Part 46

But now of his great rival and conqueror:--The Duke of Wellington had not the same opportunity for displaying his skill and talent in 1815, which he had enjoyed in 1813. His proposed campaign was to open on the 1st of July, and it had been the favourite object of Napoleon to take the initiative, to open the campaign before the British troops from America had arrived, and thus to lead the campaign himself without waiting for the Duke to open it. Hence, during these three days, Napoleon was always advancing, attacking, while Wellington, with his weak army was making the best defence he could. And, accordingly, at Waterloo, the Duke knowing the disparity of his force, could only hope to “keep his ground” till the Prussians should arrive. He was in the position of a small man attacked by a giant. He could only parry his blows and allow the assailant to exhaust his strength, in the hope that, at last, by a well-aimed thrust he might lay his enemy prostrate. For nine long hours, therefore, the Duke’s whole business was to meet and repel the powerful attacks of Napoleon; and he had to do this with, according to Napoleon’s own admission, “less than 40,000 good troops.” In fact, his infantry, British and of the German Legion, were only 18,485, his British and German Legion cavalry 7,834, while Napoleon had very nearly 70,000 excellent infantry, and more than 18,000 splendid cavalry. Yet for these nine hours did the Duke meet and repel all his assaults. This sort of soldiership is less showy than daring manœuvres, but it is equally valuable; and in the present instance, when the materials the Duke had to work with are considered, the merit of it is not at all inferior. One of the best generals commanding under the Duke, when acknowledging the thanks of the House of Commons, said, “An army hastily drawn together, composed of the troops of various nations, and amongst which were counted several brigades of inexperienced militia, was the force which the Duke had to oppose to one of the most formidable and best-appointed armies that France ever produced. No other man living could have rendered the service which he performed, with an army so composed.”

The chief point, however, in the character of a great general is the possession of that “eagle eye” which enables him, amid all the din and turmoil of a horrible contest, to perceive exactly the right moment for vigorous action, and the right place at which to aim an attack. It was this, especially, which gave the Duke his first signal victory over the French at Salamanca; and it was this which turned the repulse of the French at Waterloo into a disastrous defeat.

Narrative-writers, collecting, long after, the best available testimony from all quarters, and carefully comparing and sifting the whole, are able to arrive at probable conclusions as to the order and date of the leading events. But this sort of calm investigation is wholly different from the horrible din, the ceaseless clamour, and the almost impervious smoke which obscures everything on the battle-field. We, for instance, comparing the accounts of the French, the Prussians, and the Austrians, are able to arrive at the conclusion, with absolute certainty that General Bulow’s corps first showed itself on the right of the French line about half-past four, and began to take part in the engagement about half-past five. But it is quite certain that the Duke, fully occupied just then with the French cavalry, who were riding round his squares, knew nothing of the actual arrival of the long-expected succour until long after. It was nearly two hours after this, when, by carefully examining every part of the left of his line, the Duke was able to perceive the rising of smoke over Planchenoit. This was not until seven o’clock; but it assured him of this, that some part of the promised Prussian support had arrived, and that more must be coming up. And this was sufficient to give him new hopes of ultimate success, though he could be certain, as yet, of very little more than that some aid was at hand.

It was shortly after this, and about the time of the movement of the Imperial Guard, when news reached him from Marshal Blucher himself that he was then actually joining the extreme left of the British line. It was this support which enabled the British light cavalry to move from the left of the line, and to take a position nearer the centre. And hence, when the English and the French Guards had tried each other’s mettle, and the latter had retired in disorder, the Duke saw at one comprehensive glance the arrival of that moment for which he had been longing,--the defeat and confusion of Napoleon’s last reserve; the presence of the long-promised Prussian succours, at that last moment of daylight, which just allowed time for one daring movement and no more. And the decision and boldness with which the Duke seized this golden opportunity are among the finest traits in the whole history of great military deeds. A brief hesitation, if only of a quarter of an hour, would have allowed the French, although beaten, to retire at leisure. A renewal of the contest might have followed after the lapse of a couple of days, but how different would have been the whole history of such a campaign from that of Waterloo! It was this clear perception of the right moment for an attack, and the fearlessness with which fewer than 30,000 men were led forward to assault at least twice their numbers, commanded by Napoleon, Soult, and Ney,--it was this wonderful union of prudence, decision, and the highest kind of valour, which made the Duke of Wellington the first of all the generals of his day.

