Napoleon left Paris on the morning of the 12th of June, and joined his army, which had been concentrated near the frontiers of Belgium, on the 13th. The returns on the evening of the 14th, gave 122,400 men under arms, and at day-break on the 15th his army crossed the frontier. Various conflicts ensued between different portions of his forces, directed to different points, and those of the allies, who, under Wellington, were in occupation of Brussels. At length, the morning of the 18th dawned upon the battle field of Waterloo, and its evening witnessed the annihilation of the French army, and flight of Napoleon. On the 17th of July, the victorious allies, headed by Wellington, a second time entered Paris; and on the following day, Louis XVIII. made his public entry into that gay capital, escorted by the national guard. On the 29th of June, Napoleon had left Malmaison (the home of his lost Josephine) for Rochefort, arriving at that harbor on the 3d of July, from whence he was anxious to embark for America. But the blockade of English cruisers was so vigilant that there was no possible chance of avoiding them. [Illustration: NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE] Under these circumstances, he at length adopted the resolution of throwing himself upon the generosity of the British government; and on the 14th of July embarked on board the “Bellerophon,” which set sail immediately for England,--and Napoleon looked for the last time upon the receding shores of that land which had been the home of his greatness. CHAPTER II. Origin of the War in the Peninsula--Siege of Saragossa--Murderous Character of the War--Success of the French in Portugal--Battle of Rolica--Battle of Vimiero--Convention of Cintra--The French evacuate Portugal--Preparations of Napoleon for another Campaign--He subdues the Country, and enters Madrid--Address to the Spanish People--Napoleon recalled by the War with Austria--Soult and Ney intrusted with the Command of the French Army in Spain--Retreat of Sir John Moore--Battle of Corunna--Death of Sir John Moore--The British Army sail for England. Before entering into a particular account of the battles in which I was myself an actor, it might not be uninteresting to my readers to take a hasty survey of the war which was now raging in the Peninsula, and the causes which led to British intervention. In doing this, I can, of course, in so small a work, only allude to its principal events, and relate some anecdotes, interesting, as well from their authenticity, as from the patriotism of which they were such bright examples.