Page 64 - History of War - Issue 01-14

WATERLOO BATTLEFIELD VISIT

Visitors pause for a moment’s
silence as they reflect on the

horror and bravery that occurred
here two centuries ago

the freezing conditions and enormity of the open fi re. What he hadn’t realised was that a admitted that his triumph at Waterloo had
campaign, followed by defeat in the Peninsular further 50,000 Prussians were on their way to been a “damned near-run thing” – became
War, where it lost Spain to the Duke of reinforce the Coalition guard. Carnage followed, Commander-in-Chief during the occupation of
Wellington, enabled the other European nations with a total of 190,000 men engaging in bloody France, before returning to England in 1818
to grow in confi dence. When the Sixth Coalition warfare. By the time the French were forced to and later becoming Prime Minister.
marched on Paris in 1814, the overwhelmed retreat in the late evening, 52,000 men had Standing atop Lion’s Mound nowadays is
French Emperor was forced into exile on a poignant and fascinating experience, as it
the Mediterranean island of Elba, and YOU CAN ALMOST SMELL THE provides a vantage point across the entire
King Louis XVIII – himself exiled during the Waterloo battlefi eld. If you close your eyes, you
French Revolution – returned to the throne. SMOKE FROM THE GRIBEAUVAL can almost smell the smoke from the Gribeauval
Triumphant return CANNONS AS THEY LAUNCH cannons as they launch their deadly projectiles
at the enemy, and hear the blood-curdling cries
However, when Louis began to alienate his of men fi ercely engaged in confl ict, fi ghting to
subjects with his bumbling arrogance, Napoleon THEIR DEADLY PROJECTILES the death.
made a triumphant return to the French capital For an even more involving experience, you
and ousted the King. Tensions between the could book yourself onto one of Leger Holidays’
Emperor and the other European nations been killed or wounded, with 10,000 horses Waterloo Anniversary Re-Enactment Tours and
immediately resumed, and a Seventh Coalition also perishing (a quarter of those deployed). see the battle unfold before your very eyes. In
advanced towards Paris in preparation for Defeat at Waterloo signalled an end to June each year, hundreds of re-enactors (and
another coup. Napoleon reasoned that his Napoleon’s second reign, which had lasted more likely thousands if you visit the special
rebuilt forces – largely made up of veterans, just 100 days. He was forced into exile for a 200th-anniversary event that’s due to take
peasants and conscripts – could apprehend the second time – on this occasion to the island of place in 2015) don full Napoleonic garb and
invaders in present-day Belgium, taking them St Helena, where he died in 1821. Meanwhile, perform a thrilling replication of the events of
by surprise. However, unusually for a man of the victorious Duke of Wellington – who later that historic day, complete with all the sights,
Bonaparte’s experience and strategic nous, he
hadn’t reckoned with the military might of his
enemy. When his 72,000-strong army arrived at The view from the manmade Mound
takes in the entire battlefield

what was to become the fi eld of Waterloo on the
morning of 18 June 1815, it was initially greeted
by 68,000 of the Duke of Wellington’s men,
positioned on a ridge just south of Mont-Saint-
Jean. Confi dent that he could quickly overcome
the inferior numbers, he ordered his soldiers to

The monument atop Lion’s Mound

64 HISTORY WAR
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