And, united with those lofty endowments, there was the patient, enduring, untiring discharge of every duty of a commander. In this, as in every other of his battles, the Duke was constantly wherever his presence was needed. There could not be a pressure felt at any portion of the line,--there could not be an anxious moment when even the bravest might look around him and begin to think of the possibility of an overthrow, but presently the well-known chestnut-horse would be seen, and the whisper would run through the ranks, “Here’s the Duke! stand fast!” This might seem to some to be merely a matter of course; but it is the being always in the right place at the right time; it is the union of the commonest duties with the highest which fills up the outline of a great character, and leaves to posterity not only a brilliant name, but a really bright example.”[44]

WAWZ, BATTLE OF.--Fought, March 31st, 1831, between the Poles and the Russians. After two days of hard labour in fighting, the Poles carried the Russian works, who were obliged to retreat, with the loss of 12,000 men and 2000 prisoners. This triumph of the Poles was shortly after followed by defeat and massacre.

WHITE PLAINS, BATTLE OF.--Between the revolted American Provinces and the British, under Sir William Howe. Fought, November 30th, 1776. This was the most serious of the early battles of that unfortunate war, and terminated in the defeat of the Americans, who suffered considerable loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners.

WIGAN, BATTLE OF.--In the civil war of England, fought between the King’s troops and the Parliamentary forces. The former were defeated, 1643. Another battle, between the same parties, was fought here, 1651.

WITEPSK, BATTLE OF.--Between the French and Russians. The former commanded by Marshal Victor, and the latter by General Wittgenstein. The French were defeated, after a desperate engagement, having lost 3000 men. Fought, November 14th, 1812.

WORCESTER, BATTLE OF.--In the civil war fought between the Royalist army and the forces of the Parliament, the latter commanded by Cromwell, a large body of Scots having marched into England to reinstate Charles II, Cromwell signally defeated them, and it afforded to him what he called his _crowning mercy_; more than 2000 of the Royalists were slain, and of 8000 prisoners, nearly all were sold as slaves to the American Colonies. Fought, September 3rd, 1651. The following is an account of the flight of the young King, after the disastrous day of battle:--

“Charles, in his progress towards Bristol, was pursued by a party of the enemy to the new ferry over the Severn. He rode through Shire Newton, and crossed the Severn at Chiswell Pit, on the Gloucestershire side. The boat had scarcely returned, before a body of the republicans, amounting to 60 men, followed him to the Black Rock, and threatening them with instant death if they refused, compelled the ferrymen to take them across. The boatmen were royalists, and left them on a reef called English Stones, which is separated from the Gloucestershire side by a lake, fordable at low water; but the tide, which had just turned, flowed in with great rapidity, and they were all drowned in attempting to cross. Cromwell, when informed of this disaster, abolished the ferry, and it was not renewed until the year 1748. The renewal occasioned a law-suit between the family of St. Pierre and the guardians of the Duke of Beaufort. In the course of the suit, documents were produced which tended to confirm this anecdote.”

WRECKS.--The most remarkable shipwrecks of British men of war or transports, or of ships, connected with military events, are the following which have happened within the last 85 years:

A tremendous storm occurred in October, 1780, in the West Indies, and the following vessels of war were all lost.

_Thunderer_, of 74 guns; _Stirling Castle_, of 64 guns; _Phœnix_, of 44 guns; _La Blanche_, of 42 guns; _Laurel_, of 28 guns; _Andromeda_, of 28 guns; _Deal Castle_, of 24 guns; _Scarborough_, of 20 guns; _Barbadoes_, of 14 guns; _Cameleon_, of 14 guns; _Endeavour_, of 14 guns; and the _Victor_, of 10 guns.

_The Royal George_--June 28th, 1782,--1000 persons and brave Admiral Kenpenfeldt perished by the sinking, or rather oversetting of this 100 gun man-of-war. The guns on one side all rolled over to the other, and with the extra weight immediately overset the ship riding at anchor at Spithead.

