force, as he concluded that the overthrow of this army would strike a salutary terror into the forces of the other coalised powers, and determine them to a reversion of their late precipitate treaties. No exertion was wanted to collect an army that might ensure the accomplishment of this plan. The choicest troops of the various armies, with a numerous and well stored materiel, constituted a force which raised the hopes of the French to the highest pitch of enthusiasm ; and filled with dismay the partizans of the house of Bourbon.

On the 12th of June, at three o'clock in the morning, Bonaparte left Paris, and arrived at Maubeuge on the 13th in the evening. Soult as Major, went before him on the 9th, by the way of Lille; as also Jerome Bonaparte, Marshal Mortier, and the guards. The army of the north had joined that of the Ardennes, under command of Vandamme, and established its head-quarters at Fumay. That of the Moselle, under General Gerard, departed by forced marches for Metz. The army of the North thus was composed of five bodies of infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-Generals D'Erlon, Reille, Vandamme, Gerard, and Count de Lobau. The cavalry, under Grouchy, was formed into four divisions under the orders of General Pajol, Excelmans, Milhaud, and Kellerman. The Imperial Guard, of 20,000 men, formed the kernel of this splendid army, which was strengthened by a body of artillery well disciplined, provided with an excellent train, and pontoon corps. Beside the batteries attached to each division, each corps had its park of reserve. The Guard, particularly, had a magnificent train of artillery, almost wholly composed of pieces new cast. The whole might be estimated at 130,000 effective men, of whom 20,000 were cavalry; and 300 pieces of cannon.

The marches of the troops were rapid and long, and the weather though stormy, tolerably fine; nor were the roads so cut up as to retard the artillery, or camp equipages. Their movements, therefore, almost partook of precipitation. It was evidently the intention to surprise the Allies by a

sudden approach; and these forced marches gave rise to the reports of a sudden irruption into Belgium. On the 14th, this whole army had joined and formed in line on the extreme frontiers. It was then that the uncertainty in which they had remained respecting these manœuvres was done away, by the following proclamation, which was read at the head of every division:

'GENERAL ORDER.

"Avisnes, 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 frightful miseries which they suffered !

The Saxons, 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 Belgians, it must devour the states of the second rank of Germany. 'The madmen! a moment of prosperity blinds them. oppression and humiliation of the French people are beyond their power. If they enter France, they will there find their tomb. Soldiers! we have forced marches to make, battles to fight, dangers to encounter; but, with steadiness, victory will be ours; the rights, the honour, the happiness of the country will be reconquered.

The

To every Frenchman who has a heart, the moment is arrived to conquer or perish.

guards in reserve, marched towards the right where Blucher and the Prussians were posted. They were under the immediate command of Bonaparte himself.

The news of Napoleon's movements in advance, and of the preliminary actions between the French and Prussians, reached Brussels upon the evening of the 15th.* Instant

* The following extract from a valuable publication by a near observer,' contains a lively and circumstantial detail of the events that occurred in Brussels during this eventful period. 'On the evening of Thursday the 15th of June, a Courier arrived at Brussels, from Marshal Blucher, to announce that hostilities had commenced. The Duke of Wellington was sitting after dinner, with a party of officers, over the dessert and wine, when he received the dispatches containing this unexpected news. Marshal Blucher had been attacked that day by the French; but he seemed to consider it as a mere affair of outposts, which was not likely to proceed much further at present, though it might probably prove the prelude to a more important engagement. It was the opinion of most military men in Brussels, that it was the plan of the Enemy by a false alarm to induce the Allies to concentrate their chief military force in that quarter, in order that he might more successfully make a serious attack upon some other point, and that it was against Brussels and the English army, that the blow would be aimed. The troops were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's notice; but no immediate movement was expected, and for some hours all was quiet.

'It was past midnight, and profound repose seemed to reign over Brussels, when suddenly the drums beat to arms, and the trumpet's loud call was heard from every part of the city. It is impossible to describe the effect of these sounds, heard in the silence of the night. We were not long left in doubt of the truth. A second courier had arrived from Blueher: the attack had become serious; the enemy were in considerable force; they had taken Charleroi, and had gained some advantage over the Prussians, and our troops were ordered to march immediately to support them: instantly every place resounded with martial preparations. There was not a house in which military were not quartered, and consequently, the whole town was one universal scene of bustle: the soldiers were seen assembling from all parts in the Place Royale, with their knapsacks upon their backs; some taking leave of their wives and children; others sitting down unconcernedly upon the sharp pavement, waiting.