The French loss has been computed at nearly fifty thousand men during the campaign.
Of the French generals, De Lobau (Mouton), Compans, Duhesme and Cambronne were made prisoners; and Girard, Devaux, Letort, Penne, Michel, Aix and Baudouin killed.
Perhaps we cannot arrive at a more accurate notion of the loss of the enemy than that conveyed by Ney, in his speech in the Chamber of Peers, four days after the battle, to which the reader’s notice is drawn ([page 207]): “Not a man of the guard will ever rally more. I myself witnessed their total extermination: they are annihilated.” And everybody knows that Napoleon always husbanded the guard, at the cost of all his other troops. “Their total extermination” implies then that the whole army was utterly routed.
The slaughter, in the absence of official reports, must be left to be computed by the sober judgment of the reader.
The French force detached under Grouchy to observe the Prussians amounted to thirty-two thousand men, and a hundred and four guns.
POSITIONS OF THE ALLIED ARTILLERY TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE BATTLE.
On the right, close to the Nivelles road, the Brunswick guns. Stretching towards the left, major Bull’s (howitzers), captain N. Ramsey’s, major Webber Smith’s, captain Mercer’s, major Symper’s (German), captain Sandham’s, major Beane’s batteries; and captain Bolton’s, at the angle between Adam’s left and Maitland’s right. Captain Sinclair’s battery. Major Vandersmissen’s batteries, at the interval between Halkett’s brigade. Major Lloyd’s, major sir H. Ross’s batteries. Major sir R. Gardner’s battery, advancing. Major Whinyate’s (rocket), major Braun’s (German), major Rogers’ batteries. A Dutch-Belgian battery. Major Rettberg’s (German), just relieved by a Prussian battery. A Dutch-Belgian battery. Major Kuhlman’s and captain Cleeve’s (German) batteries, advancing on the high-road, after refitting. Five Dutch-Belgian guns near Ditmers’ brigade.
ARTILLERY TAKEN BY THE ALLIED ARMY AT WATERLOO.