| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo 08:23 - Jun 18 with 3234 views | Churchman |
A summer distraction. It is 210 years since Napoleon’s ‘career’ was effectively ended at Waterloo.
The battle was a culmination of a four day campaign. Napoleon’s Army of the North numbered around 124,000. Against him were 112,000 British, German, Dutch forces and 139,000 Prussians, Saxons under Blucher (source: Wiki).
Numbers never scared Napoleon and after exile on Elba this was his one chance to bring the allies to the table and recognise him as Emperor of France again.
Napoleon sought to drive a wedge between Blucher and Wellington’s armies and achieved that with the battle of Ligny where Blucher was defeated, but retired in good order. In a smaller action at Quatre Bras, Wellington was prevented in reinforcing Blucher, but retained the field.
Wellington’s 68,000 then faced Napoleon’s 73,000 for the first and only time. His army was a realmixture of nationalities and quality. But Wellington knew the ground and fought a brilliant defensive battle. Ultimately, the outcome depended on Blucher’s 50,000 arriving to reinforce or Grouchy’s 30,000 stopping him.
The weather also played its part, torrential rain the previous night delaying its start. Napoleon’s health wasn’t the best either. Wellington’s army held, Blucher arrived late in the day and Napoleon’s last battle was lost. Well over 50,000 were killed or wounded on both sides that day. It was up close, personal, desperate, horrific. But Bonaparte learned that Wellington really was a good general.
Napoleon died in exile on St Helena six years later. The most likely cause stomach cancer though the conspiracy brigade suggest arsenic poisoning. |  | | |  |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:02 - Jun 18 with 2628 views | Guthrum |
Wellington had actually picked out as suitable the position at Mont St Jean (the future battlefield of Waterloo) a year before, during Napoleon's first exile on Elba, when the duke was visiting the area.
The idea about Napoleon being poisoned comes from the green dye in the wallpaper, which in that era contained arsenic. The theory being that damp, humid conditions on St Helena caused it to leach out, destroying the former Emperor's already frail health. |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:12 - Jun 18 with 2618 views | lurcher |
I visited the site last year, it is well worth seeing. It was a very bloody battle |  | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:18 - Jun 18 with 2607 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:02 - Jun 18 by Guthrum |
Wellington had actually picked out as suitable the position at Mont St Jean (the future battlefield of Waterloo) a year before, during Napoleon's first exile on Elba, when the duke was visiting the area.
The idea about Napoleon being poisoned comes from the green dye in the wallpaper, which in that era contained arsenic. The theory being that damp, humid conditions on St Helena caused it to leach out, destroying the former Emperor's already frail health. |
Arsenic was found in all sorts of products in those days including hair tonic. Traces were found in his family too.
Yes one of the things Wellington always did was research the ground. He sounded pretty meticulous. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:22 - Jun 18 with 2601 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:12 - Jun 18 by lurcher |
I visited the site last year, it is well worth seeing. It was a very bloody battle |
I’ve not been. I’d like to even though the ground was changed a bit with the building of the monument. Yep, very bloody. The prize for getting wounded wasn’t great either. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:31 - Jun 18 with 2584 views | Ewan_Oozami |
As an aside, Fitzroy Somerset, who served with Wellington at Waterloo, had his arm shot off by a cannonball while standing not too far from Wellington. Apparently he exclaimed, "I've lost my arm" and Wellington replied calmly, "Good Lord sir, so you have! Somerset then retrieved the lower part of his arm as he wanted to recover his wedding ring.
