And now, on page 66, I share the last account I have of the withdrawal of the 1er from Waterloo, hope everyone enjoyed reading them
“Our march crossed many natural obstacles because we followed, for a long time, a route that took us parallel to the left of the main road which was slow and difficult: the moon had not yet appeared over the horizon and the sky being full of thick clouds the night was very dark. Also, it was inevitable that there was much confusion on the march for the first hour. At each instant, halts were necessary; either to face up to the enemy, as he was very close, or to prevent us treading on the thousands of wounded with which the main road and either side were covered, or finally, to get out of the long defile of Genappe. For there, all the baggage of the army; the wounded, the ambulances, the vehicles and the artillery had built up, were all mixed up so that once you had got into the press, it would have been impossible to get out and you would have been dragged along despite your efforts.
We arrived exhausted at the entry to Genappe towards 11pm. There, we made another stop before abandoning this position to the enemy, who had already been joined by several pieces of artillery and from time to time launched on us some shells or caseshot in order to prevent anyone rallying the army there. We were forced to continue our retreat…
In this terrible situation, it was not possible to pass through the town, and all those of the guard that had come together took to the left of the main road. But all order, once it had been lost, was impossible to be re-imposed…
We abandoned Genappe towards 11.45pm, for hardly had we covered a mile from the town than we heard midnight sound. We passed it to the left; but from there all order was lost without it being possible to re-impose it.
Everyone marched in group of several hundred, randomly following the tracks that we felt ran parallel to the main road heading for Charleroi, on which confusion was at its height and which continually attracted the attention of the enemy, who gave us no rest…"