_Ramilies_, of 74 guns, off Newfoundland, September 21st, 1782. 100 souls perished.

_Pandora Frigate_, on a reef of rocks, August 28th, 1791. 100 souls perished.

_Droits de l’Homme_--A British ship of the line, and the _Amazon_, a frigate, lost off Hodierne Bay. Many hundreds perished, January 14th, 1797.

_Nassau_, of 64 guns, October 25th, 1799. 100 of the crew and marines perished.

_Queen_, transport on Trefusis Point, January 14th, 1800. 369 souls lost.

_Queen Charlotte_, of 110 guns, lost March 17th, 1800. This was the flag ship of Lord Keith, commanding in the Mediterranean Sea, burnt by accidental fire off the harbor of Leghorn. More than 700 perished. The ship took fire just before day break. It was occasioned by a match kept burning for the purpose of firing salutes, having communicated itself to some hay, &c., and so rapidly did the fire rage, that nothing could save the noble vessel. She burned rapidly to the water’s edge, and then blew up.

_Invincible_, of 74 guns, March 20th, 1801. 400 souls perished.

_Apollo_, frigate, lost April 2nd, 1804, in a heavy gale off Capo Mondego. 61 of her crew and her commander, perished, and with her 40 sail of the outward-bound West India fleet, lost.

_Venerable_, of 74 guns, Nov. 24th, 1804. Crew saved.

_Tartarus_, of 74 guns, December 20th, 1804. Crew saved.

_Æneas_, transport, off Newfoundland, lost October 23rd, 1805. 340 perished.

_Aurora_, transport, lost on the Godwin Sands, December 21st, 1805. 300 perished.

_Athenienne_, of 64 guns lost off Sardinia, October 20th, 1806. 347 perished.

_Ajax_--Lost by fire off the Island of Tenedos, February 14th, 1807. 300 perished.

_Boreas_, man-of-war, lost upon the Hannois Rock in the Channel, November 28th, 1807.

_Anson_, frigate, lost near Land’s End, December 29th, 1807. 125 persons drowned.

_Magicienne_, frigate, August 16th, 1810. She ran aground at the Mauritius, and was abandoned and burnt by her crew.

_Satellite_, sloop-of-war of 16 guns, December 14th, 1810. Upset and all on board perished.

_Minotam_, of 74 guns, wrecked on the Haak Bank, December 27th, 1810. Of 600 persons on board, about 480 were drowned.

_Amethyst_, frigate of 36 guns, lost in the Sound, February 15th, 1811.

_Barham_, of 74 guns. Foundered July 29th, 1811, on the coast of Corsica.

_Saldanha_, frigate, lost on the Irish coast, December, 1811. 300 souls perished.

_St. George_, of 98 guns, and the _Defence_, of 74 guns, stranded on the coast of Jutland, and all souls perished, except 16 seamen, December 24th, 1811.

_Seahorse_, transport, near Tramore Bay, January 30th, 1816. 365 souls, chiefly soldiers of the 59th Regiment, and most of the crew, lost.

_Lord Melville_, and _Boadicea_, two transports lost near Kinsale, Ireland, when several hundred of the 82nd Regiment, and almost all the crew perished, January 31st, 1816.

_Harpooner_, transport, off Newfoundland, November 10th, 1816. 100 persons drowned.

_Kent_, shattered by a dreadful storm, February 28th 1825. Afterwards she caught fire; but the passengers and crew were providentially saved by the _Cambria_. There were on board 301 officers and men of the 31st regiment, 66 women, 45 children, and 139 seamen.

“The _Kent_, _Indiaman_, was making her way in the Bay of Biscay on the morning of the 1st of March, 1825, across the heavy swell common in that stormy entrance to the Atlantic, when her progress was arrested by a fatal accident. An officer, who was sent into the hold to see whether the rolling of the vessel had disturbed the stowage, perceiving that a cask of spirits had burst from its lashings, gave the lamp he had in his hand to a seaman to hold, while he should replace the cask. Unfortunately, in the continued rolling of the vessel, the man let the lamp fall near the spirits, to which it set fire in a moment. The flames spread; attempts were made to smother them by wet blankets and hammocks, but all was in vain, and they soon assumed an aspect so tremendous, as to show that it would be impossible to subdue them.

