Wellington's Waterloo Allies

A fresh look at how Wellington triumphed over Napoleon and “a valuable contribution to the Waterloo historiography” (Journal of Military History).

For almost two centuries, the British perception of the Battle of Waterloo was that it was a great British victory gained over the French tyrant Napoleon, achieved in spite of—rather than because of—the allied contingents in the Duke of Wellington’s army. Eyewitness accounts by British soldiers, encouraged by the doubts expressed in Wellington’s dispatches, denigrated and vilified the courage and prowess of these allies. But in the past twenty years modern historians, with better access to the accounts and archives of the allied nations, have tried to put the record straight, and their efforts have been rewarded by changing attitudes and a greater understanding of the significant part the allies played.

Andrew Field, in the latest of his series of pioneering books on Waterloo, makes a powerful contribution to this continuing debate by analyzing in forensic detail the records of these allied forces throughout the campaign. In his balanced, nonpartisan reassessment he describes the makeup of these forces, their training and experience, and their military capability. Included are graphic accounts of their actions and performance on the battlefield. His work is essential reading for all students of the Waterloo campaign.

Includes maps