bridge, and crossed with only half his men. The campaign opened, if not in disaster, at least with only partial success. CHAPTER XV LIGNY AND QUATRE BRAS[19] [Footnote 19: The most important works dealing with the military side of the Waterloo campaign are those of Mueffling, Berton, Gourgaud, Clausewitz, Siborne, Charras, Chesney, Hooper, Maurice, Mercer, Morris, Jomini, Ollech, Vaudoncourt, Ropes, and Houssaye. Further, there are controversial discussions of importance by Grouchy, Gerard, Heymes, Knoop, Loben-Sels, and Bornstedt. The most complete bibliography is, as usual, that of Kircheisen.] Napoleon's Orders -- Ney's Failure to Seize Quatre Bras -- Wellington Surprised -- Napoleon's Fine Strategy -- The Meeting at Ligny -- Bluecher's Defeat -- The Hostile Forces at Quatre Bras -- Wellington Withdraws -- Napoleon's Over-confidence -- His Instructions to Grouchy -- His Advance from Quatre Bras. For four hours after his arrival at Charleroi, Napoleon, uneasy as to the whereabouts of his detachments, stood in idleness waiting for news. During this interval the first Prussian corps under Ziethen, retreating from Charleroi, reached Fleurus unmolested, all except a small body, which gathered at Gosselies, on the Brussels road, but was easily dispersed by Reille. It seemed as if the road to Quatre Bras was open, and when, at half-past four, Ney appeared, he was put in command of the left, with verbal instructions, as Napoleon asserted some years later, to seize that strategic point. Within these limits he was to act independently. If Quatre Bras were surprised and held, the second move could be attempted: the seizure of Sombreffe. Since the highway between the two was the only line by which the allied armies could quickly unite, the possibility of attacking them separately would be assured even if the successive attacks should follow each other so closely as to be substantially one battle. Either Ney misunderstood, or Napoleon recorded what he intended to say, not what he actually said. Colonel Heymes, Ney's chief of staff, declared that the Emperor's final words were, "Go, and drive back the enemy"; the Emperor asserted that his orders to go and hold Quatre Bras were positive.