r having taken from him his arms. Another general, whose
name also I cannot call to mind, surrendered to an officer: and this
officer had the cowardice still more than the cruelty, to run him
through the body. A colonel, to avoid falling into their hands, blew
out his brains. Twenty other officers, of various ranks, imitated the
example. An officer of cuirassiers, seeing them approach, said: "They
shall have neither me, nor my horse." With one of his pistols he shot
his horse dead; with the other, himself[55]. A thousand acts of
despair, not less heroic, illustrate this fatal day.

[Footnote 55: This circumstance was told to me, but the
following I witnessed myself. A cuirassier, in the heat
of the battle, had both his arms disabled with sabre
wounds: "I will go and get myself dressed," said he,
foaming with rage: "if I cannot use my arms, I'll use my
teeth--I'll eat them."]

We continued our retreat to Charleroi. The further we advanced, the
more difficult it became. They who preceded us, whether to impede the
enemy, or through treachery, obstructed the way, and at every step we
had to break through barricades. When halting for a moment, I heard
cries and moanings at our side. I went to the place, and found they
came from a ditch on the road-side, into which two large waggon-loads
of wounded men had been overturned. These unfortunate people, tumbled
in a heap under the waggons, that were upset upon them, implored the
compassion of those who passed by; but their feeble voices, drowned by
the noise of the carriages, had not been heard. We all set to work,
and succeeded in extricating them from their tombs. Some were still
breathing; but the greater number were stifled. The joy of these poor
wretches affected us to tears; but it was of short duration--we were
forced to leave them.

Still pursued and harassed by the enemy, we arrived at Charleroi,
which place was so encumbered, and in such confusion, that we were
obliged to leave behind us our carriage and our baggage. The secret
portfolio of the cabinet was carried off by the keeper of the
portfolio; the other important papers were destroyed; and we left
only some letters and reports of no moment, which were afterwards
printed at Brussels[56]. The Duke of Bassano and I were continuing our
journey on foot, when I saw some _piqueurs_ with led horses of the
Emperor's, and I ordered them, t