Louis-Nicolas Davout Rémy Joseph Isidore Exelmans Duke of Wellington Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher After their defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, the French Army of the North, under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte retreated in disarray back towards France.

After two minor battles (Sèvres (2 July) and Issy (3 July)) the French Provisional Government (1815) and the French army commander Marshal Davout realised that any further delay in surrendering was futile as defeat was inevitable and would lead to a further loss of life and possibly the devastation of Paris, so they initiated a unilateral ceasefire and sent an emissary to request an immediate armistice.

Over the coming months the French royalist government exerted its authority over all of its domain including some fortresses under Bonapartist governors (the last of which, Charlemont, surrendered on 20 September).

At daybreak of 2 July, Prince Blücher put the whole Prussian army in motion towards the south side of Paris, where he proposed taking possession of the advantageous position comprising the heights of Meudon and Châtillon, and their immediate vicinity.

As the I Corps advanced, it threw out a detachment to its left, consisting of the 1st Battalion of the 1st West Prussian Regiment, two pieces of horse artillery, and a squadron of cavalry, under Captain Krensky: who was directed to proceed by Malmaison towards Saint-Cloud, communicating with Major Colomb, (who commanded the 8th Hussar Regiment [de] and had been under detachment for some days), towards the Bridge at Neuilly; and to keep a look out to the left of the direct road to Paris.

Here the French were strongly posted, occupying the place itself, the heights of Bellevue; and having their light troops well disposed amongst the adjacent gardens and vineyards.

On the other hand, should a general and formidable assault be made by those armies, on the opposite points, at the same time; the necessary division of his forces, in arranging his plan of defence, would render his situation still more desperate.

Therefore, the two Coalition commanders were unlikely to have "the vain triumph of entering Paris at the head of our victorious troops",[11] so Wellington suggested in his letter it was better to end the war immediately than in a few days time.

[11] The French Provisional Government, fully alive to this state of things, and duly aware of the approach of the Bavarian, Russian, and Austrian armies (see Minor campaigns of 1815), clearly saw the futility of further resistance to the Coalition allies, and instructed the Commissioners to wait upon Wellington, and report to him the fact of Napoleon having quit Paris on 29 June to embark for the United States, and to press the point of a suspension of hostilities.

He offered, if they agreed to these terms, to endeavour to prevail on Blücher to halt his troops, and send an officer to settle the details; but, at the same time, he told them distinctly that he would not consent to suspend hostilities so long as a French soldier remained in Paris.

Nevertheless, the French Commander-in-Chief Marshal Devout, was desirous that another attempt should be made to unsettle the Coalition generals before he would finally agree to a suspension of hostilities.

[16] At 03:00 on 3 July, Vandamme advanced in two columns from Vaugirard to the attack of Issy which was garrisoned by the 12th and 24th Prussian Regiments, and the 2nd Westphalian Landwehr behind hastily built barricades, supported by a half battery of twelve pounders.

[17] During the contest at Issy, the detachments on the left of the Prussian I Corps, under Captain Krensky renskt, were engaged rather sharply with French forces between St.

[16][18] When it became clear that the attack had failed, that the two Coalition armies were in full communication with each other, the French high command decided that, providing terms were not too odious, they would capitulate.

[19] On hearing of the unilateral French ceasefire, Blücher, required from Marshal Davout, a negotiator possessing greater powers, before he would agree to a suspension of hostilities; and indicated the Palace of St.

Cloud, the French army, commanded by Marshal Davout, left Paris and proceeded on its march to the Loire: and the Anglo-allied troops occupied Saint-Denis, Saint Ouen, Clichy, and Neuilly.

[1][21] On 8 July the French king, Louis XVIII, made his public entry into his capital, amidst the acclamations of the people, and again occupied the palace of his ancestors.

[22] It was also on 8 July that Napoleon Bonaparte embarked on the French frigate Saale at Rochefort, and proceeded, accompanied by Méduse and the rest of his entourage, to the roads of the Isle of Aix, with the intention of setting sail for America.

[1] On 10 July the wind became favourable, but a British fleet made its appearance and Napoleon, seeing the difficulty of eluding its ships, resolved, after having previously communicated with Captain Maitland, upon placing himself under his protection on board HMS Bellerophon.

The reduction of the fortresses left in rear of the British and Prussian armies, adjoining their main line of operations, was handled by a Coalition force under the command of Prince Augustus of Prussia, with the Prussian II Corps, assisted by the British Battering Train, was effected in the following manner:[24] Prince Augustus had made every preparation for starting the siege of Charlemont but, on 20 September, he received information from Paris that hostilities were to cease throughout the whole of France.