MISCELLANIES. 
where else, that the affair was to 
be decided. A conflict continu- 
ally supported by the same obsti- 
nacy, and kept up by fresh troops, 
could alone insure the victory, 
and if it were obtained here, any 
reverse sustained near Wavre was 
of little consequence. The co~ 
lumns, therefore, continued their 
movements. It was half an hour 
past seven, and the issue of the 
battle was still uncertain. The’ 
whole of the 4th corps and a part 
of the second under Gen. Pvich, 
had successively come up. The 
troops fought with desperate fury : 
however, some uncertainty was 
perceived in their movements and 
it was observed that some pieces 
of cannon were retreating. At 
this moment the first columns of 
the corps of Gen. Ziethen arrived 
on the points of attack, near the 
village of Smouhen, on the ene- 
my’s right flank, and instantly 
chargedthem. This moment de- 
cided the defeatof theenemy. His 
right wing was broken in three 
places; he abandoned his posi- 
tions. Ourtroops rushed forward 
at the pas de charge, and attacked 
him on all sides, whilst at the 
same time the whole English line 
advanced. 
Circumstances were extreme- 
ly favourable to the attack form- 
ed by the Prussian army: the 
ground rose in an amphitheatre, 
so that our artillery could freely 
open its fire from the summit 
of a great many heights which 
rose gradually above each other, 
and in the intervals of which 
the troops descended into the 
plain, formed iiito brigades, and 
in the gfeatest order; while 
fresh corps continually unfold- 
ed themsélves, issuing from 
; 
553 
the forest on the height behind 
us, The enemy, however, still 
preserved means to retreat, till 
the village of Planchenois, which 
he had on his rear, and which was 
defended by the guard, was, after 
several bloody attacks, catried by 
storm. From that time the re- 
treat became a rout, which soon 
spread through the whole French 
army, which in its dreadful con= 
fusion, hurrying away every thing 
that attempted to stop it, soon as- 
sumed the appearance of the fight 
of an army of barbarians. It was 
half-past nine. The Field Marshal 
assembled all the superior officers, 
and gave orders to send the last 
man and the last horse in pursuit 
of the enemy. The van of the 
army aecelerated its march. The 
French being pursued without in- 
termission, was absolutely disor- 
ganised. The causeway presented 
the appearance of an immense 
shipwreck: it was covered with 
an innumerable quantity of can- 
non, caissons, carriages, baggage, 
arms and wrecks of every kind. 
Those of the enemy who had at- 
tempted to repose for a time, and 
had not expected to be so quickly 
pursued, were driven from more 
than nine bivouacs. In some vil- 
lages they attempted to maintain 
themselves; but as soon as they 
heard the beating of our drums 
or the sound of the trumpet, they 
either fled orthrew themselves into 
the houses, where they were cut 
down or made prisoners. ° It was 
moonlight which greatly favoured 
the pursuit, for the whole march 
was but a continued chase, either 
in the corn-fields or the houses. 
At Genappe the enemy had en- 
trenched himself with cannon and 
overturned carriages ; at our ap- 
