age and toil-worn frame, was, on the morning of the 18th, early on horseback amongst those he termed his children. By an order of the day his troops were thus addressed, “I shall immediately lead you once more against the enemy; we shall beat him, because it is our duty to do so.” [Illustration: (Field-Marshal Blücher)] The difficulties encountered by the Prussians on their march from Wavre, by St.-Lambert, to the field of Waterloo, would have put the endurance of any troops to the test. From the heavy rains, the roads were ancle deep, and the defiles of St.-Lambert turned into a regular swamp, almost impassable for men and horses; still worse for the guns and tumbrels of ammunition. These were very numerous and far from being well horsed, sinking at intervals up to the axle-trees. The horses floundering caused a stoppage, and the most robust soldiers in endeavouring to extricate the guns and ammunition waggons would drop down, overcome by the fatigue of their exertions, and declare “they could not get on.”—“But we _must_ get on,” replied their veteran commander, who seemed to multiply himself, and might be seen at different points along the line of march, exciting his men to exertion by words of encouragement: “I have promised Wellington to be up,” said Blücher “and up we _must_ get. Surely you will not make me forfeit my word. Exert yourselves a little more, and victory is certain.” The duke of Wellington was in constant communication throughout the day with the Prussians, by means of general Müffling, who was attached to our head-quarters’ staff, and by colonel Freemantle, aide-de-camp, colonel Stavely, and captain (now lieutenant-colonel) Basil Jackson of the Royal staff corps, and on the Duke’s staff. The four corps of Blücher’s army had been concentrated at and near Wavre on the evening of the 17th. The guns of the three corps which had fought at Ligny were refitted, and, as well as the troops, supplied with a fresh provision of ammunition.