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Once the [[United Kingdom]]'s 67,000-strong army, under [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|the Duke of Wellington]], had forced a precarious stalemate against Napoleon's 73,000, Field Marshal Blucher's [[Prussia]]n forces arrived and were able to achieve decisive numerical superiority, forcing Napoleon out.  

Once the [[United Kingdom]]'s 67,000-strong army, under [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|the Duke of Wellington]], had forced a precarious stalemate against Napoleon's 73,000, Field Marshal Blucher's [[Prussia]]n forces arrived and were able to achieve decisive numerical superiority, forcing Napoleon out.  

The battle marked the end of Napoleon's reign and his exile to the island of [[Saint Helena]] in the South Atlantic.

The battle marked the end of Napoleon's reign and his exile to the island of [[Saint Helena]] in the South Atlantic.  The phrase "Waterloo" entered English parlance to mean the inglorious end for someone's ambitions.

==Preliminary==

==Preliminary==

Napoleon's return from [[Elba]] marked the beginning of The Hundred Days and on March 18, 1815  he was declared an outlaw by the [[Congress of Vienna]].  This marked the mobilization of the Seventh Coalition armies.  The British formed an army consisting of British, Nassau and Dutch troops.  The Prussians created two armies, one under Prince Blucher and another under General Kliest with Prussian, and North German allied states.  Russia assembled an army of 250,000 men under Prince Barcley de Tolly and the Austrians provided two additional armies under General Schwarzenburg and Archduke Charles.  The King of Spain assembled an army placing it under English officers and began moving to the frontier.   

Napoleon's return from [[Elba]] marked the beginning of The Hundred Days and on March 18, 1815  he was declared an outlaw by the [[Congress of Vienna]].  This marked the mobilization of the Seventh Coalition armies.  The British formed an army consisting of British, Nassau and Dutch troops.  The Prussians created two armies, one under Prince Blucher and another under General Kliest with Prussian, and North German allied states.  Russia assembled an army of 250,000 men under Prince Barcley de Tolly and the Austrians provided two additional armies under General Schwarzenburg and Archduke Charles.  The King of Spain assembled an army placing it under English officers and began moving to the frontier.   

==The Waterloo Campaign==

==The Waterloo Campaign==

Napoleon began a massive call up and soon had L'Armée Du Nord (The Army of the North) prepared.  The Army of the North was about 117,000 strong. This was moved with great stealth to the northern border of Belgium.  In this area the British had assembled an army of some 97,000 and the Prussians another army of 105,000.  Both allied armies had been spread out in an effort to be easier on the population they depended on for assistance.

Napoleon began a massive call up and soon had L'Armée Du Nord (The Army of the North) prepared.  The Army of the North was about 117,000 strong. This was moved with great stealth to the northern border of Belgium.  In this area the British had assembled an army of some 97,000 and the Prussians another army of 105,000.  Both allied armies had been spread out in an effort to be easier on the population they depended on for assistance.

===Wellington's Army===

===Wellington's Army===

Wellington led an multinational army that he would describe as "an infamous army, very weak and ill equipped, and a very inexperienced Staff".<ref>Longford, p.485</ref> It was in no case more than 30% British, the rest coming from the [[Netherlands]], [[Hanover]], [[Nassau]], and [[Brunswick]]. The Duke of Wellington would express reservations about the loyalty of some of his troops, but in point of fact all of his troops would give outstanding performances in battle.

Wellington led an multinational army that he would describe as "an infamous army, very weak and ill equipped, and a very inexperienced Staff".<ref>Longford, p.485</ref> It was in no case more than 30% British, the rest coming from the [[Netherlands]], [[Hanover]], [[Nassau]], and [[Brunswick]]. The Duke of Wellington would express reservations about the loyalty of some of his troops, but in point of fact all of his troops would give outstanding performances in battle.

===The Prussian Army===

===The Prussian Army===

The Prussian army was in the throes of reorganization as its reserve regiments became line regiments along with many of the previous 1814 Landwehr regiments and its artillery was also reorganizing and would not perform at peak level, though its militia, the ''Landwehr'', was significantly better than other militias.<ref>Barbero, p.39</ref> It was under the command of Blücher, though in fact much of its operation was directed by his chief-of-staff, [[August von Gneisenau|Gneisenau]], who greatly distrusted Wellington.<ref>Barbero, p.21</ref> Two and a half Prussian army corps or 48,000 men, were engaged in the battle by about 18:00. (Two brigades under [[Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow|Friedrich von Bülow]], commander of the IV Corps, attacked Lobau at 16:30, [[Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch|Georg von Pirch's]] II Corps and parts of [[Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Ziethen|Graf von Ziethen's]] I Corps engaged at about 18:00.)

The Prussian army was in the throes of reorganization as its reserve regiments became line regiments along with many of the previous 1814 Landwehr regiments and its artillery was also reorganizing and would not perform at peak level, though its militia, the ''Landwehr'', was significantly better than other militias.<ref>Barbero, p.39</ref> It was under the command of Blücher, though in fact much of its operation was directed by his chief-of-staff, [[August von Gneisenau|Gneisenau]], who greatly distrusted Wellington.<ref>Barbero, p.21</ref> Two and a half Prussian army corps or 48,000 men, were engaged in the battle by about 18:00. (Two brigades under [[Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow|Friedrich von Bülow]], commander of the IV Corps, attacked Lobau at 16:30, [[Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch|Georg von Pirch's]] II Corps and parts of [[Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Ziethen|Graf von Ziethen's]] I Corps engaged at about 18:00.)