THE CAMPAIGN OF 1815. 171 



him sufficiently plain instructions what to do. Now he had with 

 himself his whole centi'e and left, with superb cavalry, enormous 

 force in artillery, and the very elite of his infantry, and he was not 

 personally aware, although some of his generals were, what the 

 British soldier can do. He knew however that the Duke of 

 Wellington's army was a very composite one, and he had good 

 grounds for knowing that at least a third of it could not be trusted. 

 When all these considerations are taken into account, it is not 

 wonderful that Napoleon was glad that before him lay Wellington 

 alone. 



On his return to his head-quarters he issued the necessary orders 

 for the battle of the next day, and, if his own statement is to be 

 believed, he sent a special order to Grouchy. This order Grouchy, 

 to his dying day, protested he never received. Many writers assert 

 that Napoleon never sent it ; but, on considering the orders known 

 to have been sent, and Napoleon's plan of operations, we cannot 

 believe but that it was sent. It was the very thing which Napoleon 

 would be likely to do — keep touch with his right. We also believe 

 that Grouchy did not receive it. 



Napoleon, having retired to rest, rose again at two o'clock, and 

 re-commenced his reconnoitering, which he kept up during the re- 

 mainder of the night. The rain continued, but cleared up about four or 

 five o'clock. If it had been possible, Napoleon would have attacked 

 then, or very soon after, but the ground was wet for artillery. It was 

 therefore necessary to wait. Moreover, Napoleon, as he allegeTi, ex- • 

 pected Grouchy to close up to him, such being the substance of the order 

 of the evening before, and a later one sent off about three in the morn- 

 ing. At ten in the morning, he sent an aide-de-camp to Grouchy, 

 with a third order to the same effect. On these two considerations, 

 he decided to postpone the attack on the British, and after sending- 

 off the aide-decamp to Grouchy at ten o'clock, he slept for an hour. 

 Then, waking at eleven, he gave the signal for attack, and at half- 

 past eleven the Battle of Waterloo began by the discharge of one 

 hundred and twenty guns. This cannonade lasted half an hour, and 

 these were the guns heard by Grouchy, and towards which Gerard 

 begged him to march. 



We have thus ascertained the position of Napoleon, Wellington, 

 and Grouchy. Whei-e was Bliicher at this time 1 



