“WELLINGTON.” Writing to sir Henry Hardinge, two days afterwards, the Duke observes that: “The Saxon troops, it is very obvious, will be of no use to anybody during the war; and our object must be to prevent them from doing mischief.... I do not think fourteen thousand men will have much weight in deciding the fate of the war. But the most fatal of all measures will be to have fourteen thousand men in the field who cannot be trusted; and who will require nearly as many more good troops to observe them.” These Saxon mutineers were, at the suggestion of the Duke, immediately sent off as prisoners, through Holland and Hanover, into Prussia, by the orders of marshal Blücher. But for this foresight and determined maintenance of military discipline, much greater mischief would have ensued amongst certain contingents of the allied troops, who, as it was, by their doubtful attachment to the cause in which they were enlisted and unsoldierlike behaviour in the field, provoked many a hearty curse on the day of Waterloo. [Illustration: (end of chapter; decorative separator)] FOOTNOTES: [81] Lieutenant-colonel the Hon. sir Alexander Gordon was sent, escorted by captain John Grey’s troop of the 10th hussars, to ascertain the real line of retreat of the Prussians, and to communicate with their head-quarters, as to cooperation with the British army, which was ordered to retire to the position in front of Waterloo. [82] Most writers on Waterloo, particularly those from St.-Helena, appear totally ignorant of the existence of this road. [83] _Art of War_, page 598. CHAPTER XI. Napoleon’s plans of campaign.—His letter to Ney, and proclamation to the Belgians.—His sanguine expectations, and utter disappointment.—Opinions of French authors on the circumstance of Napoleon’s not reaching Brussels.—Their inconsistencies.—Desire of Napoleon to make his marshals responsible for errors he committed.—Opinion of M. de Vaulabelle.—Napoleon’s charges against Grouchy; impossibility of the latter’s preventing a portion of the Prussians reaching the field of Waterloo.—The Emperor’s charges against Ney refuted.—Admirable conduct of Ney during the campaign.—Mode of history-writing at St.-Helena.—The battle not fought against the French nation.—Napoleon’s character.—Motley composition and equivocal loyalty of part of the allied army.—Refutation of the charge that the Duke was taken by surprise; credulity of some English writers on this subject.—His Grace’s admirable precaution.—Foreign statements, that the Prussians saved us, examined.—The tardy cooperation of the Prussians produced, not the defeat, but the total rout of the French.—Conversation of Napoleon at St.-Helena.—Gourgaud’s account.—Opinions of the Duke and lord Hill.—Ney’s testimony in the Chamber of Peers.