At this moment of despair, the man at the mast-head exclaimed that a sail was in sight; guns were fired, and a signal of distress hoisted. The gale, however, was so heavy, that it was for some time doubtful whether the strange vessel perceived the signals, or was likely to turn aside from her course; but this painful suspense was soon removed by her approach. The boats of the _Kent_ were now got out and placed, not alongside, on account of the flames and the danger of staving the boats, but a-head and a-stern. In the latter many got out from the cabin-windows, but the chief part were let down from the bowsprit into the boat a-head, and the men sliding down by a rope, while the soldiers’ wives were lowered into the boat slung three together.

The fire had burst out about ten o’clock, and about twelve the signal of distress had been perceived by the strange sail, which proved to be the _Cambria_, outward-bound to Mexico, with mining workmen and machinery, shipped by the Anglo-Mexican company. It was two o’clock when the _Cambria_ received the first boat-load of passengers, consisting of ladies and children, half clothed, and pale with fright and fatigue. The whole afternoon was passed in exertions on board the one vessel in sending off the sufferers, and in the other in receiving them. The _Cambria_ had amongst her passengers several stout workmen, who took their station at the ship’s side, and were indefatigable in hoisting the poor sufferers on board; so that, out of 642 persons in the _Kent_, no less than 547 were safe in the _Cambria_ before midnight. The remainder (95 in number) were lost, chiefly in getting out and in of the boats, the swell of the sea being very great all the time. The captain of the _Kent_ was the last man to leave her. She blew up at a few minutes before two o’clock on Wednesday morning.

It may naturally be asked how the vessel could keep so long together amid so destructive a conflagration? She could not have kept together two hours, had not the officers, to avoid one danger, encountered another by opening the ports and letting in the water, when she shipped such heavy seas as to become water-logged, which of course prevented her burning downwards.

The _Cambria_, a vessel of little more than 200 tons, was previously sufficiently filled, having goods in her hold, and about 50 persons in passengers and ship’s company. How great then must have been the pressure and confusion caused by the influx which carried the total on board to more than 600! The progress of the fire in the _Kent_ had been so rapid, as to prevent the sufferers from saving any clothes, except what was on their persons, and both officers and soldiers were thus ill prepared to encounter the wet and cold of the deck. The cabin and the ’tween decks (the space for the steerage passengers) were thus crowded beyond measure, and most fortunate it was that the wind continued favourable for the return of the _Cambria_ to an English port. She reached Falmouth in 48 hours after quitting the wreck, and landed her unfortunate inmates on the 4th of March.”

_Lord William Bentinck_, lost off Bombay; 58 recruits, 20 officers, and seven passengers perished. This lamentable occurrence happened June 17th, 1840.

_Abercrombie Robinson_, and _Waterloo_, transports, in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope; of 330 persons on board the last named vessel, 189, principally convicts, were drowned, August 28th, 1842.

_H.M.S. Fantome_, of 16 guns, lost off Montevideo, June 25th, 1843.

The troop ship _Albert_ from Halifax with the 64th Regiment on board which was miraculously saved July 13th, 1843.

_H.M. Frigate Wilberforce_, lost on the coast of Africa, February 2nd, 1844.

_Birkenhead_, troopship, from Queenstown to the Cape of Good Hope, with detachments of several regiments on board. She struck on a pointed rock off Simon’s Bay, and 454 of the crew and soldiers were drowned; 184 only were saved by the ship’s boat.

The _Trent_, and a great number of other ships of all capacity, wrecked off the Crimea during the war. A tremendous tornado swept the Black Sea and literally dashed many of the brave ships of England and France to pieces.

WURTZCHEN, BATTLE OF.--One of the most bloody and fiercely contested battles of the campaign of 1813. Fought between the allied Russian and Prussian armies, and the French, commanded by Napoleon himself. The carnage was dreadful on each side, but the Allies retreated from the field. Fought, May 21st, 1813.

X AND Y.

