Waterloo : the campaign of 1815. Volume 2, From Waterloo to the restoration of peace in Europe

The concluding volume of this work provides a fresh description of the climatic battle of Waterloo placed in the context of the whole campaign. It discusses several vexed questions: Blucher's intentions for the battle, Wellington's choice of site, his reasons for placing substantial forces at Hal, the placement of Napoleon's artillery, who authorized the French cavalry attacks, Grouchy's role on 18 and 19 June, Napoleon's own statements on the Garde's formation in the final attack, and the climactic moment when the Prussians reached Wellington's troops near la Belle Alliance. Close attention is paid to the negotiations that led to the capitulation of Paris, and subsequent French claims. The allegations of Las Cases and later historians that Napoleon's surrender to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon amounted to entrapment are also examined. After a survey of the peace settlement of 1815, the book concludes with a masterly chapter reviewing the whole story of the 1815 campaign. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Plates and Illustrations List of Maps, Diagrams and Tables Foreword by Major General Mungo Melvin Preface Prologue Chapter 31 The Allies: Dawn to Midday, 17 June Chapter 32 Napoleon: Morning, 17 June Chapter 33 Napoleon Pursues Wellington: Afternoon to Nightfall, 17 June Chapter 34 Grouchy and the Prussians: Afternoon to Evening, 17 June Chapter 35 Wellington and the Battleground: Overnight, 17/18 June Chapter 36 Napoleon Plans his Battle: First Light to 11.30 a.m., Sunday 18 June 1815 Chapter 37 Battle Commences: The Attack on Hougoumont Chapter 38 The Second Act: d’Erlon’s Great Attack and its Defeat Chapter 39 The Third Act: The Great Cavalry Attacks Chapter 40 In Another Part of Brabant Chapter 41 First Signs of the Prussian Advance: And Grouchy’s Decision Plate section Chapter 42 The Fourth Act: La Haye Sainte Falls, The Centre Begins to Crumble Chapter 43 The Prussian Intervention: Bülow, Ziethen, Müffling Chapter 44 The Fifth Act: Climax and Decision Chapter 45 The Victory: The Reckoning Chapter 46 The Aftermath of Battle: The Prussians and Grouchy, 19–20 June Chapter 47 After the Battle: Wellington and his Army, 19–20 June Chapter 48 France and the Problem of Napoleon: Return to Paris, the Abdication, the Danger Chapter 49 The Allied Advance: And the Return of King Louis Chapter 50 The Fall of Paris: And Napoleon’s Surrender Chapter 51 The Settlement of 1815 Chapter 52 Retrospect Envoi Notes APPENDICES 1 Wellington’s Waterloo Despatch 2 Gneisenau’s Report 3 Napoleon’s Accounts, 1815 & 1820 4 Bertrand’s Letter of 10 June 1815 ORDERS OF BATTLE 1 Anglo-Allied Army 2 Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine 3 French Army of the North Sources Consulted Index "The concluding volume of this work provides a fresh description of the climatic battle of Waterloo placed in the context of the whole campaign. It discusses several vexed questions: Blücher's intentions for the battle, Wellington's choice of site, his reasons for placing substantial forces at Hal, the placement of Napoleon's artillery, who authorised the French cavalry attacks, Grouchy's role on 18 and 19 June, Napoleon's own statements on the Garde's formation in the final attack, and the climactic moment when the Prussians reached Wellington's troops near la Belle Alliance. Close attention is paid to the negotiations that led to the capitulation of Paris, and subsequent French claims. The allegations of Las Cases and later historians that Napoleon's surrender to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon amounted to entrapment are also examined. After a survey of the peace settlement of 1815, the book concludes with a masterly chapter reviewing the whole story of the 1815 campaign."-- Provided by publisher "The first of two ground-breaking volumes on the Waterloo campaign, this book is based upon a detailed analysis of sources old and new in four languages. It highlights the political stresses between the Allies, and their resolution; it studies the problems of feeding and paying for 250,000 Allied forces assembling in Belgium during the 'undeclared war', and how a strategy was thrashed out. It studies the neglected topic of how the slow and discordant Allies beyond the Rhine hampered the plans of Blücher and Wellington, thus allowing Napoleon to snatch the initiative from them. Napoleon's operational plan is analysed (and Soult's mistakes in executing it). Accounts from both sides help provide a vivid impression of the fighting on the first day, 15 June, and the volume ends with the joint battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras the next day."-- Provided by publisher