“At half after eight o’clock, the four battalions of the middle guard, who had been sent to the ridge on the other side of Mont-St.-Jean, in order to support the cuirassiers, being greatly annoyed by the grape-shot, endeavoured to carry the batteries with the bayonet. At the end of the day, a charge directed against their flank, by several English squadrons, put them in disorder. The fugitives recrossed the ravine. Several regiments, near at hand, seeing some troops belonging to the guard in confusion, believed it was the old guard, and in consequence were thrown into disorder. Cries of ‘All is lost, the guard is driven back!’ were heard on every side. The soldiers pretend even that on many points ill-disposed persons cried out, ‘_Sauve qui peut!_’ However this may be, a complete panic at once spread itself throughout the whole field of battle, and they threw themselves in the greatest disorder on the line of communication: soldiers, cannoneers, caissons, all pressed to this point; the old guard, which was in reserve, was infected, and was itself hurried along. “In an instant, the whole army was nothing but a mass of confusion; all the soldiers, of all arms, were mixed pell-mell, and it was utterly impossible to rally a single corps. The enemy, who perceived this astonishing confusion, immediately attacked with their cavalry, and increased the disorder, and such was the confusion, owing to night coming on, that it was impossible to rally the troops, and point out to them their error. Thus a battle terminated, a day of false manœuvres rectified, the greatest success ensured for the next day: all was lost by a moment of panic terror. Even the squadrons of _service_, drawn up by the side of the Emperor, were overthrown and disorganized by these tumultuous waves, and there was then nothing else to be done but to follow the torrent. The parks of reserve, the baggage which had not repassed the Sambre, in short everything that was on the field of battle, remained in the power of the enemy. It was impossible to wait for the troops on our right; every one knows what the bravest army in the world is when thus mixed and thrown into confusion, and when its organization no longer exists. “The Emperor crossed the Sambre at Charleroi, at five o’clock in the morning of the 19th. Philippeville and Avesnes have been given as the points of reunion. Prince Jérôme, general Morand, and other generals have there already rallied a part of the army. Marshal Grouchy, with the corps on the right, is moving on the lower Sambre.