had its position between our square and the adjoining, and a French cannon was directed to blow it into the air. Major Schkopp observed this, and advised the Colonel to move his square about twelve feet to the right. He obeyed the advice at a happy moment, though, at the same time, the square was not freed from danger, which was only diminished, for we soon saw the disaster. The French cannon-ball soon struck into the powder wagon and blew about thirty men into the air, besides the damage done in the square of the battalions Calenberg and Osnabrack. The four horses hitched to the powder wagon, were likewise blown into the air. This tremendous explosion produced terror in our ranks. But now the French Cuirassiers tried to annoy us. They came in large bodies, by several thousands, surrounding the squares. When they came close, they endeavored, with their swords, to dislodge the bayonets from our muskets, and so to prepare themselves a way to enter into the squares, but this was fruitless. In advancing towards the squares, no shooting was done. They passed altogether around the squares, and when they had finished their inspections, they returned. In returning, they received on their backs a heavy musket fire, which made them fall down from their horses by fifties and hundreds. When the On the morning of the 19th of June, several thousand dead Cuirassiers lay before the squares. As the mud was deep, and the Cuirassiers wore long boots, the Colonel would say, "Only shoot the horses, for the Cuirassier will become a prisoner, he cannot run in this mud." This advice was not obeyed, for the soldiers aimed at the men. two lines, standing in the square had finished their firing, then the two lines, resting on their knees, discharged their muskets, and then our cavalry pursued the Cuirassiers with their swords. As their uniforms had a color similar to the French, (blue,) we could not sometimes properly discern between friends and enemies, and occasionally killed some of our own men. It was now about four o'clock, and the heat of the battle increased every minute. The squares had advanced so close that they could talk to each other without straining their voices. A French square, of about 2,000 men, having in each corner a cannon, (we had none in our squares,) was becoming quite bold. The Colonel made motions very frequently with his sword, that we should come, and go ahead. Colonel Lancerer said: "This is no war tactic, and therefore let six men step before the front and shoot him." The French Colonel had left his square, and was before the front of it. The rule is, that all staff officers and the music, is in the inside of the square. As six men were called for, to end the existence of the French Colonel, I was one of them. But in stepping before the front, I remembered that my musket did not discharge any more, and, in my honesty, I moved into my ranks again, while another soldier filled my place. The six killed the French Colonel, and received afterwards an extra medal, and a monthly compensation for life. Had not my honesty brought me back into ranks, I would have been at least twelve hundred dollars better off to-day. Soon after this transaction Colonel Lancerer was wounded in his left leg. He tied his handkerchief around the limb and surrendered his command to Major Schkopp, declaring that he would have his wound dressed and return again to his command. But alas! the Doctors were so far in the rear that he bled to death, and the next day was buried under a linden-tree, near Waterloo. During the afternoon he had several times received the applause of the Prince of Orange, who commanded the center, and who was once nearly made a prisoner by a French Cuirassier. His word was always, "Colonel, advance," and he advanced so far once himself, that a Cuirassier, supposing him to be an officer high in rank, and not willing to kill him, had taken hold of his cape. In a moment the Prince ripped the buttons open and left the Cuirassier with the cape, whilst he, himself, escaped. When Major Schkopp had received the command of our square, it was reduced to the number of 250. His first announcement was, "Comrades we will soon make an attack with bayonets," a hard and unreasonable expression. Had a bayonet attack been made when the square numbered 1,200, it might have answered, but with this handful of men it would have been detrimental. However, he was soon cured from his notion, for a square of brave Belgians, aside of us, took that labor away from us, and their Colonel commanded a bayonet attack! At this moment every musician played to his own notion, whilst the men sounded their Hurrahs! This is a wild motion, a bayonet attack. But, alas, the end was mournful. Whilst the square run, with their bayonets ahead, the French square discharged their two cannons in the front line, the infantry gave fire; this produced a breach or gap in the square, several men fell in front, the Cuirassiers entered into the square, and in fifteen minutes this beautiful square, composed of a Regiment of from 1800 to 2000, was no more. What shrieks and what lamentations! When our Major saw this, he no more talked of a bayonet attack; and by all appearance, the condition of the Belgians, who had thus been sacrificed, brought the French square opposite our own, out of the notion to attack us in that manner. It was now five o'clock, and Wellington's ranks were becoming very weak. The Prince of Orange was wounded in his left arm, Lieutenant General Von Alten in his right arm, and Brigadier General Kielmansegge had lost six horses; the seventh which he mounted was an old and stiff French cannonier horse. Everything indicated now that soon victory or defeat must come. The farm of La Haye Sainte, after three hours fight and defence by the Scotch regiments, was taken by the French. This farm house was in sight of us. I never saw a building so pierced through with cannon and rifle balls, as this farm house. Two English divisions were entirely destroyed. The English General Picton remained dead on the battle-field, and the French General Devaux. Disorder commenced