89. GENERAL HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS

W. F. H., HEREDITARY PRINCE OF ORANGE, G.C.B. His Royal Highness was appointed a Colonel in the British army the 17th of October, 1811; Major-General, the 18th of December, 1813; Lieutenant-General and General in 1814. He served from 1811 as extra Aid-de-Camp to the Duke of Wellington, in the war in the peninsula, until his promotion to the rank of Major-General, and was frequently most honorably mentioned in his Lordship's dispatches.

He was present at the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos; and at the battles of Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, and Nivelle, and has the honor of wearing a cross and two clasps for his services on those occasions.

In the Duke of Wellington's dispatch after the battle of Salamanca, (vol. i. p. 216.) he observes, "I particularly request your Lordship to draw the attention of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent to His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange, whose conduct in the field as well as upon every other occasion entitles him to my highest commendation, and has acquired for him the respect and regard of the whole army." In his Grace's account of the battle of Vittoria he remarks; "Colonel, His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange, was in the field as my Aid-de-Camp, and conducted himself with bis usual gallantry and intelligence." (vol. i. p. 223.)

. And in the Duke's account of the battles of the Pyrenees he concludes by stating, "I transmit this dispatch to your Lordship by His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Orange, who is perfectly well acquainted with all that has passed, and with the situation of the army; and will be able to inform your Lordship of many details relating to this series of operations, for which a dispatch does not afford scope. His Highness had horse shot under him in the battle near Saraucen on the 28th of July." (vol. i. p. 233.)

At the battle of Waterloo, as well as on the days preceding it, the Prince of Orange commanded the Dutch troops, and continued actively engaged on the field until he received a severe wound in the right shoulder.

The following are His Royal Highness's details of that splendid victory :

"Head Quarters, Nivelles, 17th June, 1815.

"(Two o'clock in the Morning).

"Early on the 15th the Prussian corps was attacked in its position, which it abandoned, and retreated from Charleroy, by Gosselies, to the environs of Fleurus. On being apprised of this attack, I issued the necessary instructions to the troops under my command. The result of what occurred in the Prussian army was, that the battalion of Orange Nassau, which with a battery of light artillery occupied the village of Frasne, were attacked at five in the evening of the 15th: these troops maintained themselves in their position, on the heights of the village, and at a short distance from the road, called QuatreBras. The skirmish finished at this point at eight.

"On hearing of this attack, I ordered the 3rd division, and two English divisions, to march upon Nivelles; and the 2nd to maintain the position of Quatre-Bras. Only a part of the latter was able to move immediately thither, in consequence of the brigade under Major-General Byd not being able to quit Nivelles before the arrival of other troops there. The firing of the tirailleurs began at five yesterday morning, and was kept up on both sides until mid-day, without any result. At two the attack was much severer, especially on the part of the cavalry and artillery,

"The brigade of light cavalry, under Major-General Van Merlen, could not come up before four, previous to which I had no cavalry to oppose to the enemy. Perceiving the great importance of keeping the position on the heights of the road called Quatre-Bras, I was fortunate in maintaining them against an enemy who, in every respect, was superior to me in numerical strength.

"The Duke of Wellington, having been attacked by the two corps d'armée commanded by Generals D'Erlon and Reille, and having succeeded in checking them, had time to assemble a force sufficient to defeat the projects of the enemy. The issue of this attack is, that, after an obstinate affair, which lasted till nine in the evening, we not only checked, but even repulsed the enemy.

R. M. Cal.

II.

F

"The Prussian corps, which was likewise attacked yesterday, maintained its principal position; and there is not a doubt, but that Buonaparte, with very considerable forces, directed an attack upon the whole line.

"Our troops bivouacked on the field of battle, whither I inteud immediately to proceed, in the expectation that Buonaparte will attempt to-day to execute his project of yesterday. The Duke of Wellington has concentrated at this point as many troops as he could collect.

"I receive great satisfaction in acquainting your Majesty, that your troops, the infantry and artillery in particular, fought with great courage. Circumstances having prevented my receiving reports from the different corps of their loss, I am not able to acquaint you with it; but I shall have the honor of doing so, as early as possible.

(Signed)

“ WILLIAM, "Prince of Orange.”

"Brussels, 22nd June, 1815.

