[SMARTY]

Exactly. I think it was Hugo who said ‘The British were actually already defeated but wouldn't move off Mt. St. Jean... the SW to slightly NE ridge they occupied facing French forces.

Wellington's forces were positioned all along the line with HIS most trusted groups in strategic places to assure the line would hold.

The troops who were experienced and proved loyal had been with him in Portugal. They were placed in the line where their refusal to retreat would be an example and foil to others who might be tempted to back down.

Also, Wellington picked that low ridge because for miles around (in a very flat topography) it was the only terrain that resembled high ground ... AND which had trackless forest immediately behind. He felt this too would discourage retreat, as his troops would find NO easy way off that ridge, in their rear.

The British had been (even up to Waterloo) plagued with en masse, battlefield desertions of whole regiments which were made up of coalition, non British forces and were not to be trusted. The famous 'sunken road' or the Ohain Road right in front of, and nearly parallel TO the British line, was a nasty surprise for the French. It was something they SHOULD have scoped out way in advance of the fight... BUT Marshal Murat wasn't there, sooooo.....

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Excellent post. Thanks for the history lesson. Wellington was known as a master of terrain. I don’t know if he got that reputation from Spain or from Waterloo, but you look at some of those wonderful defensive positions he held in Spain and you wonder what the French Marshalls were thinking to even attack the British. Then there was all the infighting between them. I think Napoleon would have quickly rid Iberia of the British if Napoleon had stayed and taken personal command.

Every consideration of Napoleon ends with wondering if he could have held Europe indefinitely had he never invaded Russia. Britain would have opposed him forever, but if he just sat back and consolidated power on the Continent, only squelching whatever attacks were mustered against him, you have to wonder if he would have held that place forever making a defacto US of Europe and eliminating both world wars.

I will always wonder.

[Pecos]

Victor Hugo was trying very hard to discount the Brits. No surprise since the French started fighting the Brits even before the Brits were the nation we know today. The French (Franki/Franci) were overly used to British/Norman armies defeating them for the 750 years prior to Waterloo. Wellington knew that the French would start their attack with a classic bombardment by cannon, so he placed the bulk of his troops just behind that very muddy ridge. The cannonballs sank into the mud instead of bouncing and killing several soldiers with each round. The French then reprised their tactics at Agincourt and Crecy by charging up a muddy hill. The Rod Steiger movie showed the effects of that rather well.

One of the outcomes of the battle was that three British regiments now have uniform elements that were originally French, but picked up as souvenirs at Waterloo: The tall bearskin helmets - from the Imperial Guard. The Household Cavalry's brass breastplates? Picked up from dead French cavalry at Waterloo. And one regiment has incorporated the Imperial eagles into its uniform.