GROUCHY AFTER WATERLOO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4591, 7 December 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

GROUCHY AFTER WATERLOO.

On the 29th June, Grouchy, finding that Davoust and Fou’chu were determined to bring about a second restoration of the Bourbons, resigned the command of the army, and awaited at = Paris the issue of events. In a few days the Marshal, seeing that peace was at hand, withdrew to his estates. There, learning that his name was included in the proscription list of the 24th July, he concealed himself for several weeks in an isolated hut. At length, fearing discovery, he determined to quit Prance, and after several adventures reached Guernsey. Not feeling safe even there, he embarked for the United States, where he spent nearly five years. Being of an ardent, restless disposition, and accustomed during the preceding twenty-four years of his life to an active career, he did not, as may be supposed, bear his exile with patience. Indeed, he suffered the whole time from home sickness, separation from his family, and indignation at the exceptionally severe treatment of which he was the victim. He admitted the Americana were kind to him, and he does not seem to have been distressed for money, still he was miserable. During his exile he occupied himself with refuting the errors of General Gourgaud’s “Memoires de Ste. Hdlene,” and plunged into a controversy with General Gerard about the campaign of 1815. He also published an answer to a work on the latter, and a newspaper article on the same subject. The Marshal’s reply to Gourgaud’s accusations and insinuations was published in the form of a pamphlet, and it is of value to the historian, seeing that the charges of Gourgaud were, in reality, those of Napoleon himself. At the same time, it must be remembered that the Marshal penned the reply at a distance from most of thosewhose testimony might have been of use to him, and when unable to refer to cither official documents or private memoranda. The result was at least one error of importance, which his adversaries did not fail to pounce upon in proving that his whole statement was untrustworthy. Grouchy urges that on the 17th June he only received the order to pursue the Prussians at noon, and immediately afterwards directed Vandainme and Gerard to set themselves in motion. He declares that ho did all in his power to stimulate these officers, and was, therefore, not responsible for their delay. As to the accusation that he erred in marching on Gemblonx instead of taking a road that would keep him nearer to the main army, he points out that he was ordered to pursue Blucher, and thatßlucher had retreated by the road which the Marshal adopted. Napoleon, he declares, did not direct him to cover the right flank of his army. “ Gourgoud asks, ‘Why does not the Marshal publish the text of the orders which he has received The reason is simple. It is because they were only transmitted verbally. Those who have served under Napoleon know that he, seldom gave them in writing ; and at the moment

when he began to perceive the lona of a precious time (the morning of the 17th), less than ever did he think of causing instructions to be taken down.”