Waterloo: the French perspective

The story of the Battle of Waterloo -- of the ultimate defeat of Napoleon and the French, the triumph of Wellington, Blucher and their allied armies -- is most often told from the viewpoint of the victors, not the vanquished. Even after 200 years of intensive research and the publication of hundreds of books and articles on the battle, the French perspective and many of the primary French sources are underrepresented in the written record. Here, the author tracked down over ninety firsthand French accounts, most of which have never been previously published in English, and he has combined them with accounts from the other participants in order to create a graphic new narrative of one of the world's decisive battles. Virtually all of the hitherto unpublished testimony provides fascinating new detail on the battle and many of the accounts are vivid, revealing and exciting.

Setting the scene. The French Army of 1815 -- Preliminary moves -- Prelude to battle. The night before -- The morning of battle -- 1am to 11.30am -- 11.30am to 1.30pm. The first attacks on Hougoumont -- The grand battery -- The first sightings of the Prussians -- 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Preparations for d'Erlon's Attack -- The first assault on La Haye Sainte -- The attack on the Ohain Road -- The counter-attack of the British Cavalry -- Hougoumont -- The second assault on La Haye Sainte -- 3.30pm to 6.00pm. The Prussians arrive on the battlefield -- The great French cavalry attacks -- The Prussian pressure begins to mount -- 6.00pm to 8.00pm. The taking of La Haye Sainte and the real crisis -- The defence of Planchenoit -- The attack of the Middle Guard -- The rout begins -- The sacrifice of the Old Guard -- 8.00pm to 1.00am. The loss of Planchenoit -- The disintegration of the French Army -- The last squares -- The road to Genappe -- Tactical notes. Introduction -- Napoleon's attack options -- Hougoumont -- The columns used in d'Erlon's attack -- The French cavalry attacks -- French cavalry tactics at Waterloo -- The sunken lane as an obstacle -- The killing of prisoners -- The attack …