Waterloo Days: The narrative of an Englishwoman resident at Brussels in June 1815Eaton, Charlotte A. (Charlotte Anne)
History
Waterloo Days: The narrative of an Englishwoman resident at Brussels in June 1815
Eaton, Charlotte A. (Charlotte Anne)
Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815
scene of panic and confusion which it presented on Saturday evening
surpassed all conception. The certainty of the defeat of the Prussians;
of their retreat; and of the retreat of the British army, prepared the
people to expect the worst. Aggravated reports of disaster and dismay
continually succeeded to each other: the despair and lamentations of
the Belgians, the anxiety of the English to learn the fate of their
friends who had been in the battle the preceding day; the dreadful
spectacle of the waggon loads of wounded coming in, and the terrified
fugitives flying out in momentary expectation of the arrival of
the French:--the streets, the roads, the canals covered with boats,
carriages, waggons, horses, and crowds of unfortunate people, flying
from this scene of horror and danger, formed altogether a combination
of tumult, terror, and misery which cannot be described. Numbers, even
of ladies, unable to procure any means of conveyance, set off on foot,
and walked in the dark, beneath the pelting storm, to Malines; and the
distress of the crowds who now filled Antwerp, it is utterly impossible
to conceive. We were, however, soon inexpressibly relieved, by hearing
that there had been no engagement of any consequence the preceding day;
that the British army had fallen back seven miles in order to take up
a position more favourable for the cavalry, and for communication with
the Prussians; that they were now about nine miles from Brussels; and
that a general and, most probably, decisive action would inevitably
take place to-day.
Although it continued to rain, we set out, for to sit still in the
house was impossible, and after passing through several streets, we
went into the cathedral, where high mass was performing, and
"Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault
The pealing anthem swell'd the note of praise."
For a while its solemn harmony seemed to calm the fever of my mind; it
elevated my thoughts to that God, in whose unerring wisdom and divine
mercy I could alone at this awful moment put my trust, and to Him
"who is the only giver of victory," and at whose command empires rise
and fall, flourish and decay; to Him who alone has power to save and
to destroy, I breathed a silent prayer to bless the British arms, to
shield my brave and heroic countrymen in the hour of danger, and give
to them the success and glory of the battle. Intelligence arrived that
the action had commenced. We were told that the French had attacked the
British this morning at daybreak: the contending armies were actually
engaged, and the last, the dreadful battle was at this very moment
deciding.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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