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A collision was with difficulty averted by the complaisance of Frederick William, who called back his troops and referred the question to lawyers; but even the King was piqued when the Grand-Duke of Berg sent him a letter of remonstrance on Blücher's conduct, commencing with the familiar address, Mon frère.
On the 18th of June the moon was full. Its light favored Blucher's ferocious pursuit, betrayed the traces of the fugitives, delivered up that disastrous mass to the eager Prussian cavalry, and aided the massacre. Such tragic favors of the night do occur sometimes during catastrophes. After the last cannon-shot had been fired, the plain of Mont-Saint-Jean remained deserted.
The Prussians did not wholly capture Planchenoit until the French opposing Wellington were in full flight. But, of course, Blücher's advance and onset made the victory the overwhelming triumph that it was.
I remonstrated against the sending of this note, because it was so mixed up that the landlord would never be able to make head or tail of it; but Blucher said he guessed the old man could read the French of it and average the rest. Blucher's French is bad enough, but it is not much worse than the English one finds in advertisements all over Italy every day.
The corps of Macdonald, Lauriston, Ney, and Marmont held in check Blücher's army of Silesia.
It is true that Napoleon at 3.15 sent a despatch to Ney bidding him envelop Blücher's flank; but the order did not reach him until some time after 5, when the allies were pressing him hard, and when he had just heard of D'Erlon's deflection towards the Emperor's battle.
Fate has these turns; the throne of the world was expected; it was Saint Helena that was seen. If the little shepherd who served as guide to Bulow, Blucher's lieutenant, had advised him to debouch from the forest above Frischemont, instead of below Plancenoit, the form of the nineteenth century might, perhaps, have been different. Napoleon would have won the battle of Waterloo.
Unexpected receipts in the Post-office Department Arrival of Napoleon's Commissioners at M. de Talleyrand's Conference of the Marshals with Alexander Alarming news from Essonne Marmont's courage The white cockade and the tri-coloured cockade A successful stratagem Three Governments in France The Duc de Cadore sent by Maria Louisa to the Emperor of Austria Maria Louisa's proclamation to the French people Interview between the Emperor of Austria and the Duc de Cadore The Emperor's protestation of friendship for Napoleon M. Metternich and M. Stadion Maria Louisa's departure for Orleans Blucher's visit to me Audience of the King of Prussia His Majesty's reception of Berthier, Clarke, and myself Bernadotte in Paris Cross of the Polar Star presented to me by Bernadotte.
Napoleon resumed, however, his march, and having been detained some time at Ferté, in consequence of the destruction of the bridge, took the direction of Chateau-Thierry and Soissons, while Mortier and Marmont received his orders to resume the offensive in front of Meaux. He hoped, in this manner, to throw himself on the flank of Blucher's march, as he had done before at Champaubert.
Upward of a month had elapsed since the victory of La Rothiere, and Blucher's ardent wish had not yet been fulfilled; the allies were not in Paris. The system of procrastination had again obtained the upper hand at the headquarters of the allies.
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