Subsequently Fiztroy Somerset became Lord Raglan. who commanded the British Army during the Crimean War... |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:34 - Jun 18 with 2568 views | lurcher |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:22 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
I’ve not been. I’d like to even though the ground was changed a bit with the building of the monument. Yep, very bloody. The prize for getting wounded wasn’t great either. |
There is an amazing underground museum, a round building with 360o degree painting of the battle and the mound. One of the farmhouses that featured in the battle is also accessible. The mound is quite cool it gives a great view of the battle field. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:02 - Jun 18 with 2539 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:31 - Jun 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
As an aside, Fitzroy Somerset, who served with Wellington at Waterloo, had his arm shot off by a cannonball while standing not too far from Wellington. Apparently he exclaimed, "I've lost my arm" and Wellington replied calmly, "Good Lord sir, so you have! Somerset then retrieved the lower part of his arm as he wanted to recover his wedding ring.
Subsequently Fiztroy Somerset became Lord Raglan. who commanded the British Army during the Crimean War... |
This is true. Somerset did lose an arm. However I believe the limb loss anecdote was regarding Henry Paget, Lord Uxbridge.
Uxbridge commanded the allied cavalry (Union, Household Brigades) and led the charge against D’Erlon’s Corps - and cut them to pieces. The French often attacked in columns. Phalanxes of men designed to drive through by weight of numbers. Unsupported, these could be vulnerable to attack from the side, which is exactly what the Heavy Cavalry did.
However, they carried on in the heat of the moment and were hammered by counter attacking French cavalry, including Lancers. The British didn’t have Lancers at the time. It is thought though the time it took the French to recover from the attack was crucial in enabling more and more Prussians to engage later in the day.
Uxbridge lost his leg at the end of the battle to grape shot. There is plenty of dispute about what was said. This includes while the leg was being sawn off where he allegedly said ‘the knives appear somewhat blunt’.
The. Artificial legs reside in various museums to this day. The amputated leg led a rather active life before being incinerated in a central heating furnace in 1934. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:05 - Jun 18 with 2526 views | Guthrum |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:31 - Jun 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
As an aside, Fitzroy Somerset, who served with Wellington at Waterloo, had his arm shot off by a cannonball while standing not too far from Wellington. Apparently he exclaimed, "I've lost my arm" and Wellington replied calmly, "Good Lord sir, so you have! Somerset then retrieved the lower part of his arm as he wanted to recover his wedding ring.
Subsequently Fiztroy Somerset became Lord Raglan. who commanded the British Army during the Crimean War... |
The anecdote refers to the Earl of Uxbridge - British cavalry commander - and his leg ("By God, sir, I've lost my leg!", to which Wellington replied "By God, sir, so you have!" - tho the actual quotes are disputed). The leg in question was given a formal burial in the garden of the house where the amputation took place.
The future Lord Raglan did, indeed, lose an arm at Waterloo and wanted the remains back to retrieve his wedding ring. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:09 - Jun 18 with 2509 views | ElephantintheRoom |
Nappers also left his mark across Corsica and France with delightful avenues of Plane trees along the roads
Would Wellington have won if Richard Sharpe hadn’t held him up at that farm, despite losing so many of his side kicks?
Interestingly, the real Richard Sharpe (or the reprobate who inspired him) came from just outside Saxmundham and they did have a bit about him in their less than impressive museum |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:15 - Jun 18 with 2511 views | GeoffSentence |
Blucher, of course, invented the strategy, later perfected by the US armed forces, of turning up after most of the hard fighting was done and claiming the credit. |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:17 - Jun 18 with 2488 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:09 - Jun 18 by ElephantintheRoom |
Nappers also left his mark across Corsica and France with delightful avenues of Plane trees along the roads
Would Wellington have won if Richard Sharpe hadn’t held him up at that farm, despite losing so many of his side kicks?
Interestingly, the real Richard Sharpe (or the reprobate who inspired him) came from just outside Saxmundham and they did have a bit about him in their less than impressive museum |
Napoleon was born in Ajaccio Corsica. He did many things including making the Europeans drive on the wrong side of the road. You should always pass on the left to keep your sword arm free.
Bernard Cornwell of Sharpe fame wrote a non-fiction book on Waterloo. His only one. It’s slightly curious in that it’s written in the style of a novel, but it’s worth a read.
