June 18, 1815: Napoleon defeated at Waterloo
195 years ago today, at Waterloo in Belgium, Napoleon Bonaparte suffers defeat at the hands of his old nemesis the Duke of Wellington, bringing an end to the Napoleonic era of European history and simultaneously inspiring ABBA's greatest hit.
Napolean Bonaparte at the height of his power. In the wake of the French Revolution in which the French had overthrown their king and succeeded in nearly destroying their own country, the Italian born artillery officer helped restore some semblance of law and order and was ultimately catapulted to a seat of power that exceeded that ever held by a French monarch.
The Corsica-born Napoleon, one of the greatest military strategists in history, rapidly rose in the ranks of the French Revolutionary Army during the late 1790s. By 1799, France was at war with most of Europe, and Napoleon returned home from his Egyptian campaign to take over the reigns of the French government and save his nation from collapse.
After becoming first consul in February 1800, he reorganized his armies and defeated Austria. In 1802, he established the Napoleonic Code, a new system of French law, and in 1804 was crowned emperor of France in Notre Dame Cathedral.
Emperor Napolean
By 1807, Napoleon controlled an empire that stretched from the River Elbe in the north, down through Italy in the south, and from the Pyrenees to the Dalmatian coast.
Famous image of Napolean crossing the Italian Alps
Beginning in 1812, Napoleon began to encounter the first significant defeats of his military career, suffering through a disastrous invasion of Russia, losing Spain to the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula War, and enduring total defeat against an allied force by 1814.
The Duke of Wellington. Napolean simply couldn't get the best of him in repeated attempts throughout the era.
Exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean, he escaped to France in early 1815 and set up a new regime. As allied troops mustered on the French frontiers, he raised a new Grand Army and marched into Belgium. He intended to defeat the allied armies one by one before they could launch a united attack.
On June 16, 1815, he defeated the Prussians under Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher at Ligny, and sent 33,000 men, or about one-third of his total force, in pursuit of the retreating Prussians.
Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher. The wily German lost on June 16, but recovered, regrouped and delivered a crushing counterattack that broke Napolean's back on June 18
On June 18, Napoleon led his remaining 72,000 troops against the Duke of Wellington's 68,000-man allied army, which had taken up a strong position 12 miles south of Brussels near the village of Waterloo.
In a fatal blunder, Napoleon waited until mid-day to give the command to attack in order to let the ground dry. The delay in fighting gave Blucher's troops, who had eluded their pursuers, time to march to Waterloo and join the battle by the late afternoon.
In repeated attacks, Napoleon failed to break the center of the allied center. Meanwhile, the Prussians gradually arrived and put pressure on Napoleon's eastern flank. At 6 p.m., the French under Marshal Michel Ney managed to capture a farmhouse in the allied center and began decimating Wellington's troops with artillery.
Napoleon, however, was preoccupied with the 30,000 Prussians attacking his flank and did not release troops to aid Ney's attack until after 7 p.m. By that time, Wellington had reorganized his defenses, and the French attack was repulsed.
Ponsonby's Heavy Cavalry Attack: The Duke of Welligton's Scottish (Scots Grays), Irish (Inniskilling) and English Dragoon Regiments of the British Heavy Cavalry battle through D'Erlon's Infantry Corps and French lancers in the most famous charge of British cavalry of Napoleonic Wars, at the battle of Waterloo, June 18th 1815.
Fifteen minutes later, the allied army launched a general advance, and the Prussians attacked in the east, throwing the French troops into panic and then a disorganized retreat.
Scotland Forever! Charge of the Royal Scots Greys and Gordon Highlanders
The Prussians pursued the remnants of the French army, and Napoleon left the field. French casualties in the Battle of Waterloo were 25,000 men killed and wounded and 9,000 captured, while the allies lost about 23,000.
The Lion hill, which is the main memorial monument of the Battle of Waterloo, indicates the spot where the Dutch Prince of Orange was wounded. A total of 226 stairs leads to the top of the man-made pile of earth where one can enjoy a beautiful view of the entire battlefield.
Sartorial Footnote:
Two styles of footwear are attributed to two of the heroes of Waterloo. The Duke of Wellington favored low-topped boots. They are often referred to as "wellingtons" to this day.
Wellingtons
The Prussian von Blucher preferred low-quarter lace-up shoes and shod his army with them. Those are still referred to as "bluchers" in the shoe trade.
Bluchers
Originally Posted by SunnySooner
