A VISIT TO THE FIELD OF BATTLE AT WATERLOO. To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine. SIR, YOUR last number contains a valuable paper, under the signature of T. F. "On the Price of a Victory."-With a view to enforce the sentiments of that pious and able writer, I send you a brief account of a visit to the spot where that awful price was paid. Accompanied by an intelligent friend, I reached Brussels on the 17th of July, and having spent the day in surveying some of the most remarkable objects in that dissipated city, we next morning proceeded to the field of battle. At the distance of a mile and a half from Brussels the road ascends a considerable eminence, which commands a fine view of the city and surrounding country. The fields were "white unto harvest," and exhibited a profusion of divine bounty. We soon after entered an immense beech-forest, called Le Forêt de Soigne. The road through it is a dreary vista, of more than seven miles in length, very roughly paved, and barely wide enough for two carriages to pass with safety. We soon became sensible of a very unpleasant effluvia, proceeding from the carcases of horses, which, being wounded in the battle, had taken shelter and died in the woods. In some places, also, the bark was eaten from the trees, to the height of seven or eight feet. On the other side of the forest, about twelve or thirteen miles from Brussels, is Waterloo, in itself an insignificant village, but now destined to celebrity in the page of history. The ground on which it stands is flat and low. Advancing a mile and a half on the same road, we came to a small place, resembling an English hamlet, called Mont Saint Jean; it stands on the northern boundary of the field of battle, and, by its name, the late action is designated in all the French accounts. About two hundred yards from Mont St. Jean, one hundred and thirty pieces of the cannon, captured from the French, were placed under a guard of the British Royal Artillery. One of these soldiers was our guide to the different parts of the field. From an adjoining eminence, the view resembles that of several large English common fields uninclosed, and separated from each other, only by some stout hedges that would appear to be boundaries of the respective parishes. The produce was, or rather had been, chiefly, rye and barley. From east to west the eye ranges through a distance of twelve or fourteen miles, and five or six from north to south. It was easy for any person who had carefully read the Duke of Wellington's dispatch, to see, at once, the positions which had been occupied by the contending armies.. That 66 of the British consists of a Sainte, from which the "light range of rising grounds, rather battalion of the legion," he says, than hills, while that of the were forced by the enemy, army opposed to them is con- because they had expended all siderably more elevated. The their ammunition." The Hawhole exhibited a scene of aw-noverians, posted here, appear ful devastation, at the view of to have paid some attention to which, feelings of humanity, pa- " man's great concern;" for, in triotism, and, I hope, of piety, the garden, and all around it, were too powerful for restraint, I perceived great numbers of and compelled me, more than small books of devotion, in the once, to turn away from my German language; while along companions. the French line, little, I am informed, was to be seen, but scattered packs of cards. I confess, I felt more pleasure in gathering up scraps of these devotional books, than in any other circumstance I met with on the field. La Haye Sainte exhibits a melancholy picture of devastation-its walls, perforated in every direction with balls-and its deep well choked up with the bodies of the dead. We first visited that part of the field which is designated by Lord Wellington, the position of his "left centre." On the ground which the British forces here occupied, the graves, or rather the tumuli, which ill conceal the bodies of our slaughtered countrymen, are very numerous. Those employed in the work of burial have ill executed the task; having merely dug around the bodies as they lay, and lightly thrown the earth over them. Part of the corpses, or of their garments, was, in many instances, visible. From the position of the left centre, we passed over a very extensive field, on which I could not see ten ears of corn, in any one place, that were not trodden On the descent of the hill down, and, in most instances, opposite to the left centre, is a trampled into the ground with strong hedge, at which the blood. Passing along the front French appear to have made of the British line, we apconsiderable resistance to the proached the farm, called by final charge of the British in- the British Commander Houfantry. Proofs of the carnage goumont. It is situate in which here took place, are "front of the position occupied distressing beyond description. by the British right centre, and The earth appears imbued to a near the road leading to Nigreat depth with human gore; velles." It appears, even to an while numberless caps, jackets, untaught eye, to have been a scabbards, belts, cartouch-post of the utmost importance boxes, &c. &c. strewed the to the contending armies. In widely-extended field. About position, and in strength, it is three furlongs in advance, on the right of the Charleroi road, is the farm-house, called by Lord Wellington, La Haye almost a fortress. The garden is enclosed by a very strong brick wall; the premises are covered on one side by a grove it was necessary, for I already felt considerable nausea from having incautiously approached a great pit, but slightly covered, which contains the sad remains of multitudes who fell on this memorable spot. of beech, and guarded on the other, by a pond, serving as a moat; and in the centre of the farm-yard is a large Roman Catholic chapel. The whole is so situate, that the enemy's cannon could be brought to bear only on the upper part of the From the farm of Hougouwalls and buildings; and it re-mont, it is, I apprehend, about ceived its greatest damage from a mile and a half to Bonatheir shells. This farm, and parte's Observatory, from which its vicinage, presents