Battle of Waterloo

Battle of Waterloo. The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near the town of Waterloo in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It marked the decisive defeat of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte by a combined Anglo-allied army under the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian Army under Field Marshal Blücher. The battle ended the Napoleonic Wars, led to Napoleon's second abdication and exile to Saint Helena, and ushered in a prolonged period of peace in Europe under the framework of the Congress of Vienna.

Background

The battle was the climax of the War of the Seventh Coalition, which formed after Napoleon escaped from exile on Elba in February 1815 and returned to power during the Hundred Days. The major European powers, including the United Kingdom, Prussia, the Austrian Empire, and the Russian Empire, swiftly renewed their alliance against him. Napoleon's strategy was to defeat the coalition armies in Belgium—specifically the forces of Wellington and Blücher—before they could combine with the approaching Austrian army and Russian army. His initial moves led to preliminary engagements at the Battle of Ligny and the Battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June.

Prelude to battle

Following the clashes at Ligny and Quatre Bras, Wellington withdrew his multinational force to a defensive ridge south of the village of Mont-Saint-Jean. He chose this position to await Napoleon's attack, counting on a promised Prussian advance from Wavre to reinforce him. Napoleon, believing he had severely mauled the Prussian Army at Ligny, detached Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy with 33,000 men to pursue them. Meanwhile, the main French Army of the North advanced towards Wellington's position. Heavy rain on 17 June turned the ground to mud, delaying the start of the battle and impacting cavalry and artillery movements.

Opposing forces

Napoleon commanded approximately 73,000 troops, including the elite Imperial Guard, and 246 guns. His key corps commanders were Marshal Michel Ney and Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult. Wellington's Anglo-allied army of about 68,000 men was a mix of British units, like those of Sir Thomas Picton, with contingents from the King's German Legion, the Netherlands, Hanover, Nassau, and Brunswick. The separate Prussian Army of about 50,000 men under Blücher included corps led by Generals Friedrich von Bülow and Hans von Zieten.

Battle

The battle began around 11:30 AM with a French diversionary attack on Hougoumont, followed by a massive artillery bombardment and an infantry assault by Marshal Ney on Wellington's center-left, including the fortified farm of La Haye Sainte. Fierce cavalry charges by French cuirassiers and lancers were repulsed by British infantry formed in squares. The crucial turning point came in the late afternoon with the arrival of the Prussian IV Corps under Bülow, which engaged Napoleon's right flank at Plancenoit. Napoleon's final throw, an attack by the Middle Guard in the early evening, was broken by concentrated allied fire, leading to a general French retreat that turned into a rout as the entire allied line advanced.

Aftermath

The defeated French army retreated in disorder towards France. Coalition forces pursued, and Napoleon abdicated for a second time on 22 June. He surrendered to Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland of HMS Bellerophon and was subsequently exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821. The victorious powers formalized the post-war settlement with the Second Treaty of Paris and reaffirmed the conservative order established by the Congress of Vienna. The battle cemented the military reputations of Wellington and Blücher and led to a period known as the Pax Britannica.

Legacy

The Battle of Waterloo entered history and legend as a pivotal event that shaped the 19th century. It has been immortalized in countless works, from Lord Byron's poetry to Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables. The site is preserved by the Belgian state and features monuments like the Lion's Mound and the Hougoumont farm. The battle's name became synonymous with decisive, final defeat. It is commemorated across Europe, notably at Apsley House in London and the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo. The Royal Green Jackets and other regiments maintain traditions honoring their role in the engagement.