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Revision as of 10:16, 25 April 2003 by TeunSpaans (talk | contribs) (correction of errors and expansion of description of actual battle.)(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 engagements on 16 June 1815: a French and Anglo-Allied stalemate (battle of Quatre Bras and a French victory over the Prussians battle of Ligny), but ambiguous orders by Napoleon on the 17th to his subordinate Grouchy to pursue the Prussians with 30,000 men was a contributing factor to Napolean's eventual defeat. Grouchy, being a late riser, started the pursuit late on both the 17th and the 18th. On the 18th, with the French III and IV corps at his disposal, he engaged elements of the Prussian army near Wavre.
In the night of the 17th/18th, the Prussian army was reinforced by the arrival of van Bulows IV corps, which had not been present at Ligny.
After the Prussian defeat at Ligny, Wellintons position at Quattre Bras had become untenable. On a rainy 17th, Wellington with drewhis army to the previously reconaitred position at Waterloo, followed by French marshall Ney.
At Waterloo, Wellington had the reinfoced farm or chateaux of Hougomont anchoring his right flank, and some farms to stabilize his left flank. Napoleon left the execution of that days battle to his subordinate Ney. Ney committed his largest corps, the II corps under general Reille, to the assault of Hougomont castle. In teh centre he openened the battle by forming a 'grand battery', which bombarded the allied line. After an hour, in the centre and on the French right flank, he committed general d'Erlons I corps to the assault. Wellingtons habbit of positioning his troops just after the crest shielded them from the worst of the French artillery. Throughout the 18th, Ney assaulted the Allied line with alternating infantry attacks and cavalry charges.
At about 14.00 elements of the Prussian IV and I corps started to arrive at the battle field and put pressure on the French right flank. When at the end of the afternoon, napoleon ordered an assault of his Old Guard aggainst the battered and exhausted British line, the experienced French Old Guard did not manage to break the British trooops. The guard withdrew. This repulse signalled a general rout of the equally exhuasted French army.
Wellington and Blucher met at the inn 'la belle alliance'. Shortly after this defeat, Napoleon lost his throne and was exiled to Saint Helena, where he spent the rest of his life.
Noticeable is also the 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.