddenly exclaimed: "They
are mingled together; all Is lost for the
present" and accompanied by only three
or four officers he gave the signal for
retreat and hurried to the left of Plan
chenois. to a second position, where he
had placed a regiment of the guard with
two batteries in reserve.
The four battalions ot the Old Guard,
under General Cambronne, still remained
to protect the retreat ot the French army.
If they could succeed in holding the Brit
ish in check, and prevent their advance
during half an hour longer, darkness
would enable the army to retreat in
safety, and partially recover Its disorder
by morning. The Old Guard formed in
square, flanked by a few pieces of artil
lery, and by a brigade of Red Lancers.
"The Duke of Wellington," says Captain
Prlngle, "now ordered his whole line to
advance and attack their position." They
advanced to the charge in embattled ar
ray, condensed and tremendous, against
the remnant of noble veterans of that
Imperial Guard, which, during 20 years of
war had never once been vanquished.
Gathering round" the standards of their
former glory, they received the dreadful
onset with souls prepared for death.
Nothing could now withstand the vigor
of the attack of the British soldiers, who
thus had an opportunity to relieve their
breasts of the heavy burden they had
borne all day when compelled for hours
to stand the fierce attacks of the French,
being frequently driven back and never
making any advance.
The Old Guard, as was to be expected,
were beaten down slaughtered. Their
general, Combronne, was called upon to
surrender by some British officers who
seemed to revolt at the uneven contest.
The only reply made by him was not
the generally, believed but inaccurate dec
laration recorded by some historians
"The Old Guard dies, but does not sur
render!" but was a single word of mili
tary jargon frequently used by French
soldiers. Almost immediately afterwards
he fell from his horse, cut down by a
fragment of a shell striking him on the
head, and he would not allow his men to
leave their ranks to bear him away.
Once more these heroes, now reduced to
but 150 men, were commanded to surren
der. "We will notf yield!" they answer
back, and, discharging their muskets 'for
the last -time, Jhey rush on the cavalry,
and with their bayonets kill many men
and horses and then sink to the earth ex
hausted or In death.
The Old Guard was destroyed not de
feated. The advancing British troops
rode over their prostrate Bodies piled in
ghastly heaps a monument to their valor
and heroism,, even in death. ey, bare
headed, his clothes hanging in shieds and
with his broken sword in his hand, see
ing a handful of his followers still re
maining, ran forward to lead them against
a Prussian column that was pursuing
them. As the fearless marshal threw
himself once more into the fray he ex
claimed: "Come, my friends; see how a
marshal of France can die!'' but his time
had not come. He was not destined to die
upon the battlefield. His small band was
soon overpowered, and scarcely 200 es
caped death. 'Rulliele, who commanded
the battalion, broke the flagstaff, hid the
eagle beneath his coat, and followed Ney,
who had been unhorsed for the fifth time
but was still "unwounded. Under cover
of darkness they made their escape.
The emperor attempted to protect the
retreat and rally the fugitives, but it was
now fast growing dark. The soldiers
could not see him or they might have ral
lied, while many believed the report that
he had been killed. "He is wounded,"
said some. "He is dead," cried others.
Nothing could be heard above the uproar
and hideous confusion that everywhere
prevailed. The Prussian cavalry support
ed by some battalions of infantry and the
whole of Bulow's corps, now advanced by
the right of Planchenois.
In a few minutes the emperor was al
most surrounded by hostile forces. He
had formed the regiment into a square
and was still lingering when Marshal
Soult seized the bridle of his horse, ex
claimed that he would not he killed, but
taken prisoner, and, pulling "him, away,
the emperor at, last yielded to his destiny!
Behind him on the battlefield lay 60,000
French, English .and Prussians, dead or
wounded. The battle of Waterloo was
lost, and this-bltherto almost invincible
warrior was obliged to gallop across the
field in the dark amidst the whistling of
the Prussian bullets and detachments of
their cavalry, whlch were scouring the
field in all directions.
Napoleon was so fatigued on "the road
t6 Genappe that he would have frequently
fallen from bis horse had he not been
supported by General Gourgaud and two
other persons, jsho remained his only at
tendants for soft? time.
Wellington anil Blucher met about 10
o'clock at the famhhouse of La Belle Alt
.llance, and .agtfr .congratulating each.
other on the- suoggss..o.Lthe qay, the Prus
sian commandeaiwhose men were still
fresh, sagerlyi 'Undertook to continue the
pursuit duringtSeTiIght, while the Eng
lish general haltM-to-rest his weary men
and care for th&tiead and wounded.