"After the engagement of the 16th, of which I had the honor of sending to your Majesty an account on the 17th at two in the morning, from the head-quarters at Nivelles, the Duke of Wellington, preserving his line with the Prussian corps, made a movement, the result of which was, that the army found itself in position upon the heights opposite Waterloo, where it bivouacked. The enemy's cavalry, which followed the movements of the army, was in different attacks repulsed by the British with loss.

"At break of day on the 18th, we discovered the enemy in our front, and at two o'clock he showed a disposition to attack. Buonaparte's army consisted of the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth corps, the Imperial Guards, nearly the whole of his cavalry, and a train of artillery, including several hundred pieces of cannon. At eleven the French unmasked a small battery, under cover of the fire of which his tirailleurs advanced against our right wing, and immediately after, his attack was directed against a farm, surrounded with copse-wood, situated a short distance in front of this wing, and on the left of the road leading

to Nivelles. The French made the most furious, but fruitless attempts to obtain possession of this farm. The cannonade at noon was tremendous; and before half-past twelve, the battle extended along the whole line. The enemy repeatedly attacked both our wings; but their principal object being to pierce the right of our centre, they directed all their means to effect it. Some columns of their cavalry boldy advanced against us ; but, notwithstanding the violence with which they renewed their attacks, from three in the afternoon until the close of the battle, they never succeeded in making our line give way. The enemy was constantly repulsed by the fire of the squares, and the cavalry charges. It is not possible to paint to your Majesty the fury with which they fought, especially during the last six hours.

"I was unfortunate in not being present at the termination of this grand and important battle, having received, half an hour before the defeat of the French, a ball through my left shoulder, which obliged me to leave the field of battle.

"I have the greatest pleasure in being able to acquaint your' Majesty, that your troops fought with the greatest courage. In the cavalry charges the Brigade of Carbineers attracted particular attention. The division of Lieutenant-General Chassé was not engaged until late; and, as I was not able to leave the centre, I had placed it, for the day, under LieutenantGeneral Lord Hill, commanding the 2d corps of the army. I have understood that this division also conducted itself in a distinguished manner, and that Lieutenant-General Chassé, as also the two commanders of Brigades, very satisfactorily acquitted themselves of their duty.

"At this moment I cannot furnish your Majesty with a detail of the loss we have sustained; but, with great regret, have to state it is considerable. The Generals of division have requested me to make mention of those who have particularly distinguished themselves; and I feel it a duty to name those of whose conduct I was an eye-witness, viz. the Lieutenant-Generals Collart and De Perponcher; the first is wounded: the brave and experienced Major-General Van Merlen, who died of his wounds upon the field of battle: I seize this occasion of recom

mending his widow and children to your Majesty's consideration. Major-General Tripp distinguished himself equally by his intelligence and gallantry. Major-General Chigny: the Commanders of the three regiments of Carbineers: LieutenantColonel Coenegracht, who died of his wounds: Colonel De Bruyn; and Lieutenant-Colonel Lechleitner. LieutenantColonel Weslenberg, commanding the battalion of militia, No. 5, who is an intelligent officer, conducted his battalion very skilfully, and distinguished himself on the 16th. Major Hegman, of the 3d battalion of Nassau, wounded; Majors Merex and De Brias, of the Carbineers, No. 2, the last wounded; Major De la Sarrez, of the artillery; Major-General Constans Rebeque, Quarter-Master-General, performed his duty with great credit, and rendered important services. I have also to bear testimony of my satisfaction of the conduct of my AdjutantMajor, Van Limberg Stirum, wounded on the 16th; and on the 18th, Lieutenant De Caylar, and Major Ampt, had each a borse shot under them; and Lieutenant-Colonel Cruquenburg, two. I have directed my Adjutant, Van Hooft, to transmit this report to your Majesty, and I beg permission to recommend him to your consideration.

(Signed) "WILLIAM,
"Prince of Orange.

"Dutch Loss.-Officers killed or missing, 27; wounded, 115; rank and file, killed or missing, 2058; wounded, 1986; total, 4136. Horses killed, 1630."

DUTCH ORDER OF THE DAY.

"Brussels, 27th June, 1815. "The King, instructed by my reports of the glorious victories to which you contributed with so much bravery and fidelity, has charged me with the commission, equally agreeable and flattering to my heart, of testifying to you, my fellow-citizens, his entire satisfaction with your conduct in the different actions that have taken place. I cannot afford you, brave warriors of the Netherlands, a stronger proof of the approbation of our beloved and august Sovereign, than by making you acquainted with the tenor of the letter His Majesty addressed to me.