Hardly had the English advanced for this fatal charge, when Blucher’s columns, emerging from the woods, were at length seen forming on the right of the French, and preparing to take part in the battle.  Their cannonade played on the flank of the Old Guard, while the British attack in front was overwhelming them.  The fatal cry of sauve qui peut was heard everywhere:  the French were now flying pellmell in the most woeful confusion.  Blucher and Wellington met at length at the farmhouse of La Belle Alliance; and the Prussian eagerly undertook to continue the pursuit during the night, while the English General halted to refresh his weary men.

The loss of Wellington’s army on this great day was terrible:  100 officers slain (many of the first distinction), and 500 wounded, very many mortally; and of rank and file killed and wounded, 15,000.  The Duke himself had been, all through the day, wherever the danger was greatest; and he alone, and one gentleman besides, of all a very numerous staff, came off the ground unhurt.

Of the 75,000 men whom Napoleon conducted to this last and severest of his fields, what with the slain and the wounded, and those who, losing heart and hope, deserted and fled separately to their homes, not more than 30,000 were ever again collected in arms.  The Prussians followed hard on the miserable fugitives, and in every hamlet and village, for many miles beyond La Belle Alliance, cut down the lingerers without mercy.

Napoleon at length halted at Philippeville:  from which point he designed to turn towards Grouchy, and take in person the command of that remaining division, leaving Soult to re-assemble and rally, at Avesnes, the relics of Waterloo.  But hearing that Blucher was already at Charleroi (which was true), and that Grouchy had been overtaken and made prisoner (which was false), the Emperor abandoned his purpose, and continued his journey, travelling post, to Paris.

On the 19th the capital had been greeted with the news of three great victories, at Charleroi, at Ligny, and at Quatre-Bras—­100 cannon fired in honour of the Emperor’s successes—­his partisans proclaimed that the glory of France was secured—­and dejection filled the hearts of the royalists.  On the morning of the 21st it transpired that Napoleon had arrived the night before, alone, at the Elysee.  The secret could no longer be kept.  A great, a decisive field had been fought;—­and the French army was no more.

[Footnote 72:  The fiction of the Duke of Wellington having been surprised on this great occasion has maintained its place in almost all narratives of the war for fifteen years.  The Duke’s magnanimous silence under such treatment for so long a period will be appreciated by posterity.  The facts of the case are now given from the most unquestionable authority.]

[Footnote 73:  The fact of Wellington and Blucher having met between the battles of Ligny and Waterloo is well known to many of the superior officers then in the Netherlands; but the writer of this compendium has never happened to see it mentioned in print.  The horse that carried the Duke of Wellington through this long night journey, so important to the decisive battle of the 18th, remained till lately, it is understood, if he does not still remain, a free pensioner in the best paddock of Strathfieldsaye.]