The English? jAs on this eventful day
was 100 office,slain and 500 wounded,
very many mortally. The duke, who
was himself exposed to great danger dur
ing the day, and on? other person were
the only "two among his numerous staff
who escaped unhurt. The enemy, accord
ing to their own accounts, lost over 30,000
men, including Hanoverians, Belgian
troops of Nassau, Brunswick, etc. Those
of the English army alone amounted to
22,800, to which are to be added S000 to
10,000 Prussians. Of the 72,00 men whom
Napoleon headed on this his Soth pitched
battle and greatest defeat, not more than
30,000 were ever again collected in arms.
The remainder were either killed or
wounded on the battle-field, or deserted
and fled separately to their homes, or
were murdered by the Prussians, who
followed hard on the miserable and de
fenseless fugitives, cutting down all they
overtook without resistance or mercy.
Several French officers blew out their
brains to escape their brutality and some
of the veterans of the Imperial Guard,
who lay wounded upon the battlefield,
killed themselves when they heard the
emperor had lost the battle, In order that
they might not fall into the hands of the
enemy, or through remorse at the down
fall of their chief.
Napoleon made a brief halt at Genappe,
at about 11 o'clock at night, but all his
attempts to rally the frantic masses were
In vain. He then continued his course
toward Quartre-Bras, where he dismount
ed at a bivouac" at about 1 o'clock In the
morning. At Phillipville he received
news of Grouchy's movements, sent him
word of the loss of Mont St. Jean (Water
loo) and then continued his Journey to
Paris, via Leon, accompanied by 200 or
300 fugitives, who had been collected to
form an escort, arriving at the capital on
the evening of the 20th ot June.
Special Notice.
The last installment of the "Military
Career of Napoleon the Great" will appear
nevt week.
Owing to the numerous inquiries from
our readers, all of whom have expressed
a great desire to secure a copy of this In
teresting book in bound form, we have
made arrangements with the publishers
to supply the work. The volume will con
tain 22 full-page half-tone illustrations
and be handsomely bodnd in half moroc
co. For price and particulars see our an
nouncement next week.
THE MORNING OREGONIAN.
Trro Too Smart Burslar.
Paris is laughing today over the undo
ing of two extremely smart burglars.' Two
detectives were In the rue St. Martin.
Their attention was attracted to a man
pushing a large packing case on a cart
along the street. The man was apparently
talking to himself. They overheard the
remark. "Don't be afraid, old fellow. I
will take the shortest cut."
Arriving it the rue De Bondy. he de
posited the packing case in the warehouse
of a merchant named Roux. The detec
tives concealed themselves In the ware
house for the night. About midnight a
man issued from the packing case. He
was provided with a set of burglars' tools,
and set to work to demolish the lock of
the safe. The operation took a long time,
but at last the door flew open, and the rob
ber filled his pockets with gold and silver.
He withdrew once more into the case,
which was closed upon him. The detec
tives were in no hurry to handcuff the
thief, but awaited the return of his con
federate. In the morning he presented
himself to take "away the case, and was
arrested before entering the warehouse.
The detectives placed the case on a hand
cart and dragged it to the office of the
police commissary. On the way they
acted the part of the accomplice.
When the man in the box inquired: "Is
that you?" a detective replied: "Yes, old
boy; don't be uneasy. I will take the
shortest cut."
The ingenious robber was greatly sur
prised when he arrived at his destination
to find himself in the presence of a police
commissary.
MESSENGER OF PEACE
HOW CHAMBREAC PRETEXTED
WAR -WITH CHIEF MOSES.
A Story of tbe Indian. Tronblcs of Or
egon and Washington In 1S7S
My General O. O. Hotvard.
(Copyrighted. ISM, by S. S. McCIure, Limited.)
During the spring and summer of 1S7S
we had ujon us in Oregon and Idaho a
serious combination of Indians, mainly
the Piutes and Bannocks, in active war
fare. But by various methods 1 had,
until October, kept some 500 more from the
north of the Columbia from going on the
warpath.
