Since today is the bicentennial of one of those engagements that made history, here is Lord Byron's view of the last battle of the Napoleonic campaign, in verse.
The "young, gallant Howard" killed at Waterloo mentioned in this verse is a relative and friend of Byron's. I picture him as a redcoat lieutenant lying on the grass at twilight, with a bullet through his heart.
REMEMBER ALL THE CASUALTIES OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS
And Ardennes waves above them her green leaves,
Dewy with nature's tear-drops, as they pass,
Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves,
Over the unreturning brave, --- alas !
Ere evening to be trodden like the grass
Which, now beneath them, but above shall grow
In its next verdure, when this fiery mass
Of living valour, rolling on the foe,
And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and low !
Last noon beheld them full of lusty life,
Last eve in beauty's circle proudly gay;
The midnight brought the signal sound of strife,
The morn the marshalling in arms, --- the day
Battle's magnificently stern array !
The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which when rent,
The earth is covered thick with other clay.
Which her own clay shall cover, heap'd and pent,
Rider and horse, --- friend, foe, --- in one red burial blent !
Their praise is hymn'd by loftier harps than mine;
Yet one I would select from that proud throng,
Partly because they blend me with his line,
And partly that I did his sire some wrong,
And partly that bright names will hallow song !
And his was of the bravest, and when shower'd
The death-bolts deadliest the thinn'd files along,
Even where the thickest of war's tempest lower'd,
They reach'd no nobler breast than thine, young, gallant Howard!
Rudyard Kipling
Highlight below Napoleon for discovering an Easter egg!
Wordsworth was also inspired by visiting the battlefield:
Occasioned by the Battle of Waterloo – February 1816
The Bard, whose soul is meek as dawning day,
Yet trained to judgements righteously severe,
Fervid, yet conversant with holy fear,
As recognising one Almighty sway:
He, whose experienced eye can pierce the array
Of past events; to whom, in vision clear,
The aspiring heads of future things appear,
Like mountain-tops whose mists have rolled away
Assoiled from all encumbrance of our time,
He only, if such breathe, in strains devout
Shall comprehend this victory sublime;
Shall worthily rehearse the hideous rout,
The triumph hail, which from their peaceful clime
Angels might welcome with a choral shout!
Yet trained to judgements righteously severe,
Fervid, yet conversant with holy fear,
As recognising one Almighty sway:
He, whose experienced eye can pierce the array
Of past events; to whom, in vision clear,
The aspiring heads of future things appear,
Like mountain-tops whose mists have rolled away
Assoiled from all encumbrance of our time,
He only, if such breathe, in strains devout
Shall comprehend this victory sublime;
Shall worthily rehearse the hideous rout,
The triumph hail, which from their peaceful clime
Angels might welcome with a choral shout!
After Visiting the Field of Waterloo
A winged Goddess, clothed in vesture wrought
Of rainbow colours; one whose port was bold,
Whose overburthened hand could scarcely hold
The glittering crowns and garlands that it brought,
Hovered in air above the far-famed spot.
She vanished – leaving prospect blank and cold
Of wind-swept corn that wide around us rolled
In dreary billows, wood, and meagre cot,
And monuments that soon must disappear:
Yet a dread local recompense we found;
While glory seemed betrayal, while patriot zeal
Sank in our hearts, we felt as men should feel
With such vast hoards of hidden carnage near,
And horror breathing from the silent ground.
Of rainbow colours; one whose port was bold,
Whose overburthened hand could scarcely hold
The glittering crowns and garlands that it brought,
Hovered in air above the far-famed spot.
She vanished – leaving prospect blank and cold
Of wind-swept corn that wide around us rolled
In dreary billows, wood, and meagre cot,
And monuments that soon must disappear:
Yet a dread local recompense we found;
While glory seemed betrayal, while patriot zeal
Sank in our hearts, we felt as men should feel
With such vast hoards of hidden carnage near,
And horror breathing from the silent ground.
Occasioned by the Battle of Waterloo – February 1816
Intrepid sons of Albion! not by you
Is life despised; ah no, the spacious earth
Ne’er saw a race who held, by right of birth,
So many objects to which love is due:
Ye slight no life – to God and Nature true;
But death, becoming death, is dearer far,
When duty bids you bleed in open war:
Hence hath your prowess quelled that impious crew.
Heroes! – for instant sacrifice prepared;
But filled with ardour and on triumph bent
Mid sorest shocks of mortal accident –
To you who fell, and you who slaughter spared
To guard the fallen, and consummate the event,
Your Country rears this sacred Monument.
Is life despised; ah no, the spacious earth
Ne’er saw a race who held, by right of birth,
So many objects to which love is due:
Ye slight no life – to God and Nature true;
But death, becoming death, is dearer far,
When duty bids you bleed in open war:
Hence hath your prowess quelled that impious crew.
Heroes! – for instant sacrifice prepared;
But filled with ardour and on triumph bent
Mid sorest shocks of mortal accident –
To you who fell, and you who slaughter spared
To guard the fallen, and consummate the event,
Your Country rears this sacred Monument.
Should you be interested in seeing lots of bicorns, shakos, and period uniforms (Redcoats and Frenchmen and Prussians, oh my!) (squeeeeee!!!)... tonight at 21:55, on Canal Historia, Sean Bean (Boromir of Gondor, Eddard Stark) will take part in the re-enactment of the battle today in the Wallonian countryside, and show us a unique insight into one of the engagements that made history...
Napoleon Bonaparte
Rudyard Kipling
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
The redcoats' and the Prussians' officers feasting on the eve of battle.
READY FOR TONIGHT, READERS?????
Highlight below Napoleon for discovering an Easter egg!
You can visit the official site of the re-enactment here.
This is an interesting British site: http://www.nam.ac.uk/waterloo200/
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