To be fair to his books there’s always a historical note at the end. While probably not as painstaking in historical accuracy as say CJ Sansom (Shardlake), they’re a good mindless read. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:27 - Jun 18 with 2452 views | ElephantintheRoom |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:17 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
Napoleon was born in Ajaccio Corsica. He did many things including making the Europeans drive on the wrong side of the road. You should always pass on the left to keep your sword arm free.
Bernard Cornwell of Sharpe fame wrote a non-fiction book on Waterloo. His only one. It’s slightly curious in that it’s written in the style of a novel, but it’s worth a read.
To be fair to his books there’s always a historical note at the end. While probably not as painstaking in historical accuracy as say CJ Sansom (Shardlake), they’re a good mindless read. |
Indeed. I rather enjoyed his series on the US Civil War as well as the travails of Utred, son of Utred on holidays past. | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:29 - Jun 18 with 2443 views | Ewan_Oozami |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:05 - Jun 18 by Guthrum |
The anecdote refers to the Earl of Uxbridge - British cavalry commander - and his leg ("By God, sir, I've lost my leg!", to which Wellington replied "By God, sir, so you have!" - tho the actual quotes are disputed). The leg in question was given a formal burial in the garden of the house where the amputation took place.
The future Lord Raglan did, indeed, lose an arm at Waterloo and wanted the remains back to retrieve his wedding ring. |
Thanks for corrections everyone - wouldn't want to rewrite history - I might end up joining the Reform Party!
Trivia question - what links the Battle of Waterloo and the Ladysmith Black Mambazo group (who sang on Paul Simon's Graceland album)? [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 11:34]
| |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:42 - Jun 18 with 2401 views | WeWereZombies |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:29 - Jun 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
Thanks for corrections everyone - wouldn't want to rewrite history - I might end up joining the Reform Party!
Trivia question - what links the Battle of Waterloo and the Ladysmith Black Mambazo group (who sang on Paul Simon's Graceland album)? [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 11:34]
|
Abba sang about Waterloo and have made it onto a 'Now That's What I Call Music' album as have Ladysmith Black Mambazo ?
Either that or there is a being named after the favourite goat connection... |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:44 - Jun 18 with 2392 views | ElephantintheRoom |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:29 - Jun 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
Thanks for corrections everyone - wouldn't want to rewrite history - I might end up joining the Reform Party!
Trivia question - what links the Battle of Waterloo and the Ladysmith Black Mambazo group (who sang on Paul Simon's Graceland album)? [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 11:34]
|
For such a bloody battle remarkably few bodies have been found. Back in the day when you could get a dental appointment, for years after Waterloo your replacement teeth would probably have come from an obliging corpse at Waterloo. | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:50 - Jun 18 with 2390 views | Radlett_blue |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:22 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
I’ve not been. I’d like to even though the ground was changed a bit with the building of the monument. Yep, very bloody. The prize for getting wounded wasn’t great either. |
Exactly. when the "casualties" are totted up, you have to realise that many of the wounded, while not killed outright, died a few days later, usually of infected wounds. |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:04 - Jun 18 with 2355 views | Ewan_Oozami |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:42 - Jun 18 by WeWereZombies |
Abba sang about Waterloo and have made it onto a 'Now That's What I Call Music' album as have Ladysmith Black Mambazo ?
Either that or there is a being named after the favourite goat connection... |
Good try - but Sweden aren't involved in this connection (as far as I'm aware!) | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:35 - Jun 18 with 2334 views | NthQldITFC |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:04 - Jun 18 by Ewan_Oozami |
Good try - but Sweden aren't involved in this connection (as far as I'm aware!) |
I think there was a Battle of Ladysmith wasn't there? I guess it's more complicated than that. |  |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:36 - Jun 18 with 2332 views | NthQldITFC |
Am I wrong in thinking it's 209 years ago today? 1815, Shirley? | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:44 - Jun 18 with 2323 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 11:15 - Jun 18 by GeoffSentence |
Blucher, of course, invented the strategy, later perfected by the US armed forces, of turning up after most of the hard fighting was done and claiming the credit. |
A little harsh. The Prussians/Saxons lost 16,000 killed/wounded at Ligny a couple of days before Waterloo and a further 7,000 on the 18th.
