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Revision as of 21:34, 27 January 2003 by Soulpatch (talk | contribs) (There was no independent nation of Belgium in 1815)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)History -- Military history -- List of battles
"A damned near run thing" - Duke of Wellington
The site of Napoleon Bonaparte's final battle, June 18, 1815. After Napoleon's exile to Elba, he was restored to the throne of France for 100 days. During this time, the forces of the rest of Europe converged on him, including Great Britain's Duke of Wellington, and Prussia's Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.
The Anglo-allied and Prussian armies were separated by previous victories the French had won (battle of Quatre Bras and battle of Ligny), but contradictory orders by Napoleon to his subordinate Grouchy allowed them time to regroup and attack. The allies destroyed Napoleon's resistance and the French fled. Shortly after this defeat, Napoleon lost his throne and was exiled to Saint Helena, where he spent the rest of his life.
Near the village of Waterloo, in what is now Belgium, Napoleon was defeated (just) by the combined effort of the Anglo-allied army under the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Army under Blücher. The Anglo-allied army of Wellington held out against repeated French assault until the arrival of the Prussians in the evening sealed the fate of the Emperor.
Gallant defence of La Haye Saint by the King's German Legion. Wellington's hotch-potch command consisted of British, German, Dutch and Belgian troops.
Armies participating in the campaign:
- Anglo-Allied Army - 106,000 men of Mixed quality (British, Dutch/Belgian, and minor German states)
- Prussian Army - 128,000 men of Mixed quality
- French Army (Armee du Nord) - 128,000 men of good quality.
Imperial guard of 25,000, a formidable elite group of units.
Armies participating in the battle of Waterloo:
- Anglo-Allied Army - 67,000 men of Mixed quality (British, Dutch/Belgian, and minor German states)
- Prussian Army - 25-60,000 men of Mixed quality (numbers depend on the way of counting, as the Prussians arrived in the afternoon, some divisions arrived on the field but did not really participate)
- French Army (Armee du Nord) - 73,000 men of good quality.
- Field-Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (1742 to 1819) age 72.
- Field-Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769 to 1852) age 46.
- Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 to 1821) age 46.
The battle commenced at about 1120 in the morning and concluded at about 2200 that evening.
General Cambronne surrendered to Col Halkett.
At the time it was the most bloody battle in history.