Napoleon at St. Helena (Volume 2) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: [NOTE] THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO (Vol. i. p. 334, and Vol. ii. p. 26) The following letter from the Rev. G. de Grouchy appeared in one of the London journals as the last sheets of this work were passing through the press, and appears to be of sufficient interest and importance to be subjoined to O'Meara's record: ? 75? the Editor of the ' Standard: Sir?In your article of the 3oth you say that ' Grouchy has been accused of want of energy in not vigorously marching to strike the Prussians, whom he discovered to be moving on Napoleon's right flank.' It was not want of energy, but want of time, that absolutely prevented his doing that which Napoleon most imprudently ordered him to do. I received the following information from Marshal de Grouchy's own mouth: ? Napoleon summoned him at one o'clock A.m. on the i8th, and requested him to advance against the Prussians under Blucher, whom he believed to be in the neighbourhood of Wavre, some twelve or fifteen miles distant. Grouchy prayed the Emperor not to send him, at such a time, on so uncertain an errand, with thirty-one thousand men whom he commanded. The only reply he got was, ' Grouchy, am I commander or not ?' The distance was too great, in the swampy state of the country, for him to meet the Prussians till late in the day. He sent several messages during that day to Napoleon, one at nine o'clock, another at eleven. Of these Napoleon took no notice.At one o'clock P.m. he sent word that there seemed to be a general cannonade; but the instructions he then received were too late, and could not be carried into effect. I write this from memory; but further and more precise details can be obtained from the Historical Fragments, relative to the Battle of Waterloo, by Grouchy himself, which are in my possession.?I am, Sir, y...