This is a valuable source book based on eyewitness accounts of one of the most memorable battles in history. The author has reviewed the French units, including the all-important medical services that are usually omitted from books about the battle – Very Highly Recommended
NAME: The French at Waterloo, Eyewitness Accounts, 2nd & 6th Corps, Cavalry, Artillery, Imperial Guard and Medical Services FILE: R3381 AUTHOR: Andrew W Field PUBLISHER: Pen and Sword BINDING: hard back PRICE: £19.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Waterloo, Napoleon’s Final Throw, Imperial Guard, Cavalry, Artillery, Medical Services, 2nd Corps, 6th Corps, Marshalls of France, Wellington, British Force, Dutch Force, Prussian Force, chosen ground, a pounding battle ISBN: 1-52676-850-X PAGES: 166, 8 page photo-plate section with images in B&W with B&W maps through the body of the book IMAGE: B3381.jpg BUYNOW: tinyurl.com/r598mrkw LINKS: DESCRIPTION: This is a valuable source book based on eyewitness accounts of one of the most memorable battles in history. The author has reviewed the French units, including the all-important medical services that are usually omitted from books about the battle – Very Highly Recommended
Waterloo was on ground of Wellington’s choosing and blocked the French path to Brussels. It was the first occasion that Wellington met Napoleon in battle and was disappointed to find Napoleon only a ‘pounder’ depending on attrition, rather than sparks of genius. It was Napoleon’s final throw in an attempt to rule France once more. As is most common in military history, much of the published accounts are by the victors and it is all the more rewarding to read the words of the losers, to place everything in perspective.
The author, a former British Army Officer has travelled widely, giving him first hand experience in visiting battlefields. He has a strong interest in the Napoleonic period, but one of the factors of the Cockpit of Europe is that it saw previous major battles in the same places before and after the days of Napoleon. Wellington was particularly inspired by the actions of the Duke of Marlborough a century before as he brought a French Army to battle at Blenheim and won.