An hour's rest was all that the harassing pursuit by the Prussians permitted Napoleon to enjoy at Charleroi; and he was compelled to fly across the Sambre, without the slightest chance of being enabled to check that pursuit on the Belgian side of the frontier.
The following inscription, which has been cut over the centre of the archway of the Charleroi gate, is singularly appropriate to the flight of Napoleon on this memorable occasion:
"ABIIT. EXCESSIT. EVASIT. ERVPIT."
The circumstances, however, under which the flight of Cataline here described, and that of Napoleon, took place, form a strange contrast. The former, subdued in the Senate by the indignant philippics and burning eloquence of Cicero, escaped from Rome to the rebel camp of Manlius, to take up arms against his native city for the purpose of satisfying the cravings of his profligate ambition; and the latter, defeated in the battle field, fled to the capital, in the vain hope of obtaining from the Senate of his country further means of waging war against the legitimate Sovereign.
From Charleroi, Napoleon proceeded to Philippeville; whence he hoped to be able to communicate more readily with Grouchy. He continued here four hours; which he employed in expediting Orders to Generals Rapp, Lecourbe, and Lamarque, to advance with their respective Corps d'Armée by forced marches to Paris: and also to the commandants of fortresses, to defend themselves to the last extremity. He desired Soult to collect together all the troops that might arrive at this point, and conduct them to Laon; for which place he himself started with post horses, at two o'clock in the afternoon.
The general disposition of the respective Armies on the evening of the 19th, was as follows:—
The Anglo-Allied Army, which constituted the Right Wing of the advancing forces, was at Nivelles and its vicinity.
The Duke of Wellington's Head Quarters were at Nivelles.
Of the Prussian Army, which formed the Left Wing, its First Corps d'Armée was at Charleroi;
Second Corps on the march to Mellery;
Third Corps at St Achtenrode;
Fourth Corps at Fontaine l'Evêque;
Fifth Brigade of the Second Corps at Anderlues, near Fontaine l'Evêque.
Prince Blücher's Head Quarters were at Gosselies.
The disorganized force of the main French Army was in the vicinity of Beaumont, Philippeville, and Avesnes.
Napoleon was posting towards Laon.
The detached portion of the French Army under Grouchy was on the march to Namur.
The Duke of Wellington, in whose character the highest military talents of the Warrior were so intimately blended with the most comprehensive views of the Statesman, did not allow the dazzling allurements which beset the path of a Conqueror to divert him for a single moment from that fixedness of purpose, or to dim that penetrating foresight which so peculiarly distinguished his proceedings on all great occasions of a similar nature, involving the peace, the honour, and the security of not only his own Sovereign and Country, but also of all the Allied Powers, in whose interests he was so actively engaged. He did not view the great Battle he had gained in the light of an event to be followed up by an irruption into the Enemy's country, conducted in such a manner as to humble to the dust the national pride of the French people; and to impose upon them the whole weight and burthen of the oppressions, ravages, and horrors which generally follow in the train of a victorious and lawless soldiery over the face of an Enemy's country. His sole aim was directed to the carrying out of the great object of the War, which comprised not only the annihilation of the power of Napoleon and of the adherents to his cause, but also the Restoration of the legitimate Sovereign to the Throne of France. With the latter Sovereign he had been in constant communication, devising means for his protection during his temporary exile in the Netherlands; and now that the Armies were on the point of crossing the frontier, counselling him to hasten forward and show himself in the midst of his people: in order that by identifying his cause with the common object of the Allied Powers he might avail himself of all the influence and advantages to be derived from the recent victory; and become, as it were, a participator in the brilliant successes which attended their arms on the glorious 18th of June.