Battle of Waterloo

F McCullough

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, marked a decisive moment in European history. This battle saw the end of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule as Emperor of the French and ultimately led to his exile to the remote island of Saint Helena. The key parties involved in this conflict were the French Army, led by Napoleon himself, and the combined forces of the Seventh Coalition, which included the British Army, commanded by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian Army, led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.

In the aftermath of Napoleon's abdication and subsequent exile to the island of Elba in 1814, the Congress of Vienna convened to establish a new balance of power in Europe. However, Napoleon's escape from exile and return to France in early 1815 sparked a resurgence of conflict. With the French Army rallying around their former emperor, the European powers of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and the United Kingdom hastily formed the Seventh Coalition in an effort to contain the threat posed by Napoleon's return to power.

The Battle of Waterloo commenced on 18 June 1815 near the town of Waterloo, in present-day Belgium. Napoleon's strategy was to attack the British and Prussian armies before they could fully unite, in order to defeat them separately. The French Army faced two main adversaries: the British-led Anglo-Allied Army, consisting of British, Dutch, Belgian, and German soldiers, and the Prussian Army.

The battle was marked by heavy rain, which turned the battlefield into a quagmire and delayed the French attack. This delay proved crucial, as it allowed the Prussian Army, which had been defeated at the Battle of Ligny two days prior, to regroup and join the British-led forces. The French Army launched several attacks against the Anglo-Allied Army, which was positioned on a ridge near Mont-Saint-Jean. Despite initial success in capturing the farmhouse of La Haye Sainte, the French were unable to break the British lines.

The arrival of the Prussian Army on the battlefield in the late afternoon marked a turning point in the battle. As the Prussians engaged the French forces on their right flank, the pressure on the Anglo-Allied Army eased. The Duke of Wellington, sensing the change in momentum, ordered a counterattack against the French centre.

Napoleon, in a desperate attempt to salvage the battle, ordered his elite Imperial Guard to launch a final assault against the British centre. However, the British infantry held firm, and the French Imperial Guard was repulsed. With the French Army in disarray, the Anglo-Allied and Prussian forces launched a combined offensive that forced the French to retreat.

The defeat at Waterloo ended Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French. He abdicated for the second time on 22 June 1815 and was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where he would remain until his death in 1821. The Battle of Waterloo marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and ushered in a new era of relative peace and stability in Europe.

Table of Contents

Turning Point In History - Poem

Photograph Source: Napoleon's Cloak (Burnous) 1797 – 1805 Royal Collection Trust

In the fields of Belgium, on that fateful day,

The fate of Europe hung in the balance, they say,

Napoleon's Grande Armée, ready for the fight,

The Duke of Wellington, with his men, prepared for the night.

The battle lines were drawn, the cannons roared,

Swords drawn, the infantries marched toward,

The French cavalry charged, with a mighty roar,

The British stood their ground, like never before.

Amidst the smoke and dust, the battle raged,

The sound of musket fire, and troops engaged,

The wounded and the dying, lay all around,

And the destiny of Europe, lay on the battleground.

The Prussians arrived, just in the nick of time,

The French were overwhelmed, and passed their prime,

Napoleon fled, defeated and alone,

Waterloo was won, with Napoleon now overthrown.

The Battle of Waterloo, a turning point in history,

A triumph for the British, the outcome no longer a mystery,

A battle that changed the course of time,

And Wellington’s reputation and success, become sublime.

Now, two centuries later, we still remember the history,

The heroes and the fallen, no longer a mystery,

The story of Waterloo, a tale to learn from,

As the great battle in history, it has become.

Turning Point In Time - Song

Photograph Cast-Iron Statue Source: Christian Daniel Rauch (1777-1857)

Field Marshal Prince Gebhard von Blücher (1742-1819) Royal Collection Trust

In the year of 1815, on the fields of Waterloo,

A battle was fought, like a great breakthrough,

For the fate of Europe, hung in the balance that day,

And the outcome of the battle, would show the way.

Oh the Battle of Waterloo, a turning point in time,

Where the fate of Europe, was a mountain to climb,

With muskets and cannons, and a will to fight,

The battle was won, despite French might.

Napoleon and his men, fought with all their will,

The British and the Prussians, they also fought with skill,

And the battle raged on, with mighty noise,

As well as lethal weapons, that destroys.

Oh the Battle of Waterloo, a turning point in time,

Where the fate of Europe, was put on the line,

With muskets and cannons, and a fierce fight,

The battle was won, despite French might.

When the smoke had cleared, and the battle was done,

The British and the Prussians, they had won,

And Europe would never be, the same once more,

For the Battle of Waterloo, shows the folly of war.

Oh the Battle of Waterloo, a turning point for all,

Where the fate of Europe, went to the wall,

With guns and weapons deployed, a despicable sight,

The battle was won, but who was in the right?

Now let us remember, the story of that day,

Of men going to war, in such a courageous way,

For this story tells of a turning point, for sure,

Where the Battle of Waterloo’s legacy, does endure.

Oh, the Battle of Waterloo, was a turning point in time,

Where the fate of Europe, went right up to the line,

With weapons of war, and a fierce fight,

The battle was won with tactics, and with weapons’ might.

Book

Battle Of Waterloo

A Short Account

F McCullough

External Links

Navy Army Museum

Royal Collection Trust

A Turning Point In European History

Turning Point In History - Poem

Turning Point In Time - Song

Photographs & Art Works

Copyright

My Lap Shop Publishers

My Lap Shop Publishers Logo

Keywords: Battle of Waterloo, Blücher, British History, Duke of Wellington, European History, French Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte, Prussian Army, Warfare, Waterloo 200

Hashtags: #BattleOfWaterloo, #Blücher, #BritishHistory, #DukeOfWellington, #EuropeanHistory, #FrenchEmpire, #NapoleonBonaparte, #PrussianArmy, #Warfare, #Waterloo200

Created: 21 March 2023

Published: 26 March 2023

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