SMOKING ON THE BATTLE-FIELD. 201 



Field-Marshal usually smoked when he was on horseback, 

 and when the troops were marching along or engaged in a 

 reconnoissance, and eye-witnesses record that many a Stumpy 

 was shot from his mouth by the balls of the enemy nothing 

 but a piece of the stem then remaining between his lips. 

 Bliicher's Pipe-master, at the time of the Liberation War, 

 was Christian Hennemann, a Mecklenburg and Rostock man, 

 like Bliicher himself, and most devotedly attached to the 

 Field-Marshal. He knew all the characteristic peculiarities 

 of the old hero, even the smallest, and no one could so skill- 

 fully adapt himself to them as he. His duties as Pipe- 

 master, Hennemann discharged with great fidelity ; yea, even 

 with genuine fanatical zeal. The contents of the pipe-chest 

 he thoroughly knew, for often he counted the pipes. Before 

 every fierce fight, Prince Bliicher usually ordered a long 

 pipe to be filled. After smoking for a short time, he gave 

 back the lighted pipe to Hennemann, placed himself right in 

 the saddle, drew his sabre, and with the vigorous cry, 



* Forward, my lads !' he threw himself into the fierce onset 

 on the foe. 



On the ever-memorable morning of the battle of Belle- 

 Alliance (Waterloo), Hennemann had just handed a pipe to 

 his master, when a cannon-ball struck the ground near, so 

 that earth and sand covered Bliicher and his gray horse. 

 The horse made a spring to one side, and the beautiful new 

 pipe was broken before the old hero had taken a single puff. 



* Fill another pipe for me,' said Bliicher ; < keep it lighted, 

 and wait for me here a moment, till I drive away the French 

 rascals. Forwards, lads !' Thereupon there was a rush for- 

 wards ; but the chase lasted not only ( a moment,' but a whole 

 hot day. At the Belle-Alliance Inn, which was demolished 

 by shot, the battle having at last been gained, the vic- 

 torious friends, Bliicher and Wellington, met and congratu- 

 lated each other on the grand and nobly achieved work, each 

 praising the bravery of the other's troops. 'Your fellows 

 slash in like the very devil himself!' cried Wellington. 

 Bliicher replied, ' Yes ; you see, that is their business. But 



