“At half after eight o’clock, the four battalions of the middle guard, who had been sent to the ridge on the other side of Mont-St.-Jean, in order to support the cuirassiers, being greatly annoyed by the grape-shot, endeavoured to carry the batteries with the bayonet. At the end of the day, a charge directed against their flank, by several English squadrons, put them in disorder. The fugitives recrossed the ravine. Several regiments, near at hand, seeing some troops belonging to the guard in confusion, believed it was the old guard, and in consequence were thrown into disorder. Cries of ‘All is lost, the guard is driven back!’ were heard on every side. The soldiers pretend even that on many points ill-disposed persons cried out, ‘Sauve qui peut!’ However this may be, a complete panic at once spread itself throughout the whole field of battle, and they threw themselves in the greatest disorder on the line of communication: soldiers, cannoneers, caissons, all pressed to this point; the old guard, which was in reserve, was infected, and was itself hurried along.
“In an instant, the whole army was nothing but a mass of confusion; all the soldiers, of all arms, were mixed pell-mell, and it was utterly impossible to rally a single corps. The enemy, who perceived this astonishing confusion, immediately attacked with their cavalry, and increased the disorder, and such was the confusion, owing to night coming on, that it was impossible to rally the troops, and point out to them their error. Thus a battle terminated, a day of false manœuvres rectified, the greatest success ensured for the next day: all was lost by a moment of panic terror. Even the squadrons of service, drawn up by the side of the Emperor, were overthrown and disorganized by these tumultuous waves, and there was then nothing else to be done but to follow the torrent. The parks of reserve, the baggage which had not repassed the Sambre, in short everything that was on the field of battle, remained in the power of the enemy. It was impossible to wait for the troops on our right; every one knows what the bravest army in the world is when thus mixed and thrown into confusion, and when its organization no longer exists.
“The Emperor crossed the Sambre at Charleroi, at five o’clock in the morning of the 19th. Philippeville and Avesnes have been given as the points of reunion. Prince Jérôme, general Morand, and other generals have there already rallied a part of the army. Marshal Grouchy, with the corps on the right, is moving on the lower Sambre.
“The loss of the enemy must have been very great, if we may judge from the number of standards we have taken from him, and from the retrograde movements which he made; ours cannot be calculated till after troops shall have been collected. Before the disorder broke out, we had already experienced a very considerable loss, particularly in our cavalry, so fatally, though so bravely engaged. Notwithstanding these losses, this brave cavalry constantly kept the position it had taken from the English, and only abandoned it when the tumult and disorder of the field of battle forced it. In the midst of the night, and the obstacles which encumbered their route, it could not preserve its own organization.
“The artillery has, as usual, covered itself with glory. The carriages belonging to the head-quarters remained in their ordinary position; no retrograde movement being judged necessary. In the course of the night they fell into the enemy’s hands.
“Such has been the issue of the battle of Mont-St.-Jean, glorious for the French armies, and yet so fatal.”
MARSHAL GROUCHY’S OFFICIAL REPORT TO NAPOLEON.
“Dinant, June 20th, 1815.
“It was not till after seven in the evening of the 18th of June, that I received the letter of the duke of Dalmatia, (Soult,) which directed me to march on St.-Lambert, and to attack general Bulow. I fell in with the enemy as I was marching on Wavre. He was immediately driven into Wavre, and general Vandamme’s corps attacked that town, and was warmly engaged. The portion of Wavre, on the right of the Dyle, was carried: but much difficulty was experienced in debouching, on the other side; general Gérard was wounded by a ball in the breast, whilst endeavouring to carry the mill of Bierge, in order to pass the river, but where he did not succeed; and lieutenant-general Aix had been killed in the attack on the town. In this state of things, being impatient to cooperate with your Majesty’s army on that important day, I detached several corps to force the passage of the Dyle and march against Bulow. The corps of Vandamme, in the mean time, maintained the attack on Wavre, and on the mill, whence the enemy showed an intention to debouch, but which I did not conceive he was capable of effecting. I arrived at Limal, passed the river, and the heights were carried by the division of Vichery and the cavalry. Night did not permit us to advance farther, and I no longer heard the cannon on the side where your Majesty was engaged.
“I halted in this situation until day-light. Wavre and Bierge were occupied by the Prussians, who, at three in the morning of the 19th, attacked in their turn, wishing to take advantage of the difficult position in which I was, and expecting to drive me into the defile, and take the artillery which had debouched, and make me repass the Dyle. Their efforts were fruitless. The Prussians were repulsed, and the village of Bierge taken. The brave general Penne was killed.