now in the English army. The English cavalry was repulsed by the Cuirassiers and part of the guard, and left all that part of the field of battle between La Haye Sainte and Mount St. Jean. At this time the Prussians, who had early been seen in the neighborhood of St. Lambert, had appeared, and directed their field pieces towards La Belle Alliance, where the Emperor was with his guards. The Prussian General, Bulow had come with 30,000 men, but by means of the young and old guards, under Generals Duheme and Morand, they were repulsed. Defeat seemed to be near at hand. About 6 o'clock Wellington rode, with his whole staff, over the battle-field, and stopped a moment in the centre, in our neighborhood, where, it is said, he expressed these words: "I wish it was night, or the Prussians would come." He had not yet been informed of General Bulow's arrival, and as he saw that Napoleon's guards made their attack upon his columns, he dismounted from his horse and commanded the English troops in person. La Haye Sainte was retaken by Wellington's forces. After all, defeat and destruction seemed to approach at last, and Major Schkopp, commanding the square of the battalions Bremen and Verden, at once exclaimed, "I believe I am wounded," and off he rode, leaving the command to Captain Bothmer. But all at once the Prussian Aidde-camp of Marshal Blucher arrived, and communicated to Wellington that the Prussian army had arrived and was ready for battle. That was the agreement between Wellington and Blucher, that when Blucher's army arrived Wellington should retreat so as to make Napoleon believe that the allied powers considered everything to be lost. General Bulow renewed the attack upon the flank and rear of the French army, and Napoleon sent 3,000 Cuirassiers to hold them in check; but Bulow made a slow but steady advance. The heavy cavalry of the guard, 9,000 strong, commanded by General Guyot, behind Kellerman's Cuirassiers, followed them nearly in a gallop. This was the Emperor's reserve. These 12,000 horsemen overthrew a numerous cavalry, broke through many squares of infantry, took possession of sixty pieces of cannon, and siezed six stand of colors. But the French victory was of short duration. A brigade of English cavalry, at Ohaim, united with Blucher's army. Some French regiments now made a retrograde. Marshal Ney had commanded the French centre and the guards, but now Napoleon placed himself at the head of four battalions of the guards and advanced on the left, in front of La Haye Sainte, but they were not able to keep that position, as 2,000 English cavalry penetrated between General Reille and the guards. As soon as Blucher had taken possession of the battle-field, Wellington, as already said, made a sham retreat. We then thought, not knowing the nature of this retreat, that everything was lost. We retreated in an irregular manner, over hedges, ditches, over dead bodies, dead horses, cannons, broken wagons, in fact, over every obstacle, and that not very slow. The commander of our square, Captain Bothmer, had no horse. He was a little advanced in years, and one of his suspenders tore, so that in one hand he held his sword, and with the other he held his pantaloons, and as he could not run as fast as the soldiers, he would often cry, "" Comrades, take me along! Comrades, take me along!" But nobody listened to him. We retreated into the forest of Brussels, between three and four miles, and halted four miles from Brussels. There we ested for about fifteen minutes. We were now in that condition, in which, if the Saviour of mankind had appeared in our midst, he would have said, "Have compassion on the multitude, for they have been three days without meat." Here we found the reserve of our army who were provided with bread and meat. The heroes of Waterloo demanded from them to divide their provisions with them. The answer was, "We do not know what will befall us," but our answer was, “live or die," and we were ready now to fight for bread and meat. But when they saw that there was only one way, "to surrender," they divided their provisions amongst us, at least the half. The object of Wellington's retreat was reached. EDITORIAL SEED-THOUGHTS. "GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN, THAT NOTHING BE LOST." A WEDDING ABRUPTLY TERMINATED. consequences to the inexperienced who About 7 o'clock last evening, Sergeant are betrayed into it, as well as fraught Matthews, of the 1st precinct, was call- with sadness and sorrow to the families ed to the house of the Rev. E. M. John- whose sacred enclosure is thus invaded son, in Pearl street, to expel a man who by worse than high-way depredations. was making a disturbance there. On However much the thoughtless may be going in, the officer learned that a young amused with the flippant attempt at couple from New York had come there sport, which pervades such notices, no to get married, and the young lady's parent in his sober senses could pen father, being opposed to the proceedings such a notice, or sympathize with its chiefly from the fact that his daughter spirit. was only fifteen years of age, which he considered was entirely too young to enter upon the cares and responsibilities of married life, had followed the runaways, and, entering the house, forbid the minister performing the ceremony. Mr. Johnson, sympathizing with the young couple, refused to pay any attention to the father, and was going on with the ceremony, but the parent violently interrupted him. IMPROVING THE LORD'S PRAYER. It is rather a grave attempt to endeavor to improve this prayer. Such is its organism, its beautiful order, and its incomparable brevity and comprehensiveness, that he must take great pleasure in his own ability who imagines that he can add to it, change its language, or Mr. Johnson requested the officer to take from it for the better. Besides, it arrest the father; the latter enjoined the is the fruit of divine lips. How then, Metropolitan, in the name of the law, to shall man improve it? Yet, how seldom take his daughter in custody, she being do we hear it without our ears being