Return From Elba (1 Viewer)

OzDigger said:
Maybe so, and the French cavalry did have some success against the Dutch units, those that hadn't run home by that stage :)
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None of the allied squares where broken durring the mass cavalry attacks not even the jumpy green brunswicker squares. The dutch held there ground durring theses attacks and profomed well. Some squares were pounded heavier then others by artillary and had higher casualties then others and these were mostly the troops in the center and closer to the french grand battery.
 
fishead19690 said:
None of the allied squares where broken durring the mass cavalry attacks not even the jumpy green brunswicker squares. The dutch held there ground durring theses attacks and profomed well. Some squares were pounded heavier then others by artillary and had higher casualties then others and these were mostly the troops in the center and closer to the french grand battery.
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That is incredible isn't it?.None of the squares broke despite repeated attacks by some of the best cavalry in the world.Bravery,Discipline and stubborness held those squares together.Can only imagine the horrific scenes in the squares nearest the French guns.The desire for a violent revenge and retribution must have been huge when Wellington ordered the general advance.I've read that the remaining British cavalry carried out great slaughter as they went forward.What a terrible scene of carnage it must have been from one side of the battlefield to the other.

Rob
 
fishead19690 said:
None of the allied squares where broken durring the mass cavalry attacks not even the jumpy green brunswicker squares. The dutch held there ground durring theses attacks and profomed well. Some squares were pounded heavier then others by artillary and had higher casualties then others and these were mostly the troops in the center and closer to the french grand battery.
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I was refering to the previous clashes between the French cavalry and the Dutch/Belgian infantry in line formations rather than squares, in particular at Quatre Bras.

At Waterloo, the same Dutch Commander, Prince Willem of Orange, ordered the 5th & 8th KGL line battalions out of the square(s) to attack the French infantry at La Haye Sainte and these were cut to pieces by French Cavalry.
 
Must say i didn't know Ney was excecuted,what a sad end for someone who was brave a good leader and made only one mistake(even if it was a big one)

Rob
 
Rob said:
Must say i didn't know Ney was excecuted,what a sad end for someone who was brave a good leader and made only one mistake(even if it was a big one)

Rob
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Rob

You Brits are a tough lot :eek:
 
We excecuted him?????.Also didn't know Napoleon wanted to live out his days over here and we wouldn't let him.Weren't very generous in Victory were we!:rolleyes:
 
I dont think it was the British who executed Ney ... I believe that it was the returning Loius XVI who had Ney shot for treason.

We will let the British off the hook for that one. :)
 
Your too generous to us nasty old Brits!.I believe Wellington was furious when he returned to the battlefield and saw they had dug up the ground his army stood on to make the mound.Climbed to the top of that memorial a few years back myself,what a stunning view over the battlefield.You can just picture how Napoleons old guard came straight towards you down the road to confront the British army.Wonderfully evocative place.

Rob
 
OldDragon said:
I dont think it was the British who executed Ney ... I believe that it was the returning Loius XVI who had Ney shot for treason.

We will let the British off the hook for that one. :)
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The French executed Ney, because he had sworn an oath to the monarchy when Napoleon was first exiled. Always wondered about the other Marshalls who were in Ney's position, between Napoleon's 2 reigns...Michael
 
I wonder if the French Waterloo vets still admired Ney or hated him for hurling his cavalry away.?

Its all Rons fault.The film Waterloo has been on British TV at Xmas every year since i was about six years old.Now i want to go out and buy the dvd!

Rob
 
Its a great Movie ! I bought one on ebay and got the overseas verison - I cant watch it - I have to buy another one :mad:
 
Rob said:
I wonder if the French Waterloo vets still admired Ney or hated him for hurling his cavalry away.?

Its all Rons fault.The film Waterloo has been on British TV at Xmas every year since i was about six years old.Now i want to go out and buy the dvd!