I had hardly returned from the field
after the last Indian battle, when word
was brought me that an outbreak was
feared upon the north side of the great
river, by the white inhabitants far and
near, and that some people had been
killed particularly a Mr. and Mrs. Per
kins, who were met, on the road by some
of the yet uncaptured warriors who had
crossed the river above Umatilla, and
they were robbed, slain and their bodies
hidden in the brush. I had reports from
"Father" Wilbur, the Indians' great
friend, on the Simcoe reserve, near Yak
ima, and from alarmed settlers in the
Ellensburg and Yakima country. The
Yakima settlers said that war was com
ing; that a certain Indian called by white
men Moses, then In the prime of life, who
had led an early war, a man of great
physical vigor, handsome and strong, an
acknowledged chief, was at the head of
the movement. They declared that he
sympathized with the Bannocks and
Piutes; that he had received the murder
ers of the Perkins family with open arms.
"ST3P.' STOP! DOX'T YOU A'.Vpir THE IX
DIAXS ARE OX THE WAP.PATHt '
and that he still kept them under his pro
tection. The reports, though they did not at all
agree with one another, caused me to take
a strong military escort and go to Priest's
Rapids in October. Moses met me in
council, denied the charges made against
him, and pledged me his word that he
would do all in his power to restrain the
Indians, though they did not all yield
obedience to him as 'chief. I confirmed
to him as far as I could all the old prom
ises made by my predecessors about his
land beyond Priest's Rapids, and prom
ised to do what I could for all the tribes
with the Washington authorities. Two
months "after my return to my headquar
ters at Vancouver on the Columbia, mat
ters In that region on both sides cf the
river above Priest's Rapids grew every
day worso and worse. While men made
forts and barricades, and formed volun
teer companies and armed themselves, the t
Indians were gathering in council and
putting on their war paint. The names of
the murderers had been ascertained, and
Moses had been Indicted, as well as they,
as an accessory after the fact. The sher
iff at Yakima with an armed posse was
to undertake the finding and arrest of
the parties concerned.
Such appeared to be the situation, and
most people on the Upper Columbia, In
cluding the friendly Yakimas, believed
there would be war, and that Moses would
be forced into it whether he would or not.
I endeavored to get messengers to him
through Father Wilbur, but they accom
plished nothing. In looking around for a
fit messenger or scout to send to Moses
and remind him of his covenant with me,
I found a well-known frontiersman, whom
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a
"IT WAS A WILD
in fact I had met in our religious meet
ings and who was of French birth. He
could speak the Chinook (a common
tongue among the tribes), and had, like
most French settlers in the Northwest,
been always reputed as the Indians'
friend. His name is Edward Chambreau,
familiarly called among the settlers
"Ned" Chambreau.
The first little town that he struck be
yond The Dalles of the Columbia was
Goldehdale. The people were much ex
cited; holding meetings; "forting up," and
arming for the approaching war. What
exciting news was constantly coming!
Every new arrival added to the tale3.
Painted Indians had ben seen and the
settlers far and near were moving to he
nearest settlements.
Chambreau, speaking pleasantly to all
inquirers, quickly changed horses and
went on across the Simcoe mountains.
By 10 o'clock that same night, having
made 45 miles, he was on a northern slope
of the mountains, when he ran upon a
band of Indians. They seemed at first
alarmed as he rode in among them, but
as soon "as they saw it was old Pa-sa-uks
(Frenchman) they were better contented. '
Early next morning the tireless man
mounted a fresh horse and pushed on to
ward Yakima City, clearing probably 35
miles from his night bivouac, when he
met two white men, who told him that
they had dispatches for General Howard,
showing him that war had actually be
gun. At Yakima City he met numbers ot
people who had deserted their farms in
the existing panic and come to the town
bringing in their families. A man was
tramping the main street, ringing a bell
and calling the citizens to a meeting.
Here and there were grouped men with
their horses, trying to unite in companies
to go to the front. AH the talk turned
i i xk, & ras" vf riss.szstg:7zim&
on Chief Moses, the object of especial
hatred. Every man was armed either
with a pistol or repeating rifle.
Chambreau, seeing the excited and un
favorable temper of the people, coucluded
net to speak of the object of his mission,
but getting another good horse he rode oft
in the direction of a little place called
Nachess. Five miles out he met a white
man on horseback, riding very fast, who
as soon as he was near enough to speak,
cried, "Stop Stop! Don't you know the
Indians are on the warpath? I have gone
from settlement to settlement, warning
the inhabitants."
"Where are the Indians?" our scout
asked.
"Well, sir, you may meet them any
where; most of them arc near Priest's J
Rapids. Turn biek or you'll be killed."
At the Nachess river an old man by the
name of Nelson said that his sons had
gone to the war and that he himself would
start for Yakima City, and he begged
Chambreau to venture no further, as he
was a stranger.
