162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



Napoleon judged correctly enough that the dispersed Anglo-allied 

 forces could not be collected in time for serious resistance to his own 

 forces properly handled, but Ney's want of perception of the necessity 

 for a strenuous advance lost the emperor the advantages which 

 should have been gained on the left. 



Ney on the left and Napoleon on the right were simultaneously 

 engaged from about two o'clock. Napoleon defeated Bliicher. 

 What then did Ney effect 'I All that can be said is that he pre- 

 vented Wellington from joining Bliicher. This was no small achieve- 

 ment. Wellington, after arriving at Quatre Bras at half-past eleven, 

 rode over to Bliicher and promised him that by three or so in the 

 afternoon the English army would join the Prussians. A vain pro- 

 mise never kept. The Duke found Ney in his road and the way was 

 barred. Could Ney have done more than he did? It has been 

 shewn that he could, had he acted on his oi'ders more promptly. 

 But it has been shewn further that the Marshal's whole force 

 engaged was never more than 22,000 men, and that he made no use 

 of D'Erlon's Corps of 20,000 men. 



This episode is the most inscrutable in the whole campaign. The 

 absence of these twenty thousand men alone prevented Ney from 

 inflicting a decisive defeat upon Wellington at Quatre Bras. Siborne, 

 who is the Duke's most uncompi^omising admirei', explicitly admits 

 this fact. How did it happen 1 



It seems impossible to give a satisfactoiy answer. But the facts 

 seem to be as follows : When Ney got his orders from Napoleon at 

 half-past ten o'clock in the morning to advance, D'Erlon was at 

 Jumet. (See map.) He was ordered by Ney, as part of the general 

 movement, to advance as far as Frasne, detaching one division to 

 Marbais. At twelve o'clock he commenced his march. Hearing 

 the action going on in front, he left his column and I'ode on in 

 advance to Frasne. He drew rein there, and while conversing with 

 some of the superior officers was joined by General Labedoy^re, who 

 had come from Napoleon. That general showed D'Erlon a pencil 

 note which he was taking to Ney, and which ordered the Marshal to 

 detach D'Erlon's Corps towards Ligny. He added that he (Labe- 

 doydre) had already given the order for the change of direction of 

 D'Erlon's column, and pointed out to D'Ei'lon himself the dii-ection 

 in which to go to join it. 



