The allied army proceeded on the 19th to Nivelles, (a most wonderful military exploit after such a desperate battle,) where it was joined by the detached force under prince Frederick and general sir Charles Colville. His Grace overtook us on the 21st, on which day we entered France. On the day previous to the allied army entering the country, the Duke issued the following GENERAL ORDER. “NIVELLES, June 20th, 1815. “1. As the army is about to enter the French territory, the troops of the nations which are at present under the command of field-marshal the duke of Wellington, are desired to recollect that their respective sovereigns are the allies of his Majesty the king of France, and that France ought, therefore, to be treated as a friendly country. It is therefore required that nothing should be taken either by officers or soldiers, for which payment be not made.... “2. The Field-Marshal takes this opportunity of returning to the army his thanks for their conduct in the glorious action fought on the 18th inst., and he will not fail to report his sense of their conduct, in the terms which it deserves, to their several sovereigns. “WELLINGTON.” The Duke’s head-quarters on the 21st were at Malplaquet, the scene of one of the great Marlborough’s victories, in 1709. He immediately issued a proclamation to the French people, which exemplifies the wisdom, firmness and moderation that ever marked the career of our illustrious commander. He worthily represented a brave, victorious, but humane people, the inhabitants of the British empire. PROCLAMATION. “Be it known to the French people, that I enter their country at the head of a victorious army, not as an enemy, (excepting to the usurper, the declared enemy of the human race, with whom we can have neither peace nor truce,) but to assist them to throw off the iron yoke by which thy have been borne down. “For this purpose I have issued the accompanying orders to my army; let all who shall infringe those orders be reported to me. “The French people, however, must be aware that I have a right to require them so to conduct themselves, that I may be warranted in protecting them from all aggression. “They will therefore provide whatever shall be demanded of them by persons duly authorized, receiving in exchange receipts in proper form and order: they will remain peaceably in their dwellings, and will hold no correspondence nor communication with the usurper or his adherents. “All persons abandoning their homes after our entry into France, or absenting themselves in order to serve the usurper, shall be looked upon as his partisans and our enemies; and their property shall be confiscated and applied to the maintenance of the troops[79].