As he passed on through the Wenass val
ley he found all the farm houses already
deserted. Between Wenass and Ellens
burgh our 3Wlft rider, upon "the divide"
encountered two Indians. They rode to In
tercept him. He, Instead ot trying to
avoid them, galloped straight to them.
He showed them that he was a French
man from Klt-Soth-Qua (yancouver) and
from Que-ta-quin. i. e., arm cut-off (Gen
eral Howard), sent to have a talk with
them and all at Priest's Rapids. After a
little they let him pass without harm.
On reaching Ellensburgh. cold, hungry
and aching from fatigue. Chambreau longed
for rest and sleep. He had ridden that
day upwards of CO miles. But he nrst
looked around. There were then but live
or six houses and one store. There were
gathered near the store some 30 men with
the sheriff, Mr. S , who were organising
a company for the war. There was great
excitement and loud talking. In the morn
ing he, to his astonls'hment. ran upon some
Indians not far from the town. They were
gambling. An old one. he noticed, kept
watching him as well as the game, after
he came near them. After a few words it
was plain that the old man knew the
French scout. Together they sterped
aside. An offer of reward brought this
from the Indian:
"There will be trouble; Indians have a
bad heart. Councils now going on by the
mouth of the We-natchee, where it empties
into the Columbia."
Quickly the scout mounted and galloped
toward the Wenatchee valley. The coun
try houses en route were everywhere va
cated. Ten miles out he met some more
Indians. They seemed friendly, but said
those in council were going down the Co
lumbia toward Priest's rapids. He then,
to make himself sure, turned more east
ward and after awhile entered Johnston s
canyon. In the canyon, a dangerous de
file, he suddenly had to face two of
Moses Indian scouts. They tried to stop
him and said that he must ndt go that
way. But he, showing who "he was, pleas
antly persisted. One of them turned back
and became his companion. Shortly 10
warriors met the two riders. These he
could not bluff. They asked him to dis
mount. But he said:
"No; we can talk on our horses."
He gave them his name and business
and showed them that he must sec Moses
and the other chiefs. They thereupon
demanded the message and declared that
they would bear it for him.
"No," he answered, "it concerns all the
Indians and I must deliver it myself to
the chief."
They forbade his going to camp; but he
declared that he would go, even if he had
to fight for It; but "mind me. if I am
killed it will go hard with every Indian in
this part of the country." At this, after
a short parley, they sent him on with two
braves for escort. More Indians still were
met, but "the braves satisfied their objec
tions, and they kept along the valleys till
they came to the Columbia.
The little party went over in a canoe
not far above Priest's Rapids. At the
landing east of- the river? for its" course
there is sputh, some hundred Indians met
them. The two braves had become friend
ly and consented to guard him further
still into the Indian camp. They did not
have far to go when the site of the camp
came into full view, and at first startled
our brave scout. He saw a company of
perhaps 100 Indians in some order, mount
ed on their horses, all painted as for war.
An Indian, harder looking if possible than
the rest, was riding around among them,
and with gesticulations making a fiery
speech. No women were at that place.
All the men were in paint, some bared to
the waist, with their bodies tinted. Not
far off from the mounted group was an
other crowd, who were unceasingly beat
ing drums and singing. There seemed to
SPECTACLE."'
( be 400 or 500 all together. It was a wild
spectacle.
With all the firmness our goo'j scout
could muster he told the two braves to
take him at once to Moses' lodge. It was
not done too soon, for a curious crowd of
roughs already began to gather annoy
ingly around him. Here, dismounting, he
essayed to enter. It was a council lodge
'and CO feet or more in length, rough
enough, but spacious. There were 50 or
more principal Indians gathered in a cir
cle about Moses. They doubtless came
from his own and numerous other tribes
thai; belonged near the Columbia river.
Ejaculations from all sides manifesting
astonishment to see a white man step in
among them, were heard. Chambreau, of
course, from experience unwilling to in
terrupt an Indian council, crept around as
quietly as he could, behind the Indians to
the head of the group, and sat down be
side Moses. He was hardly seated when
Mos?s turned toward him in anger and
said:
"Frenchman, what do you want here?"
He told him that when he (Moses) had
finished his speech, he would tell him why
he came. Moses then proceeded with his
talk. It was a little trying to sit there
and look on. In the heart of our scout.
Christian though he was, danger seemed
too imminent to leave him unaffected.
