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Authors: Alessandro Barbero

The Battle

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THE BATTLE

 
 

THE BATTLE

 

A NEW HISTORY OF

WATERLOO

 

ALESSANDRO BARBERO

 

Translated from the Italian by John Cullen

 

Copyright © 2003 by Alessandro Barbero

 

Translation copyright © 2005 by John Cullen

 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Walker & Company, 104 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

 

Published in 2006 by Walker &Company
Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers

 

All papers used by Walker & Company are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in well-managed forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

 

eISBN: 978-0-802-71831-0

 
 

Originally published in Italy as
La battaglia, Storia di Waterloo
by Gius. Laterza & Figli in 2003

 

First published in hardcover in the U.S. in 2005

 

This paperback edition published in 2006

 

Visit Walker & Company's Web site at
www.walkerbooks.com

 

Printed in the United States of America by Quebecor World Fairfield

 

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

 

The history of a battle is not unlike the history of a ball! Some
individuals may recollect all the little events of which the great result
is the battle won or lost; but no individual can recollect the order in
which, or the exact moment at which, they occurred, which makes all
the difference as to their value or importance.

 


Wellington

 

I object to all the propositions to write what is called a history of the
battle of Waterloo. . . . But if a true history is written, what will
become of the reputation of half of those who have acquired
reputation, and who deserve it for their gallantry, but who, if their
mistakes and casual misconduct were made public, would NOT be
so well thought of?

 


Wellington

 

Leave the battle of Waterloo as it is.

 


Wellington

 

CONTENTS

 

Illustrations

 

Campaign Maps

 

Prologue

 

PART ONE - "We'll See Tomorrow"

 

2. "Who Will Attack the First Tomorrow?"

 

3. "The Decisive Moment of the Century"

 

4. The Nature of the Armies

 

5. The British Army: "The Scum of the Earth"

 

6. The French Army: "All Must March"

 

7. The Prussian Army

 

8. The Minor Armies

 

9. "As Bad a Night as I Ever Witnessed"

 

10. On the Brussels Road

 

11. Letters in the Night

 

13. The Emperor's Breakfast

 

14. The Numbers in the Field

 

15. Wellington's Deployment

 

16. Napoleon's Deployment

 

17. "Vive l'
Empereur"

 

18. What Is a Battle?

 

19. Napoleon's Orders

 

20. Napoleonic Infantry Tactics

 

21. The Skirmish Line

 

22. Hougoumont

 

23. The Defense of the Chateau

 

24. The Bombardment in the Hougoumont Sector

 

25. The Attack on the North Gate

 

26. The Grande Batterie

 

27. News of the Prussians

 

28. Billow's March

 

29. New Orders for Grouchy

 

30. La Haye Sainte

 

31. The First Attack on La Haye Sainte

 

32. Crabbe's Charge

 

33. D'Erlon's Advance

 

34. The Attack on the Sunken Lane

 

35. The Firefight Along the Chemin d'Ohain

 

36. The Intervention of the British Cavalry

 

37. The Charge of the Household Brigade

 

38. The Charge of the Union Brigade

 

39. Dragoons Against Guns

 

40. Jacquinot's Lancers

 

41. "Tu N'es Pas Mort, Coquin?"

 

43. Papelotte

 

44. The Second Attack on La Haye Sainte

 

45. The Great French Cavalry Attacks Against the Allied Squares

 

46. "Where Are the Cavalry?"

 

47.
"Vous Verrez Bientot Sa Force, Messieurs"

 

48. Blucher Attacks

 

49. Plancenoit

 

50. "I'll Be Damned If We Shan't Lose This Ground"

 

51. The Nivelles Road

 

52. "Infantry! And Where Do You Expect Me to Find Infantry?"

 

53. The Last Effort to Take Hougoumont

 

54. The Capture of La Haye Sainte

 

55. The Advance of the French Artillery

 

56. The Renewed Attack on Plancenoit

 

57. Ziethen at Smohain

 

58. Napoleon's Last Attack

 

59. "Voila Grouchy!"

 

60. The Imperial Guard's Advance

 

61. The Attack of the Imperial Guard Grenadiers

 

62.
"La Garde Recule!"

 

64. The Squares of the Old Guard

 

65. The Meeting at La Belle Alliance

 

66. The Prussian Pursuit

 

67. Night on the Battlefield

 

68. "A Mass of Dead Bodies"

 

69. Letters Home

 

70. "I Never Wish to See Another Battle"

 

Notes

 

Bibliography

 
BOOK: The Battle
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