Letters of the First Earl of Malmesbury, London; Bentley. 1870. vol. 2, p. 445.
CAPTAIN BOWLES[838] TO LORD FITZHARRIS.
ORIGINAL MEMORANDUM BY THE WRITER.
At the Duchess of Richmond’s ball at Brussels the Prince of Orange, who commanded the 1st division of the army, came back suddenly, just as the Duke of Wellington had taken his place at the supper table, and whispered some minutes to his Grace, who only said he had no fresh orders to give, and recommended the Prince to go back to his quarters and go to bed.
The Duke of Wellington remained nearly twenty minutes after this, and then said to the Duke of Richmond, “I think it is time for me to go to bed likewise;” and then, whilst wishing him good-night, whispered to ask him if he had a good map in his house. The Duke of Richmond said he had, and took him into his dressing-room, which opened into the supper-room. The Duke of Wellington shut the door and said, “Napoleon has humbugged me (by G—), he has gained twenty-four hours’ march on me.” The Duke of Richmond said, “What do you intend doing?”
The Duke of Wellington replied, “I have ordered the army to concentrate at Quatre Bras; but we shall not stop him there, and if so I must fight him here” (at the same time passing his thumb-nail over the position of Waterloo). He then said adieu and left the house by another way out. He went to his quarters, slept six hours and breakfasted, and rode at speed to Quatre Bras, where he met Hardinge and went with him to Blücher, who took him over the position at Ligny. The Duke of Wellington suggested many alterations, but Blücher would not consent to move a man.
The conversation in the Duke of Richmond’s dressing-room was repeated to me, two minutes after it occurred, by the Duke of Richmond, who was to have had the command of the reserve, if formed, and to whom I was to have been aide-de-camp. He marked the Duke of Wellington’s thumb-nail with his pencil on the map, and we often looked at it together some months afterwards.
XIV.
WELLINGTON’S ORDERS TO LORD HILL: June 16, 1815.
Gurwood, vol. xii, p. 474.