Great anxiety and fear and apprehension
of outrage and perhaps death made his
heart beat fast; for he well knew what
Indians had done and could do again. With
abundant .beads around the neck of some,
with arms in the hand, or near by, with
faces and necks brilliant from fresh paint,
and with feathers or wings of birds for
ornaments as on dress occasions, some
with knives; some with tomahawks; some
with repeating rifles, muzzles toward the
ceiling; with bright colored' blankets
Bi'
everywhere on shoulders or around their
waists, or used as cushions, the grouping
was picturesque indeed, enough to Impress
even the preoccupied stranger.
At last the grim Moses said: "Now,
Frenchman, speak."
He answered promptly: "You know rae
to be your friend. I have before been
with you in times of trouble and of peace.
I have come to see what is wrong with,
you and your people. My chier. Que-ta-quin.
has sent me. He loves God and lovea
you."
Hoses replied: 'The Ne Perces had
always been the friends of the whites. At
the time of tho Whitman massacre one
white man ran to them for protection andt
got it. Thy gloried in never havlnff
killed a white man. General Howard
fought the Nes Perces. I did not take a
bad heart then. I did not go to war
again when the Bannocks and Piutes
fought him. but kept out of it all. A long
time ago General Palmer told me and
my people that we" could always dwell
about White Bluffs. Moses lake. Mosea
coule. Grand coulee and Wenatchee. We
were then strong and ther were few
Bostons (white settlers); they were poor
and afraid of us. Now the Bostons are
strong and don't want the Indians to
live. What shall we do? We look upon
this land as upon the sun. It Is our fathe
and mother. I take a bad heart because
they want our land, and my people say:
To part with my land is like parting with
my flesh. It is two months since General
Howard and I spoke together. Has he
talked straight or has he talked crooked
to me?
"My people say: 'You are an old wom
an, you will never get any land. You
have swallowed bad medicine. General
Howard and all the Bostons are laughing
at you. The white men around us have
taken bad heart because of the Indians.
They are getting ready to come and kill
my people. The Indians have no friend to
talk to the great father at Washington.
Does he know how .we are to be pitied?
Are not the white man's blood and the
Indian's blood both red? Do not we
all turn our faees to the sun? French
man, my heart is sick and heavy. Old
men and old women cry to Mosos! Moth
ers look for places to hide the little ones.
Young Indians have lost their wits; they
iiave become as wolves, and they want
to tear with their teeth the white man's
'fleah and drink his blood. Now help me
to talk strong to my people, that they
may take the right road."
Here is our messenger's prompt reply:
"Yes, Mosqs, you have many troubles,
and your grievances are great. But you
must keep the peace! By war you will
lose everything and gain nothing." He
showed them then in some detail the re
sults of every Indian war against the
government since 1S17. "You love your
wife and children, and you care for" your
old men and women. What, in war will
become of them? The settlers, some of
whom will be slain, will kill many of your
young men, and the rest will at last, like
Joseph and his people, be carried into a
far-off country. You ask the government
for a reservation. By beginning a war
you make General Howard your enemj,
and he must fight you. Now, I say" before
ail these Indians, that if you do not follo-v
my advice, you will not have land enough
to stand upon."
Moses rejoined: "The Bostons (the vol
unteers) are coming very soon to attack
me, what shall I do?"
Chambrtau quickly said: "If the set
tlers come here lay down your arms. Do
not fire a gun, even if they make you a
prisoner and take you away."
Moses demurred: "I don't believe my
people will consent to that."
The scout cried:, "They must! They
must! I shall stay till they do."
He then pleaded with his savage au
ditors for hours; sometimes out of doors
and sometimes inside. Some agreed; some
were vexed and sulky, but the 'wa-wa
went on all the night.
About midday following, Moses called
my messenger and said: "Peace Is
made."
There would have been a . horrible
slaughter. JiHe. that of preceding, troubles
of this kind, but for this brave and time
ly visit; for there were 500 or COO warriors
against 30 or 40 armed volunteers that first
came without support to Moses' vicinity
near Priest's Rapids. He, without strik
ing a blow or firing a shot, let himself
be taken prisoner by the sheriff, who as
at the head of that small company, just
as the good scout had advised him. What
follows was awfully humiliating to the
Indians. Moses, a prisoner, was taken to
Yakima City and confined in jail till
"Father Wilbur" interposed and was al
lowed by the sheriff or judge to keep
him a close prisoner at the Simcoe agency
till I came, examined into the whole mat
ter and caused him to be released. My
conviction was then strong, and is now,
that Moses never broke his word to me.
Chambreau at once, after shaking
hands with the Indian, began another
phenomenal ride. By the route he took
on his return to The Dalies he made over
220 miles in 4S hours.
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