3+The+Hundred+Days+and+Waterloo

//**__The Hundred Days And Waterloo Battle__**//

// **The Hun** //// **dred Days took one hundred and eleven days not one hundred.** //
===// **The victory at Waterloo on June** // 18th, // **1815, is generally considered as one of the three most glorious victories won by British troops. On the June 18, the British army withstood the French attack until the effect of the Prussian advance had begun to be felt; by darkness the battle had been won. Battle casualties were heavy on both sides, the British at more than 11,500 were half of those of the entire Allied armies, while those of the French have been estimated at from 18,000 up to 30,000. At this time the Queen’s Bays who were stationed in Scotland immediately had their strength increased to ten troops but remained in Scotland.** //=== === ===

[[image:http://cdn.dipity.com/uploads/events/e82d09c62f5c21d76bd31df810ceec67.jpg width="381" height="277" align="left" caption="execution of King Louis XVI" link="3 The Hundred Days and Waterloo"]]
===// **The King’s Dragoon Guards were increased to strength of twelve troops, totalling 1,148 officers and men. In early April 27 officers and 505 men with 537 horses, were ordered to the Low Countries under the command of Lt.Colonel William Fuller, to join the British army assembling around Brussels. Regimental HQ was established around at St Levens Asche with troops billeted around at Eygam, Liederkerke, Nyderhasselt,** **Aloste and Denderleur** **.**//===

===// In April 14, 1814, the french senate invited the brother of King Louis XVI, who **had been executed during the French Revolution, to rule France. In May, he took** the throne as Louis XVIII. In March 1815, Napoleon returned to France with about 1,100 supporters. Many of the troops sent to stop Napoleon joined him instead. On March 20, Napoleon took over the government without violence. //=== ===// Since 1814, Austian, British, Prussian, and Russian representatives had attended the Congress of Vienna, a series of meetings called to decide how Europe should be divided and governed following Napoleon's defeat. The congress had restored Europen rulers whome Napoleon had ousted. When the Representatives heard of Napoleon's return, they formed a military coalition. //===

=== ** WATERLOO: **

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===// Napoleon attacked the coalition armies in belgium before they could join together. He drove back a Prussian army at lingy, Belgium, on June 16, 1815. On June 18, he attacked an army led by the the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. Prussian troops arrived late in the battle to aid Wellington, and the combined force beat back the charges of the French. Overwhelemed, the french retreated. Napoleon then failed to gather a new army. He abdicated again on June 22, and was exiled to the South Atlantic Island of St. Helena. //=== ===// King Louis XVIII, returned to france 100 days after he had fled. France and the allies signed the second treaty of Paris on Nov. 20, 1815, ending the Napoleonic wars. France had to pay indemmities and return to its borders as of 1790. In addition, thousands of allied solders occupied France. Napoleon died at St. Helen on May 5,1821. //===

[[image:http://www.xtimeline.com/__UserPic_Large/5048/ELT200802010058237811613.JPG width="708" height="470" caption="Waterloo Battle"]]
=== //Three armies were involved in the battle: Napoleon's Armée du Nord; a multinational army under Wellington; and a Prussian army under Blücher. The French army of around 69,000 consisted of 48,000 infantry, 14,000 cavalry, and 7,000 artillery with 250 guns. Napoleon had used conscription to fill the ranks of the French army throughout his rule, but he did not conscript men for the 1815 campaign. All his troops were veterans of at least one campaign who had returned more or less voluntarily to the colours. The cavalry in particular was both numerous and formidable, and included fourteen regiments of armored heavy calvary and seven of highly versatile lancers. Neither Coalition army had any armored troops at all, and Wellington had only a handful of lancers.// ===

===// The Battle took place at waterloo, a small town near Brussels. The two armies were about equal in size. Napoleon had about 74,000 troops, and superior cavalry and artillery. Wellington had about 67,000 troops. He placed them in a strong defensive position. The French started a fierce attack against the allied lines on June 18. Wellington's troops resisted the French Assaults. //===

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===// Napoleon might have won at waterloo if he had attacked earlier in the day. But he waited until noon because of a heavy rain the night before. This delay permitted Marshal Gebhard von Blucher to arrive with his Prussian troops to reinforce Wellington. The battle was a draw until the arrival of Blucher's forces. These forces helped turn the battle against the French. //===

===// Napoleon made one last effort to win the battle. He flung his best troops, the famous "Old Guard," against the enemy's lines. Three battalions of the Guard fought bravely. However, they were overwhelmed. The French troops retreated from a fierce bayonet counterattack. //===

===// Both sides lost many, killed, and wounded in the battle. The French suffered about 40,000 casualties, and the allies about 23,000. After this defeat, Napoleon failed to gather a new army. He had no choice left but to abdicate a second time. //===