under age and under parental control afflicted by some variations and improveuntil married. The officer, whatever his ments (?) as the person praying listeth. feelings of sympathy for the fair bride Instead of "Thy will be done in earth might have been, felt necessitated to as it is in Heaven;" we have this renobey her father's injunction, and she dering,-"Thy will be done on earth as was led away from the very altar, weep- it is DONE in Heaven." In place ofing like Niobe, and leaving one of the "Give us this day our daily bread," we most disconsolate of young men in a have this improved rendering, “Give us white waistcoat, to the consoling care of DAY BY DAY our daily bread." This we the venerable dominie, who has married generally hear in the evening, no doubt more couples in his time than any min- under the impression that it is necessary ister in Brooklyn; but he says that, in "to make sense," seeing that the day is all his experience, he never saw such a past. But when the matter is properly proceeding before.-[N. Y. Com. May 14. considered, it will be found that in the We have quoted the incident merely scripture view of the matter, the day for the purpose of calling the reader's actually begins, instead of ends, in the attention to the light and frivolous style evening. Not the morning and the evenand tone in which a great part of the ing, but "the evening and the morning public press is in the habit of speaking were the first day." If it were necesof such like occurences. If the item sary to make any change of the kind, it speaks truly, the parson, the policeman would, no doubt, have been noted by and the editor, alike sympathized with Him who has prefaced the prayer with that fool-hardy runaway spirit, of which the words, "After this manner, therefore the above is a specimen, which is grow- pray ye"-o "when ye pray, say." ing more and more common, and is gen- We claim not the right of changing any erally attended with such disastrous other portion of the Scripture when we use it; whence then comes the right or the necessity of changing this? Then, finally, instead of the closing words, "for ever," we often hear "for ever AND EVER. It is true, there is a slight verbal variation in the prayer as given by St. Matthew and St. Luke. These improvements, however, occur in neither, but belong wholly to the post-inspiration age, and are, therefore, of no authority whatever. The same is true of the unfortunate interpolation, coming no doubt from the Episcopal Liturgy: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us," which occurs in no version, but is manufactured out of the two verses following the prayer in St. Matthew's gospel. Changing our standard hymns and hymn tunes, so as to do violence to our sacred associations, as is now-a-days so common, is bad enough; but when the tinkering is to be carried into the Lord's Prayer, we feel like crying as out of full lung: PROCUL, O! PROCUL EST PROFANI -hence, O hence, ye profane! RURAL BEAUTY. COMMITTING TO MEMORY. youth should commit to memory hymns, will bring an abundant harvest of com- We have the testimony and example of many wise and good men to recommend the habit of thus early storing the memory with things useful to be knownTheodore de Beza, it is said, says the Boston Tract Journal, knew all the He brew Psalms by heart, having laid up that divine treasure to be resorted to in his travels when he was out of the reach dimness of sight might disable him from of books, and in his old age when the reading. The 91st Psalm was peculiarly precious to him. Eminent and deeply tried saints have often had particular portions of Scripture deeply imprinted What a beautiful world have we before on their minds, perhaps from a coincius at this charming season of the year! dence of the experience therein described, The grass fields have put on their deep- with their own. Luther used to say of est green. The grain fields begin to the 118th Psalm, "That is my own psalm. wave their hopeful heads. The flowers-it belongs to me in particular." Read have put on their richest colors, such as the robes of Solomon in all his royal glory could not display. Thousands of roses hang in modest beauty around each country home. The woods and mountains display their freshest foliage. Heaven has kissed the earth, and over all its happy face are spread the pure blushes of newly awakened joy and love. O be happy, cheerful, and grateful, ye whose eyes feed on such pleasant scenes! To the brutes God has not given the capacity of being moved by this loveliness. Yet birds and insects, to some extent seem to feel the genial power that works around them. But with them it is a more blind instinctive influence, the object of which they cannot intelligently comprehend. Man alone is the high-priest to represent before God the feelings of gratitude which such beauty is adapted to inspire. When he is dumb and silent, the beautiful earth has no voice to speak the praise of the great and good Creator. Then praise the Lord, O ye people; for He reneweth the face of the earth, and hath made all things beautiful in their season. it, and compare it with his eventful history, and you will see the reason of this appropriation. So Beza used to speak of the 91st Psalm. He had passed a life of great perils and changes, and lived to a grert age. When he was near his death, he said, "God has fulfilled to me every promise of that psalm but the last I will show him my salvation,'-and I am now waiting for the fulfilment of that." Happy old man! You must read over that psalm and ponder every promise, to know how good God had been to him, and what a blessed life he had spent here on earth, even amidst the deep humiliation and sharp trials of the beautiful period in which he lived. But all he had experienced already, was but the first fruits of the glorious harvest before him, and which was assured and held up to him in that last promise,-"I will show him my salvation." To the people of the world, the remembrance of past joys is embittered by the sad thought that they are gone, never more to return. So a great poet sings, |