XIMERA, BATTLE OF.--Between the Spanish army, under the command of General Ballasteros, and the French corps, commanded by General Regnier. The Spaniards were defeated with great loss; the French also lost very much. Fought, September 10th, 1811.

XERXES’ BRIDGE. See Bridge of Xerxes.

YEAVERNY, BATTLE OF.--Between the Scots and the Earl of Westmoreland. Fought, 1415. In this memorable engagement, 430 English discomfited 4000 Scots, and took 160 prisoners; also called the battle of Geteringe.

YPRES, BATTLE OF.--Between Henry IV of France, and the Generals of the Roman Catholic League, over whom he obtained a complete victory.

Z.

ZAMA, BATTLE OF.--Between the two greatest Generals of the age, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus. The Romans lost 2000 in killed and wounded, whilst the Carthaginians lost, in killed and prisoners, more than 40,000. Fought B.C. 202.

“These two generals, who were not only the most illustrious of their own age, but worthy of being ranked with the most renowned princes and warriors that had ever lived, meeting at the place appointed, continued for some time in a deep silence, as though they were astonished, and struck with a mutual admiration at the sight of each other. At last Hannibal spoke; and, after having praised Scipio in the most artful and delicate manner, he gave a very lively description of the ravages of the war, and the calamities in which it had involved both the victors and the vanquished. He conjured him not to suffer himself to be dazzled by the splendor of his victories. He represented to him, that how successful soever he might have hitherto been, he ought, however, to tremble at the inconstancy of fortune: that without going far back for examples, he himself who was then speaking to him, was a glaring proof of this: that Scipio was at that time what himself, Hannibal, had been at Thrasymene and Cannæ: that he ought to make a better use of opportunity than himself had done, and consent to peace, now it was in his power to propose the conditions of it. He concluded with declaring, that the Carthaginians would willingly resign Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, and all the islands between Africa and Italy to the Romans. That they must be forced, since such was the will of the gods, to confine themselves to Africa; whilst they should see the Romans extending their conquests to the most remote regions, and obliging all nations to pay obedience to their laws.

Scipio answered in few words, but not with less dignity. He reproached the Carthaginians for their perfidy, in plundering the Roman galleys before the truce was expired. He imputed to them only, and to their injustice, all the calamities with which the two wars had been attended. After thanking Hannibal for the admonition he gave him, with regard to the uncertainty of human events, he concluded with desiring him to prepare for battle, unless he chose rather to accept of the conditions that had been already proposed; to which he observed some others would be added, in order to punish the Carthaginians for their having violated the truce.

Hannibal could not prevail with himself to accept these conditions and the generals left one another, with the resolution to decide the fate of Carthage by a general battle. Each commander exhorted his troops to fight valiantly. Hannibal enumerated the victories he had gained over the Romans, the generals he had slain, the armies he had cut to pieces. Scipio represented to his soldiers, the conquests of both the Spains, his successes in Africa, and the tacit confession their enemies themselves made of their weakness, by thus coming to sue for peace. All this he spoke with the tone and air of a conqueror. Never were motives more prevalent to prompt troops to behave gallantly. This day was to complete the glory of the one or the other of the generals; and to decide whether Rome or Carthage was to prescribe laws to all other nations.

I shall not undertake to describe the order of the battle, nor the valour of the forces on both sides. The reader will naturally suppose, that two such experienced generals did not forget any circumstance which could contribute to the victory. The Carthaginians, after a very obstinate fight, were obliged to fly, leaving 20,000 men on the field of battle, and the like number of prisoners were taken by the Romans. Hannibal escaped in the tumult, and, entering Carthage, owned that he was irrecoverably overthrown, and that the citizens had no other choice left, but to accept of peace on any conditions. Scipio bestowed great eulogiums on Hannibal, chiefly with regard to his capacity in taking advantages, his manner of drawing up his army, and giving out his orders in the engagement; and he affirmed that Hannibal had this day surpassed himself, although the success had not answered his valour and conduct.

With regard to himself, he well knew how to make a proper advantage of the victory, and the consternation with which he had filled the enemy. He commanded one of his lieutenants to march his land army to Carthage, whilst himself prepared to sail the fleet thither.