Page 46 - All About History - Issue 26-15

Waterloo: The Fall of Napoleon

In a matter of days Napoleon watched as men return. Englishmen who came to glimpse the But the allies were quick to damn the actions
who had fought loyally by his side turned their fallen emperor reported him dejected, broken and of the ‘mad’ emperor and encouraged the French
backs on him one by one. In the face of the resigned – but this was a damning mistake. Le to “annihilate this last attempt of a criminal and
unbeatable allied threat, it was Napoleon, Petit Caporal was playing them, obtaining impotent delirium.” The allies wanted war against
they claimed, not France, who was what information he could about Napoleon, they wanted him dead, and they wanted
their enemy. The allies agreed. On France and England so he could do the French people to do it for them. But his exile
2 April the emperor was declared Napoleon what he did best – scheme and and return had only strengthened the emperor
deposed. Napoleon himself, Myths Busted plan his victory. As rumours of in the hearts of his followers, and under such
at the time leading an army a conspiracy to assassinate or immense opposition, Louis XVIII fled. Napoleon
in Fontainebleau, proposed Hewasawarlord remove him from Elba began was, once again, in control, but beyond the confines
they march on the capital, but Napoleonwasamilitaryman,butwhat to circulate, he launched his of France, he was declared an outlaw.
he longed for was a unified, peaceful
with his power vanishing, his escape on 26 February 1815. Despite his glorious return to power, the
Europe. As well as being a dictator,
officers and marshals mutinied. he was a reformer who established While Napoleon had Napoleon who had clutched the world in his fist in
Napoleon had no option but France’s legal code, and a orchestrated the escape to save 1805 was gone. The man of action, self-confidence
supporter of liberty and
to accept his fate and on 6 April, himself from disappearing into and charisma had vanished. He was constantly
equality.
announced his unconditional the dusts of history, to the French asking for advice, several times he was found
abdication, proclaiming there was “no his return was a gallant rescue from the sobbing and even his body seemed broken. This
personal sacrifice, even that of his life, which old-fashioned Bourbon monarchy that replaced was not a victor, this was a man who had felt the
he [was] not ready to make in the interests of him. The people and the military rallied around bitter pill of failure and betrayal – and he did not
France.” Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba, their hero of liberty, and for a brief moment France wish to taste it again. It is likely that Napoleon was
out of the way, hopefully, for good. seemed plunged back into the revolution that had anxious, and he had good reason to be, he knew
Elba wasn’t the most welcoming place for helped Napoleon climb to power in the first place. very well what awaited him – the wrath of his
Napoleon to rebuild his following, or himself. An
effigy of the emperor had been burned shortly
before he arrived and the feeling was entirely
anti-French. But Napoleon threw himself into
the role of ruler on the tiny European backwater
island. Instead of accepting his doom, Napoleon
began to build an army and plan his glorious

Anatomyofa

Nap

S

Knapsack
Made from tanned calfskin, the standard soldier
wouldcarryabagthatweighedbetween15-20kg.It
would be filled with spare cartridges, shoes, shirts,
trousers, polishing brushes, biscuits and a variety of
personal items.

Facial hair
There were strict rules regarding facial hair in the
Grande Armée. Hussars were required to grow
beards,grenadiershadtohavelargemoustachesand
itwasmandatoryforchasseurstosportgoatees.

Elaborate uniforms
AhugeamountofmoneywasspentonFrench
uniforms,producingastunningdisplayofpompand
luxury.Pompoms,plumesandcordsgaveanairof
military splendour that matched the charisma of
theiremperor.Aninfantryman’suniformwouldcost
between200and250francs,whileacuirassier’s
couldbeasmuchas2,000.

Weapons
Infantrymen would be armed with a 1777 Charleville
musket with a bayonet. They would also carry a
blackleathercartridgeboxonawhiteshoulderbelt
that held about 35 rounds of ammunition.

46