This City Has Been In The Greatest Alarm And
Agitation Since The 16th, When A Violent Cannonade Was Heard During The
Afternoon.
From what I have been able to collect, the French attacked the
Prussians on the 14th, and a desperate
Conflict took place on that day, and
the whole of the 15th,[14] when the whole of the Prussian army at Ligny,
Fleurus and Charleroy was totally defeated and driven from its position; a
dislocation of our troops took place early in the morning of the 16th, and
our advanced guard, consisting of the Highland Brigade and two Battalions
of Nassau-Usingen, fell in with the advanced guard of the French Army
commanded by Marshal Ney near Quatre-Bras, and made such a gallant defence
against his corps d'armee as to keep it in check the whole day and enable
itself to fall back in good order to its present position with the rest of
the army, about ten miles in front of Bruxelles. Indeed, I am informed that
nothing could exceed the admirable conduct of the corps above mentioned.
Yesterday we heard no cannonade, but this afternoon it has been unceasing
and still continues. All the caricatures and satires against Napoleon have
disappeared from the windows and stalls. The shops are all shut, the
English families flying to Antwerp; and the proclamation of the Baron de
Capellen[15] to the inhabitants, wherein he exhorts them to be tranquil and
assures them that the Bureaux of Government have not yet quitted Bruxelles,
only serves to increase the confusion and consternation. The inhabitants in
general wish well to the arms of Napoleon, but they know that the retreat
of the English Army must necessarily take place through their town; that
our troops will perhaps endeavour to make a stand, and that the
consequences will be terrible to the inhabitants, from the houses being
liable to be burned or pillaged by friend or foe. All the baggage of our
Army and all the military Bureaux have received orders to repair and are
now on their march to Antwerp, and the road thither is so covered and
blocked up by waggons that the retreat of our Army will be much impeded
thereby. Probably my next letter may be dated from a French prison.
BRUXELLES, June 21.
Judge, my friend, of my astonishment and that of almost everybody in this
city, at the news which was circulated here early on the morning of the
19th, and has been daily confirmed, viz., that the French Army had been
completely defeated and was in full flight, leaving behind it 220 pieces of
cannon and all its baggage, waggons and munitions de guerre. I have not
been able to collect all the particulars, but you will no doubt hear enough
of it, for I am sure it will be said or sung by all the partisans of
the British ministry and all the Tories of the United Kingdom for months
and years to come; for further details, therefore, I shall refer you to the
Gazette.
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