Blucher was a somewhat limited commander in many ways. But he was personally very courageous and a man of his word. He managed to keep his army intact after losing to Napoleon and promised he’d march to Wellington’s assistance. He kept his word.
The battle is known in Germany as La Belle Alliance after the Inn where he met Wellington. In France, if they bother to remember it, it’s known as Mont Saint-Jean after the village. [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 13:03]
| | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 13:08 - Jun 18 with 2278 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:35 - Jun 18 by NthQldITFC |
I think there was a Battle of Ladysmith wasn't there? I guess it's more complicated than that. |
There was the siege of Ladysmith during the Boer War in 1899. It’s the only one I know of. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 13:18 - Jun 18 with 2261 views | NthQldITFC |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:44 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
A little harsh. The Prussians/Saxons lost 16,000 killed/wounded at Ligny a couple of days before Waterloo and a further 7,000 on the 18th.
Blucher was a somewhat limited commander in many ways. But he was personally very courageous and a man of his word. He managed to keep his army intact after losing to Napoleon and promised he’d march to Wellington’s assistance. He kept his word.
The battle is known in Germany as La Belle Alliance after the Inn where he met Wellington. In France, if they bother to remember it, it’s known as Mont Saint-Jean after the village. [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 13:03]
|
I've read one semi-proper book about it and was fascinated by the comings and goings and the indecision and uncertainties, and the juxtaposition of the battle with Lady Wasshername's ball.
Also Sharpe's Waterloo which although it was obviously a vehicle for Cornwell's Sharpe character I think it was pretty true to the script wasn't it? I think in the foreword Cornwell says it was totally different to all his other Sharpe books in that he just took the historical record, (simplified it a lot) and dropped Sharpe in at various points. I don't think the word 'Bastard!' was used so much at the battle in reality though!
I was sad when Hagman and Harris got their chips outside that farm complex which was bang in the middle of it all. | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 13:20 - Jun 18 with 2253 views | Radlett_blue |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 10:18 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
Arsenic was found in all sorts of products in those days including hair tonic. Traces were found in his family too.
Yes one of the things Wellington always did was research the ground. He sounded pretty meticulous. |
Napoleon had already felt before that being Emperor of Elba wasn't good enough for a former de facto Emperor of Europe so the prospect of being incarcerated on St Helena for the rest of his life was unbearable so he probably lost the will to live. | |
| |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 13:31 - Jun 18 with 2241 views | Churchman |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:36 - Jun 18 by NthQldITFC |
Am I wrong in thinking it's 209 years ago today? 1815, Shirley? |
You are! I am a year ahead of myself. | | | |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 19:20 - Jun 18 with 2148 views | You_Bloo_Right |
| Today in history The Battle of Waterloo on 12:44 - Jun 18 by Churchman |
A little harsh. The Prussians/Saxons lost 16,000 killed/wounded at Ligny a couple of days before Waterloo and a further 7,000 on the 18th.
Blucher was a somewhat limited commander in many ways. But he was personally very courageous and a man of his word. He managed to keep his army intact after losing to Napoleon and promised he’d march to Wellington’s assistance. He kept his word.
The battle is known in Germany as La Belle Alliance after the Inn where he met Wellington. In France, if they bother to remember it, it’s known as Mont Saint-Jean after the village. [Post edited 18 Jun 2024 13:03]
|
I believe de Gaulle wrote a "complete" French military history which included no mention of Waterloo whatsoever. |  |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
