“General Vandamme then passed one of his divisions by Bierge, and carried with ease the heights of Wavre, and along the whole of my line the success was complete. I was in front of Rosières, preparing to march on Brussels, when I received the sad intelligence of the loss of the battle of Waterloo. The officer who brought it informed me, that your Majesty was retreating on the Sambre, without being able to indicate any particular point on which I should direct my march. I ceased to pursue, and began my retrograde movement. The retreating enemy did not think of following me.
“Learning that the enemy had already passed the Sambre and was on my flank, and not being sufficiently strong to make a diversion in favour of your Majesty, without compromising the troops under my command, I marched on Namur. At this moment, the rear of the columns were attacked. That of the left made a retrograde movement sooner than was expected, which endangered, for a moment, the retreat of the left; but good dispositions soon repaired everything, and two pieces which had been taken were recovered by the brave 20th dragoons, who, besides, took a howitzer from the enemy. We entered Namur without loss. The long defile which extends from this place to Dinant, in which only a single column can march, and the embarrassment arising from the numerous transports of wounded, rendered it necessary to hold for a considerable time the town, where I had not the means of blowing up the bridge. I intrusted the defence of Namur to general Vandamme, who, with his usual intrepidity, maintained himself there till eight in the evening; so that nothing was left behind, and I occupied Dinant.
“The enemy has lost some thousands of men in the attack on Namur, where the contest was very obstinate; the troops have performed their duty in a manner worthy of praise.
“De Grouchy.”
| STRENGTH OF THE ALLIED ARMY AT WATERLOO, AND ITS LOSS. | ||||||
| DESIGNATION. | INFANTRY. | CAVALRY. | ARTILLERY. | TOTAL under arms. | GUNS. | Killed, wounded and missing. |
| British | 15,181 | 5,843 | 2,967 | 23,991 | 78 | 6,932 |
| King’s German Legion | 3,301 | 1,967 | 526 | 5,824 | 18 | 589 |
| Hanoverians | 10,258 | 497 | 465 | 11,220 | 12 | 1,602 |
| Brunswickers | 4,586 | 866 | 510 | 5,962 | 16 | 660 |
| Nassauers | 2,880 | ” | ” | 2,880 | ” | 643 |
| Dutch-Belgians | 13,402 | 3,205 | 1,177 | 17,784 | 32 | 4,000 |
| Total | 49,608 | 12,408 | 5,645 | 67,661 | 156 | 14,426 |
| British, killed and wounded, on the 16th, at Quatre-Bras: 2,504. Onthe 17th, in the retreat to the Waterloo position: 108. | ||||||
| The greater number of the men (1,875) returned as missing, had gone tothe rear with wounded officers and soldiers, and joined afterwards. Theofficers are supposed killed. | ||||||
| The names of British officers, killed and wounded, may be seen in the Appendix, [No. IV.] | ||||||
| PRUSSIAN FORCE AT WATERLOO, | ||||
| A PORTION OF WHICH BECAME ENGAGED TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE DAY. | ||||
| ARRIVED ON THE FIELD | INFANTRY. | CAVALRY. | ARTILLERY. | |
| MEN. | GUNS. | |||
| About half-past five o’clock P.M. | 12,043 | 2,720 | 783 | 40 |
| At three quarters after six | 13,338 | ” | 360 | 24 |
| At a quarter before eight | 15,902 | 6,138 | 660 | 40 |
| Total | 41,283 | 8,858 | 1,803 | 104 |
| General total in the field | 51,944 men. | 104 | ||
| Loss at Waterloo, in killed, wounded and missing: 6,682 men. | ||||
| STRENGTH OF THE FRENCH ARMY IN THE FIELD AT WATERLOO. | ||||
| DESIGNATION. | INFANTRY. | CAVALRY. | ARTILLERY. | |
| MEN. | GUNS. | |||
| Imperial Guard | 12,000 | 4,000 | 2,400 | 96 |
| 1st Corps | 17,600 | 1,400 | 1,564 | 46 |
| 2d ” | 15,750 | 1,865 | 1,861 | 38 |
| 6th ” | 6,600 | ” | 1,007 | 30 |
| 3d Cavalry Corps | ” | 3,300 | 300 | 12 |
| 4th ” ” | ” | 3,300 | 300 | 12 |
| 3d Cavalry Division | ” | 1,400 | 150 | 6 |
| 5th ” ” | ” | 1,250 | 150 | 6 |
| Total | 51,950 | 16,515 | 7,732 | 246 |
| Deduct for previous losses | 3,000 | 750 | 500 | ” |
| Under arms | 48,950 | 15,765 | 7,232 | 246 |
| General total in the field | 71,947 men. | |||