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CAVALRY AND THE INFANTRY SQUARE
THE BATTLE THE BA

OF WATERLOO

Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, European TTLE OF W
warfare centered around the use of rigidly disciplined
infantry armed with smoothbore flintlock muskets and
bayonets. This style of fighting reached its climax at Waterloo A
on June 18, 1815, when superior French artillery and cavalry
failed to crack the Duke of Wellington’s steady foot soldiers. TERLOO

Waterloo was the last battle of the in, sweeping the columns with canister,
Napoleonic Wars. On June 18, grapeshot, and shrapnel, the French
Wellington drew up his forces in were halted and driven back,
a defensive position on a ridge, sustaining heavy casualties.
intending to hold off Napoleon’s
70,000-strong army until Britain’s HOLDING THE SQUARE
allies, the Prussians, could reach In the afternoon, around 4:00pm,
the battlefield and tip the balance Wellington’s infantry were exposed
decisively against the French. to repeated attacks by French cavalry.
Wellington fortified a chateau Napoleon’s horsemen ranged from
and farmhouse in the front of his heavily armored cuirassiers to lighter
position as strongpoints to delay dragoons, chasseurs, and hussars, and
the French attack, but he knew his a body of Polish lancers. The standard
eventual success or failure would infantry response to a cavalry charge
depend on the firmness of his was to form squares. The square’s
infantry fighting in an open field. “walls” consisted of soldiers three or
The infantry were strictly trained four lines deep. The bayonets of the
to march in columns, deploy in front line, bristling outward, held
lines, and fire in volleys. The great the enemy horses at bay on all four
majority were equipped with sides while the men farther inside
inaccurate but reliable flintlock the square fired at the cavalry. The
muskets. Additionally, British lancers’ weapons were long enough
riflemen, armed with the effective to reach into the square, but the real
Baker rifle, could fight as skirmishers threat lay in artillery. In the late
in loose formation or in line. afternoon, after taking the fortified
Napoleon opened the battle with farm, the French moved their cannon
a bombardment by the heavy cannon forward to blast at the infantry
parked at the rear of his position. squares. Once savaged by shot or
While fighting raged around the shell, a square could be penetrated
chateau and farm, the French by cavalry, who cut down the foot
launched a corps-strength infantry soldiers with their swords.
attack on the center of the British Wellington later commented
line. At first skirmishing troops, the that he was “never as near being
voltigeurs, swarmed forward to snipe beat” as at Waterloo. But ultimately
at Wellington’s men, who were drawn his line held both against the cavalry
up in formation two lines deep. The charges and a final attack by the
main body of French troops then infantry of Napoleon’s elite Imperial
advanced in large close-packed Guard. As the Prussians, led by
columns with bayonets fixed. Each Count von Blücher, arrived on the
British soldier could fire three rounds French flank, Wellington ordered
a minute, and with two lines firing a general advance. The French were
alternate volleys, the infantry poured driven from the field and Napoleon’s
six volleys a minute into the dense remarkable military career was finally
French ranks. As field artillery joined brought to an end.