Page:Life of the Duke of Wellington.pdf/18

18 Soon after, the younger officers were summoned from the dance, for the troops were already mustering. The Duke retired at twelve, and left the town at six next morning for Quatre Bras.

When Napoleon came up from Charleroi, about noon on the 16th, he was at first uncertain whether to make his main attack on Blucher at Ligny, or on the English at Quatre Bras. But the Anglo-Belgian army was not yet concentrated, while the Prussian, with the exception of one division, was: he therefore resolved to devote his personal attention to the latter. The main strength of his army, accordingly, was directed against BlueherBlucher [sic] at three in the afternoon; whilst the subordinate, yet formidable attack on Wellington's position, was begun by Ney with 45,000 men.

The battle raged as fiereelyfiercely [sic] on every other point, and night found the English, after a severe and bloody day, in possession of the field. Several regiments were redueedreduced [sic] to skeletons, and many brave officers had fallen; among others, the Duke of Brunswick was shot soon after the commencement of the battle; and many other regretted names appeared in the list of the slain.

With worse fortune, Blucher fought as severe a battle at Ligny: with 80,000 men, he had to encounter 90,000, led by Napoleon. Though the Prussians behaved with great bravery, the villages of Amand and Ligny were repeatedly taken and retaken during the day; and a body of French cavalry penetrated to the very heart of the position.

In the course of the day, the brave old Prussian general, in heading a cavalry charge, had his horse shot under him, and in the tumultuous hurry of the fight, was ridden over, unseen both by his own men and the Freneh. But Bulow had not yet arrived, and the sueeessivesuccessive [sic] ehargescharges [sic] of fresh divisions of the enemy,