The Battle of Waterloo: Napoleon's Decisive Defeat

“Believe me, nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won: the bravery of my troops saved me from the greater evil; but to win such a battle as Waterloo, at the expense of so many gallant friends, could only be a heavy misfortune but for the result.” A quote attributed to the Duke of Wellington, speaking after the Battle of Waterloo which raged in what is now modern day Belgium in 1815. The King’s Dragoon Guards, largest of the allied cavalry regiments that day, began the battle with 530 sabres. By the end, after 13 successive charges against Napoleon’s forces, only 15 men remained in the saddle - two officers, the RSM, one Serjeant and eleven Privates. Corporal John Stubbings said in a letter home: “It is dreadful to relate the seens [sic] I saw on the 18th. The field for miles around was covered with the wounded and slain and in some places my horse could not pass without trampling on them” Waterloo was a proud but bitter day for the KDG. After the battle, Sergeants and Officers dined together on the battlefield - a tradition that has continued every year since. Todays Quee`s Draagoon Guards.

cant believe you never the mentioned the great colonel sharpe in this

That must of been a sight. I can't even imagine seeing so many soldiers and horses in such a small area!!!! the French cavalry charged with 9000 horses and men!!!... Absolute carnage.

Unfortunately, the music drowns or obscures a fair amount of the narrative. It rather breaks the flow to have to replay a sequence to understand clearly what was said. Simply no need for the music to be intrusive. We're here for the history.

There is a saying in German attributed to Wellington: Ich wollte, es würde Nacht oder die Preußen kämen. I wish it were night or the Prussians came. German folklore suggests that Wellington was saved by the Prussians who’d covered more ground than deemed possible.

I just got to say: Somehow, I only found this channel yesterday. And since then, I've made up for all the times I skipped, fell asleep, day dreamed, or otherwise didn't pay attention in high school history class. Really great channel (and, of course, excellent video. I knew what Waterloo was, but the context of everything is really helpful).

Just like Gettysburg - the madness of walking troops across a great exposed area and up a hill, both battles showing the advantage of planning to fight from the high ground.

12:55 Late in the Evening Napoleon re-deployed his men to face the Prussians? Just as the attacks on Hougomont were reaching their climax, (circa 1:00 pm) BEFORE D'Erlon's main assault, the Prussians were already observed in the distance, coming down the hill near Chapelle St. Robert. Napoleon immediately ordered Lobau's infantry corps with Subervie and Domon's half cavalry corps, to re-position themselves between Plancenoit and the Prussian route to the battle, 10,110 men all told with 34 cannon, to be followed at 6:45pm by ALL the Young Guard, 4,800 men and 16 cannon. At 7:15pm two and a half Old Guard battalions were also dispatched, (with another one and half in reserve between Plancenoit and La Belle Alliance), another 1,500 men. That is over 16,000 men and 50 cannon that did not fire a single shot or cannon-ball against the Allied army!

Now that's soldiering...

Great video! So glad that the Dutch bajonet charge at the moment Napoleon's final push was being mentioned here. In so many other (mainly British) accounts the Belgian, Dutch and Hanoverian troops aren't mentioned or only in a mere footnote, as if their numbers and valor hardly mattered. It pleases me to hear that Dan Snow mentions them, however briefly, especially since I served with a Dutch armored infantry regiment (43 NL Armor Infantry Battalion) named after the baron - David Hendrik Chassé - who led the charge from the front. Quatre Bras and Waterloo were firmly on the Colour of the regiment and well, it gave us all the feeling that we stepped into the footsteps of giants at the time.

I'm just finishing Simon Scarrow's 4 book series (tetralogy?) series about Napoleon and Wellington. Your video is excellent! Thank you for showing how this ground looks now. I love this: The Duke of Wellington, speaking to a colleague about his victory at Waterloo in 1815, which ended the Napoleonic wars, described it as a "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life."

I’m literally learning about this in A-level history atm. We watched a couple of Dan’s videos on Waterloo from 2015 in class today, on the 200th Anniversary of the battle. Here we are 7 years later, and I can say that I still LOVE Waterloo, I LOVE my history course, I LOVE history hit and I LOVE seeing how the channel has upped its video quality in that 7 years! Woohoo! Keep it up I love it!

Waterloo the film made in 1970 is a fairly accurate plus it used real people..(extras).. to play the opposing armies...not CGI.. the glinting of bayonets in the morning sun. The cavalry charge by the Scots Grays and the French Cuirassiers charge coming face to face with defensive squares is especial well done...

"The nearest run thing you ever saw" - Wellington. Blucher, who saved the day by arriving back from his rout at Ligny the day before sooner than Napoleon had anticipated and rolling up the French flank as the allies began to crumble, allowed them to go on the offensive as the French began to panic. The Prussians chased them the furthest, capturing their baggage train that included the diamonds that would later adorn the Prussian crown. Blücher was incensed at Napoleon's bridge built to celebrate his victory at Jena and tried to destroy it, but only managed to blow a hole in a pillar. The Congress of Vienna re-established the aristocracy's hegemony over Europe, but Napoleon had sparked a nationalism in the many German states (except Austria) that Bismarck would eventually use to finally turn them into a single nation.

Really enjoyed this video on such a great battle. The detail you described of the various troop movementa. The fact Napoleon found himself surrounded basically and how the battle finally ended. Such a large number of men perished unfortunetly. Yet in the end peace came to pass between these Countries . 💪🏻🙏🏻✨

A really interesting video, with great story telling and visuals. One piece of feedback that I will give though: make sure that Dan’s voice can be heard over the sound of the battle, I found myself struggling to hear some parts because of this. But overall, a great video 👍

Superb! Many Thanks.

The final stand of the old guard grenadiers was, of course, featured in the film 'Waterloo' where they are surrounded and are addressed by a senior British Officer, on behalf of His Grace The Duke of Wellington, inviting them to lay down their arms and surrender as they had completed all that was expected of them in the pursuit of war. On refusing they are slaughtered.

Thank you Mr. Snow. I fondly remember the History shows your Dad and you used to do. Keep up the great work -- HD from houston, Texas USA

One of my ancestors, George Gillette served under General Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. He was a member of the King's Guard. I always wondered what the area of Waterloo looks like. Enjoyed the video mates!