50 Fun Facts About Battle of Waterloo

On what date was the Battle of Waterloo fought?

It was a Sunday, and Napoleon abdicated for the second time just six days later.

In which modern country does the battlefield lie?

In 1815 the area belonged to the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Which coalition defeated Napoleon at Waterloo?

It formed in a hurry after his return from Elba in March 1815.

Who commanded the Prussian army at Waterloo?

His three corps arrived through the afternoon and fell on the French right flank.

By what name was the battle known contemporaneously to the French?

The Prussians preferred La Belle Alliance, after the inn where the two commanders met.

What was the period of Napoleon's return to power in 1815 called?

It ran from his arrival in Paris in March to the restoration of Louis XVIII.

At which battle on 16 June did Napoleon defeat the bulk of the Prussian army?

The Prussians withdrew in good order and were back in the fight within 48 hours.

Which crossroads battle on 16 June kept Wellington from reinforcing the Prussians?

The Prince of Orange and Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar held the position against Ney's left wing.

Which separate battle on 18–19 June tied up a third of Napoleon's army?

Grouchy beat Thielemann there the next morning, but 33,000 French troops never reached Waterloo.

Which battle was the only bloodier single day of the Napoleonic Wars?

Leipzig was bloodier overall but lasted several days.

How did Wellington famously describe the battle?

He also called his own force an "infamous army, very weak and ill-equipped".

How many days after Waterloo did Napoleon abdicate?

Coalition forces entered Paris on 7 July.

What is the decades of relative peace after 1815 often called?

The phrase "meeting one's Waterloo" entered the language for a catastrophic reversal.

On 13 March 1815 which gathering declared Napoleon an outlaw?

That was six days before he even reached Paris.

Who commanded the French right wing sent to pursue the Prussians?

He was still obeying orders at Wavre the next morning while the main army collapsed.

Near which town did the French cross the frontier before dawn on 15 June?

The move seized a central position between Wellington's and Blücher's armies.

At whose ball in Brussels did Wellington learn the speed of the French advance?

He received the dispatch in the early hours of 16 June and ordered a concentration on Quatre Bras.

What percentage of Wellington's 74,000 troops were British?

Another 10% were the King's German Legion; the rest came from the Netherlands, Hanover, Brunswick and Nassau.

Who was Wellington's second-in-command and cavalry chief?

His leg was shattered by grape-shot late in the day and amputated.

What monument, completed in 1826, dominates the Waterloo battlefield?

It was built from 300,000 cubic metres of earth taken from the centre of the British line.

What large tree served as Wellington's command post for much of the day?

It stood near the crossroads of the Ohain road and the Brussels road.

What defensive technique did Wellington use to hide his strength from the French?

Only his skirmishers and artillery were visible from the French ridge.

Which fortified château anchored Wellington's right flank?

It held out all day, even after Napoleon had it shelled and set on fire.

How many King's German Legion light infantry garrisoned La Haye Sainte?

They held the centre almost all day until their ammunition ran out.

Which regiment held the sandpit opposite La Haye Sainte as sharpshooters?

The disused quarry sat on the other side of the Brussels road from the farm.

At breakfast, Napoleon called Wellington what kind of general?

He added that the English were bad troops, perhaps to stiffen his pessimistic staff.

Why did Napoleon delay the start of the battle?

Heavy overnight rain made manoeuvring cavalry and artillery difficult.

Which of Napoleon's brothers led the initial attack on the château on Wellington's right?

His division was meant to draw in Wellington's reserves; it was the French who got sucked in.

Which French officer broke open the château's north gate with an axe?

The British closed the gate behind the intruders, and every Frenchman trapped inside was killed.

How many guns formed Napoleon's grande batterie?

It was too far back to aim accurately at troops hidden on the reverse slope.

Which British general was killed shortly after ordering a counter-attack against d'Erlon?

A monument in Wales commemorates his life and his death at Waterloo.

Why was the Union Brigade so named?

The Royals, the Scots Greys and the Inniskillings made up the heavy dragoons.

How many French eagles did the British capture during the battle?

The Royals took the 105e Ligne's and the Scots Greys the 45e Ligne's.

Which Union Brigade commander was killed by a lancer after being captured?

The lancer then killed three Scots Greys who tried to rescue him.

About how many French cavalry took part in the massed assault?

Napoleon said the charge was an hour too soon, but did not stop it.

What formation did Wellington's infantry adopt against the cavalry?

A 500-man square was no more than 60 feet on a side; horses would not charge one.

Why did La Haye Sainte finally fall to the French?

The King's German Legion had held the centre of the field for almost the whole day.

Which village did Bülow's Prussian IV Corps fight for on the French right?

It changed hands five times, the last when the Prussians drove the Old Guard out of the Chantelet woods.

Which units actually mounted the final French attack on Wellington's centre?

Three Old Guard battalions followed as a second line but did not lead.

Who led the 1,500 British Foot Guards that rose and shattered the French chasseurs?

His regiment was later renamed the Grenadier Guards, mistakenly thought to have beaten grenadiers.

What was the name of Wellington's horse at Waterloo?

He stood in its stirrups and waved his hat to signal the general advance.

What cry of panic rippled through the French lines as the Guard fell back?

"The Guard is retreating. Every man for himself!"

What was found in Napoleon's abandoned carriage at Genappe?

The diamonds ended up in the Prussian crown jewels.

Roughly how many dead or wounded did Wellington's army suffer?

Blücher lost about 7,000 and Napoleon 24,000 to 26,000 plus thousands of deserters.

To which Royal Navy captain did Napoleon surrender on 15 July 1815?

He had allegedly hoped to escape to North America before the blockade closed in.

Where was Napoleon exiled after Waterloo?

He died there in 1821.

What "Waterloo" items were scavenged from the dead to make British dentures?

They were prized because they came from relatively healthy young men.

Why have almost no mass graves been found on the battlefield?

Ground bones were fired into bone-char to filter sugar syrup at the Waterloo sugar factory.

What did Napoleon plan to build to commemorate victory had he won?

He had seen the pyramids during his invasion of Egypt in 1798.

Which country protested the 2015 bicentenary two-euro coin showing the Lion?

Belgium melted 180,000 coins and reissued the design as a non-standard 2.5-euro piece.