Rob
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I don't think Waterloo has ever been on Australian tv, at Christmas we usually get heaps of American shows like Chevy Chase and his Christmas Vacation. And of course Mr Bean and his famous Nativity scene where Jesus is rescued from the Daleks by a helicopter :)

I read that the mound at Waterloo was erected on the spot where Prince Willem of Orange was wounded, shame he didn't get taken out earlier as it would have saved a number of lives.
 
Rob said:
That is incredible isn't it?.None of the squares broke despite repeated attacks by some of the best cavalry in the world.Bravery,Discipline and stubborness held those squares together.Can only imagine the horrific scenes in the squares nearest the French guns.The desire for a violent revenge and retribution must have been huge when Wellington ordered the general advance.I've read that the remaining British cavalry carried out great slaughter as they went forward.What a terrible scene of carnage it must have been from one side of the battlefield to the other.

Rob
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The prussains were the ones who realy took out there revenge on the french retreat as they gave no quater to the french troops and because the british troops were so burnt out it was the prussains who followed the retreating french. The british had munch more pitty on the wounded french left on the field.
Believe it or not the french and british had munch respect for each other in the field of battle.
A british officer even sent a message to soult some time after the battle to warn him that he was on a list of people who if caught was liable to be shot.
So there was a lot of respect for each other between them unlike with the prussains who had an attitude that the only good frenchmen was a dead one!!! I think only the spanish hated the french more then the prussains.:p
 
The British weren't allowed to chase the French army into France because their war was with Napoleon not the French people.
 
OldDragon said:
I dont think it was the British who executed Ney ... I believe that it was the returning Loius XVI who had Ney shot for treason.

We will let the British off the hook for that one. :)
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Four fellow marshalls were judges on Neys trail. Moncey was choosen as chairman but refused to serve and served 3 months in prison for refusing. His place was taken by marshall Jourdan and the other 3 were Massena, Augereau and Mortier. Davout tried to get Ney off the hook but with no luck.

Davout got off the hook because he never pledged allegiance to the bourbons and also held a strong hand when the allies entered paris and was able to bargin his way out by still having command of large forces of men as barginning chips.

Other marshalls sided with the bourbons and went on witch hunts to turn in fellow frenchmen. Victor and marmont were among the worst.
St.Cyr became the new minister of war.
 
maddadicus said:
The French executed Ney, because he had sworn an oath to the monarchy when Napoleon was first exiled. Always wondered about the other Marshalls who were in Ney's position, between Napoleon's 2 reigns...Michael
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I believe napoleon had 7 marshalls at the time of waterloo.
Davout,Ney,Soult,Mortier,Brune,Shuchet,and Jourdan.
Napoleon left Davout in charge of Paris because he was the best of the bunch and the one most trusted with this important duty at such a vital uneasy time.
Napoleon took 4 marshalls with him on the campaign, they were Soult who had been given the job of chief of staff. Ney,Grouchy and Mortier who was ill and could not sit on a horse and dropped out of the campaign.
Brune was commanding the army of the south and Suchet the army of the alps. Brune was the only other one to be killed after the battle having been caught and killed by an angry mob.
Mortier and jordan served as judges on Neys trail and helped to get him shot. Soult managed to escape after having been warned to get out of france.
I hope that answers your question. You should pick up a copy of Napoleons marshalls by R.F. Delderfield for more about his marshalls its a pretty good book.
 
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OzDigger said:
I don't think Waterloo has ever been on Australian tv, at Christmas we usually get heaps of American shows like Chevy Chase and his Christmas Vacation. And of course Mr Bean and his famous Nativity scene where Jesus is rescued from the Daleks by a helicopter :)

I read that the mound at Waterloo was erected on the spot where Prince Willem of Orange was wounded, shame he didn't get taken out earlier as it would have saved a number of lives.
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I love the Sharpes version of friendly fire in the Waterloo episode. I think that is what I will watch tonight.
 
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