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→Disintegration
===Disintegration===
===Disintegration===
The whole of the French front started to disintegrate under the general advance of Wellington's army and the Prussians following the capture of Plancenoit.<ref name=Hofschroer-146>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 146</ref> The last coherent French force consisted of two battalions of the Old Guard stationed around the inn called ''La Belle Alliance''. This was a final reserve and a personal bodyguard for Napoleon. For a time, Napoleon hoped that if they held firm, the French army could rally behind them.<ref>http://home.iprimus.com.au/cpcook/letters/pages/waterfini.htm</ref> But as the retreat turned into a rout, they were forced to withdraw and form squares as protection against the leading elements of allied cavalry. They formed two squares, one on either side of ''La Belle Alliance''. Until he was persuaded that the battle was lost and he should leave, Napoleon commanded the square which was formed on rising ground to the (French) left of the inn.<ref>http://www.napoleonbonaparte.nl/newspaper/dedham/drouet.html</ref><ref>http://www.standin.se/fifteen15a.htm</ref> The Prussians engaged the square to the (French) right, and General Adam's Brigade charged the square on the right, forcing it to withdraw.<ref name=Hofschroer-149>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 149</ref> As dusk fell, both squares retreated away from the battlefield towards France in relatively good order, but the French artillery and everything else fell into the hands of the Allies and Prussians. The retreating Guards were surrounded by thousands of fleeing Frenchmen who were no longer part of any coherent unit. Allied cavalry harried the fleeing French until about 23:00. The Prussians, led by [[August von Gneisenau|General von Gneisenau]], pursued them as far as Genappe before ordering a halt. By that point, some 78 guns had been captured along with about 2,000 prisoners, including more Generals.<ref name=Hofschroer-150>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 150</ref> At Genappe, Napoleon's carriage was found abandoned still containing diamonds left in the rush. These became part of King Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia's crown jewels, one Major Keller of the F/15th receiving the [[Pour le Mérite]] with oak leaves for the feat.<ref name=Hofschroer-151>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 151</ref>
The whole of the French front started to disintegrate under the general advance of Wellington's army and the Prussians following the capture of Plancenoit.<ref name=Hofschroer-146>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 146</ref> The last coherent French force consisted of two battalions of the Old Guard stationed around the inn called ''La Belle Alliance''. This was a final reserve and a personal bodyguard for Napoleon. For a time, Napoleon hoped that if they held firm, the French army could rally behind them.<ref>http://home.iprimus.com.au/cpcook/letters/pages/waterfini.htm</ref> But as the retreat turned into a rout, they were forced to withdraw and form squares as protection against the leading elements of allied cavalry. They formed two squares, one on either side of ''La Belle Alliance''. Until he was persuaded that the battle was lost and he should leave, Napoleon commanded the square which was formed on rising ground to the (French) left of the inn.<ref>http://www.napoleonbonaparte.nl/newspaper/dedham/drouet.html</ref><ref>http://www.standin.se/fifteen15a.htm</ref> The Prussians engaged the square to the (French) right, and General Adam's Brigade charged the square on the right, forcing it to withdraw.<ref name=Hofschroer-149>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 149</ref> As dusk fell, both squares retreated away from the battlefield towards France in relatively good order, but the French artillery and everything else fell into the hands of the Allies and Prussians. The retreating Guards were surrounded by thousands of fleeing Frenchmen who were no longer part of any coherent unit. Allied cavalry harried the fleeing French until about 23:00. The Prussians, led by [[August von Gneisenau|General von Gneisenau]], pursued them as far as Genappe before ordering a halt. By that point, some 78 guns had been captured along with about 2,000 prisoners, including more Generals.<ref name=Hofschroer-150>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 150</ref> At Genappe, Napoleon's carriage was found abandoned still containing diamonds left in the rush. These became part of King Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia's crown jewels, one Major Keller of the F/15th receiving the [[Pour le Mérite]] with oak leaves for the feat.<ref name=Hofschroer-151>Hofschröer [[#References|References]] p. 151</ref>
===Notes and conclusions===
By November 20th, 1815 the Treaty of Paris was signed bringing an end to the Hundred Days. Of the leading Generals only the Duke of Wellington would survive more than a dozen years. Blucher would pass away within 2 years; Bulow von Deniwitz would beat him to the grave. Napoleon would spend his final years writing from St. Helens railing against the failure of others that had led him to such a fate. What happened?
*Napoleon showed his old flash of brilliance assembling a large army and launching it to attack the Prussian army at Ligny. This was the French army of old, artillery moved with speed and daring to support the infantry and the Guard used in mass to seal a victory.
*What happened after defies explanation; there was not a pursuit after either Qutra Bra or Ligny of any sort worth mentioning. Instead of breath taking relentless pursuit of Jena there was a 24 hour pause. A bloodied but by no means defeated Prussian army moved with speed and deliberation to reorganize and with its less reliable elements running away it was a hard core of an army that would henceforth battle in its best traditions.
*Again the British army was allowed to move off without the slightest bother from the French. The Duke of Wellington made excellent use of the time.
*The Duke's use of reverse slopes and most of all the intelligent use of La Haye Saint and Houghmont diverted large formations from important tasks without bothering much of the allied army.
*It was apparent that neither Marshall Grouchy nor Napoleon had any idea where the mass of the Prussian army was. Marshall Grouchy didn't have the forces available to achieve the outcome Napoleon desired and detaching him only served to keep 33,000 desperately needed men from Napoleon's main effort
*It was at the end of the Battle of Waterloo watching 3 main points of the French army
==Sources==
==Sources==