It was naturally to be expected that NAPOLEON, from the moment he reascended the throne of his former glory, would devote the utmost energies of his all-directing mind to the full development of whatever military means France, notwithstanding her recent reverses, yet retained; but the rapidity and the order with which so regular and so well organised a force as that which was now concentrating on the French side of the Sambre, had been collected and put in motion, were truly wonderful. The speedy and almost sudden reappearance of the old Army in all its grandeur, with its Corps and Divisions headed by men, who, by a series of daring and successful exploits, had proved their just titles to command, and endeared themselves to the old campaigners, was such that it seemed as if the French had realised the fable of the dragon's teeth, which it might be said they had sown as they crossed their frontiers in the previous year, when retreating upon the capital before the victorious Allies. Never did any Army contain within itself so much of that necessary essence in the composition of a military force,--unbounded enthusiasm, combined with the purest devotion to its leader. The oft-told tale of the veteran of so many a hard-fought field, indulging in the hope of aiding by his exertions, at any sacrifice, in again carrying the Eagles to the scenes of their former triumphs, excited the ardour of many a youthful aspirant to share with him the glory of wiping out the stain which had dimmed the lustre of his country's fame, and darkened a most eventful page in her annals. * * * * * Such being the nature of the elements ready to rush into collision, it was easy to foresee that the shock which that collision would produce, would be both violent and terrible; but no one could have anticipated that within the short space of four days from the commencement of hostilities, the die would be irrevocably cast, annihilating for ever the imperial sway of NAPOLEON, and securing to Europe one of the longest periods of peace recorded in her history. [Illustration] CHAPTER III. By the middle of June, the Anglo-Allied Army which had been gradually assembling in Belgium, under the command of the Duke of WELLINGTON, amounted to about 106,000 men, and was composed in the following manner:-- INFANTRY. British 23,543 King's German Legion 3,301 Hanoverian 22,788 Brunswick 5,376 Nassau (1st Regiment) 2,880 Dutch and Belgian 24,174 ------ 82,062 CAVALRY. British 5,913 King's German Legion 2,560 Hanoverian 1,682 Brunswick 922 Dutch and Belgian 3,405 ------ 14,482 ARTILLERY.