Blucher’s army numbered at this time about 100,000 men, and, extending along the line of the Sambre and the Meuse, occupied Charleroi, Namur, Givet, and Liege.  They communicated on their right with the left of the Anglo-Belgian army, under Wellington, whose headquarters were at Brussels.  This army was not composed, like Blucher’s or Napoleon’s, of troops of the same nation.  The Duke had less than 35,000 English; and of these but few were veterans—­the flower of his Peninsular Army having been despatched to America, to conclude a war into which the United States had forced England, on very trivial pretences, during the season of her greatest difficulties and dangers, in 1812.  The King’s German Legion, 8000 strong, was, however, equal to the best British force of like amount; and there were 5000 Brunswickers, headed by their gallant Duke and worthy of his guidance.  The Hanoverians, exclusive of the Legion, numbered 15,000:  of Nassau troops, Dutch and Belgian, commanded by the Prince of Orange, son to the sovereign of the Netherlands, there might be 17,000; but the spirit of the Belgian part of this army was, not without reason, suspected on all sides.  The Duke of Wellington’s motley host amounted, then, in all to 75,000 men.  His first division occupied Enghien, Brain-le-Comte and Nivelles, communicating with the Prussian right at Charleroi.  The second division (Lord Hill’s) was cantoned in Halle, Oudenard and Gramont—­where was most of the cavalry.  The reserve (Sir Thomas Picton’s) were at Brussels and Ghent.  The English and Prussian commanders had thus arranged their troops, with the view of being able to support each other, wherever the French might hazard their assault.  It could not be ascertained beforehand whether Napoleon’s mark was Ghent or Brussels; even had the Allied Generals known that it was the latter city, who could inform them by which of the three great routes, of Namur, of Charleroi, or of Mons, he designed to force his passage thither?  Fouche, indeed, doubly and trebly dyed in treason, had, when accepting office under Napoleon, continued to maintain his correspondence with Louis at Ghent, and promised to furnish the Allies with the outline of the Emperor’s plan of the campaign ere it began.  But the minister of police took care that this document should not arrive until the campaign was decided.

At daybreak on Thursday, the 15th, the French drove in all the outposts on the west bank of the Sambre, and at length assaulted Charleroi; thus revealing the purpose of the Emperor; namely, to crush Blucher ere he could concentrate all his own strength, far less be supported by the advance of Wellington, and then rush at once upon Brussels.  Ziethen, however, held out, though with severe loss, at Charleroi so long, that the alarm spread along the whole Prussian line; and then fell back in good order on a position between Ligny and Armand; where Blucher now awaited Napoleon’s attack—­at the head of the whole of his army, except the division of Bulow which