The Battle of Waterloo Flashcards
When was the Battle of Waterloo?
Sunday 18th June 1815
Where did the Br position themselves before the battle?
Waterloo was a wide, gently sloping valley
- Br at Northern side along the hill
- reverse slop tactic (classic!) = shelter from sight/artillery
Where did the Fr position themselves before the battle?
Fr formed at the bottom
- Napoleon based in an inn
What were the 2 most important buildings?
2 fortified farm buildings
- Hougoumont
- La Haye Sainte
they contained elite infantry units & acted as a breakwater
(W had picked positions a year before!)
What happened the night before the battle?
a thunderstorm
= N chose to wait until the ground dried so he could use his artillery guns (grande battery)
BUT
W was waiting for Blucher & the prussians so worked out well for W
(W also had a reserve of 17,000 men)
When did the battle start?
11:30am
What happened at Hougoumont?
after Grande Battery N attacked Hou
- was a battle in a battle
defended by Br elite - the Coldstream guards
all day battle & Fr suffered heavy losses
What happened at 1pm-1:30pm?
N launched infantry attack
- 18,000 men
- led by D’Erlon
- column formation
- forced inbetween H & LHS = fire on both sides
- took heavy losses
What was the Br response to N’s infantry attack of 1-1:30pm?
Fr attempted to form a line on the ridge
BUT
Br launched a devastating volley
THEN Br heavy cavalry charge from hill position = devastating again
Br cav carried on charge when told to fall back & attempted to take out Grande Battery
- Fr launch counter heavy cavalry = devastating for Br
Who was John Shaw?
bare knuckle boxer
- killed 7 Fr personally
- seen using helmet to kill ppl
What was the second lot of events that happened at Hougoumont?
H had 2 gates
- Fr man snuck round & broke in with an axe ‘L’Enforcer’
- Br managed to force gates shut & bolted them
- Fr trapped inside killed
Why did Ney take over & what did he do?
took over when Napoleon got tired
+
Ney thought Br were retreating so launched an all out assault of cavalry on the Br line (mistake!)
- Br were ready in square formation
- repeated cavalry charge failed
- Ney went through 5 horses
- Fr retreated & launched skirmishers
- W took personal command
- 2ndary Fr attack of 8,000 men
Where were the Prussians during the battle?
on the way to Waterloo
- BUT Blucher’s right hand man hated Br & Wellington
- took their time & roads were rubbish, narrow
- mid-afternoon could be seen in the distance
W spread the rumour that it was the Fr Marshal Grouchy instead
What happened at La Haye Sainte?
defended by elite infantry - green jackets
- under attack all day
- Br ran out of ammo
- BUT men continued to fight w bayonets
- Fr captured successfully
- 42/400 garrisons survived
Who were the Imperial Guard?
+
What did they do?
Napoleon sent them in ‘the immortals’
- most loyal
- veterans
- wore bearskin hats
made up of the old guard, middle guard, young guard
- they advanced & attacked 3 of W’s strongest units
BUT
reverse slope tactic “Up guards and at them” - W
Fr guard defeated & began to flee