the most he directed the battle. This melancholy scene in the whole temporary erection, formed of field. "Here the French troops," says Lord Wellington, "began the contest by a most furious attack; and here, against large bodies of the enemy, our brave Guards maintained their post through the whole of the day." The trees at the entrance, (of what kind it was impossible to say, but as large as our fine elms), stand with their arms scattered in every direction, and their trunks burnt to charcoal. The chapel unroof, ed, and the whole of the walls black with fire. Beautiful fruittrees, with their burnt branches and scorched fruits pendant on the ruins, while a lower bough or two retain the still ripening fruit, to shew, what, in the morning of the day, the rest had been, and a long gardenwall, perforated by our men to admit the fire of the musketry, directed against the enemy. The grove of beech shews, probably, two thousand trees, every one of them in a wounded, mangled state; struck with shot of all sizes. We counted from forty to one hundred and thirty wounds in a single tree. I entered the orchard, unobserved by our guide, but he soon hastened to recall my steps; and rough beech, recently cut from I crimes. Divine wisdom may and will cause much good to arise out of the evil which he has committed: for this, my praise is due to God, but none is due to the mad ambition of this relentless man. On our return, we passed the position of Lord Wellington and his Staff, and then crossed the field to La Belle Alliance, a public house, where many relics of the battle are shewn to travellers. Every step of the path which reconducted us to Mont Saint Jean, as well as the neighbouring buildings and fields, wear dreadful marks of destructive ravage. Casting a last glance over the ensanguined field, I said, How widely different is the view, to those which have so often met my enraptured eye, on the banks of the Isis, the Avon, and the Ouse. Traversing the provinces of my native country, in almost every direction, a scene, in any degree resembling that of Waterloo, I have not once beheld. And why is a lot assigned me in that Heaven-protected land! "Blest Isle, confess thy God!" But, if a recollection of British fields, contrasted with those of Waterloo, excite my gratitude, the reverse of the contrast must excite commiseration. The armies of the foe, flying, had disclos'd The ghastly plain: I took a nearer view, tion of such a scene. Nor shall my heart be steeled to the re flection, that the great mass of the French soldiery entered the awful contest in a state border ing on intoxication; while our own countrymen were marched at dead of night, from scenes (there is too much reason to believe) of riot and debauchery, and fell by crowds the moment they entered the hostile field. "Thus frenzy dares eternal fate." An estimate of the woes which this awful contest has inflicted, may, perhaps, be best formed by a reference to that of individuals. I gathered up some French letters. In one of them I read: "Our dear son, you are marching to the field of battle; your departure has plunged both your parents in deep distress. Your leader is, at least, brave; and you must fight his battles. May God preserve you, for the sake of your aged father and mother; so we anxiously pray." In another, I read, "You, and you only, can enable me to support my earthly existence While you are absent, my only resource is tears." Almost every letter contained a long list of inquiring, anxious friends. The fate of each individual that fell, must have spread misery through a large circle. How great must be the scene! Are not these fond relatives at this moment reflecting, that the corpse of a son, a brother, or a husband, lies half covered with earth, while a hand or a foot, projecting from the hillock, Our Redeemer bitterly wept, invites a vulture or a dog to even in the distant contempla-prey on the putrid body. Is DR. WATTS. compassion prohibited from en- | Bravely such meet the deadly shot, Secure of life above the skies.' Amid the awful tumult of roaring cannon, the sigh was wafted with acceptance to heaven- "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." How forcibly does such a scene call on us to act for God! Of how much worth is religion to a soldier; and how greatly desirable is it, that we should, by aiding the Naval and Military Bible Society, and other similar institutions, become the means of increasing the number of "devout soldiers." How can we better alleviate the woes of man, or serve our country's cause? may, by this day's dreadful victory, be secured to the dominion of a Protestant sovereign, whose great care it shall be, to diffuse among them the invaluable blessings of that knowledge which leadeth to eternal salvation. With what vast events, in the present and in future ages, may the decision of one awful day be connected? How altered from that evening is the face of Europe! I follow with prayers the ambitious, the daring, the guilty leader of the Gallic bands.May God give him repentance, as he did to one who made the streets of Jerusalem to flow with blood! Liberty, to vex the earth with more calamities, may he never more obtain ! Whatever be my share of those privations, or those exertions, that are necessary to sustain the safety and prosperity of my native country, I feel more than ever ready to bear, not only without murmuring, but with gratitude to Him, who has thus far guided Britain through the storm, and who has still, I trust, mercy in store for this highly favoured land. In a future number, I may, perhaps, indulge myself in some reflections on the state of Society in the Netherlands, which, as I passed through Ostend, As I retired, I determined to Bruges, Ghent, and the neighsubscribe cheerfully to the wi- bouring towns, appeared to be dows and orphans of the Wa- such as must excite, in every beterloo sufferers, and more dili-nevolent and well-informed gently than ever to promote the mind, the most compassionate circulation of Bibles. wishes on their behalf. Again, I said, "By terrible things in righteousness," God may have answered our missionary prayers. These fine provinces of the Netherlands I am, Oxford, Aug. 9, 1815. |