Page:Battles of Quatre Bras & Waterloo.pdf/9

 incessant, deliberate, and murderous fire, they completely repulsed them. After this they adavanced in square against a mass of infantry, pierced their centre, and routed them; then deploying, they charged in line, and cleared the front of the skirmishers which covered the retreat of the main body. All was now complete confusion with the enemy.

On the morning of the 16th June, Napoleon advanced against Blucher, with an army amounting to 80,000 men. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the engagement began by the division of General Le Fol attacking the village of St Amand, and carrying it at the point of the bayonet. General Geraud proceeded to attack Ligny, and here a murderous scene commenced. The troops of Napoleon succeeded in establishing themselves in part of the village, while all their efforts could not drive the Prussians from the remaining part, and the Prussians were unable to dislodge their opponents. Every house was fortified— every hedge became a military station. The combatants were so in contact with each other, that they had scarcely room to manoeuvre, and as the ranks thinned on either side, the void was filled with fresh troops. This scene continued for 5 hours; and quarter was neither given or taken. Nearly 200 pieces of cannon played on the village the whole afternoon, and scattered destruction amid the troops, who filled every part of the place, till at length the dead formed a defence for the combatants. At one time victory inclined to the Prussians. Blucher led on a battalion of infantry in person, possessed himself of the village of St Amand, seized on a height from whence the Prussians had been driven on an early part of the day, and once more established his batteries there, which had a most destructive