The first written order[261] which Marshal Ney received on this morning of the 16th, was from Marshal Soult, who informed him that the Count of Valmy had been ordered to Gosselies with his corps of cavalry, and placed under his, Ney’s, orders; these troops were to replace the division of cavalry of the Guard under Lefebvre-Desnouettes.[262] Marshal Soult then inquired whether the 1st Corps had executed its movement, that is, had crossed the river, and had joined the 2d Corps at Gosselies, in pursuance of the orders[263] to the Count d’Erlon of the day before. He further desired that Ney would inform him as to the exact positions of the 1st and 2d Corps, and of the two divisions of cavalry, which were attached to them. We do not know what answer Marshal Ney returned to these interrogatories, but he told Reille,[264] in the course of the conversation to which we have before referred, shortly before seven o’clock in the morning, that he had rendered to the Emperor an account of his situation. This first order, therefore, must have arrived about 6 A.M.; and from its contents, and also from the hour when it was sent, as well as from the tenor of the orders to d’Erlon of the day before, we can see how carefully the operations of the left wing were watched at the headquarters of the army. Shortly after this conversation between Ney and Reille, the Marshal went back to Frasnes,[265] leaving word with Reille that, if any orders for the movement of troops should arrive in his absence, they were to be executed at once, and their contents communicated to the Count d’Erlon, who was at Jumet, or in rear of that place. About 9 o’clock, General Reille continues,[266] a report was received from General Girard, who commanded that division of the 2d Corps which had gone off to the right and joined the main army, to the effect that the Prussians were forming beyond Fleurus. This report Reille transmitted at once to the headquarters of the army at Charleroi; but he sent no word of it to Ney, at Frasnes, at that time. About an hour afterwards, that is, about 10 A.M.,[267] General Flahaut of the Emperor’s staff, passed through Gosselies, bringing with him an important letter[268] for Marshal Ney, written by the Emperor himself, the contents of which Flahaut communicated to Reille. Of this letter we shall speak at length in another connection. Suffice it to say here, that it treated of the occupation of Quatre Bras, the formal order for which, emanating from the chief-of-staff, it stated would arrive about the same time. This no doubt was the case.[269]