Waterloo Battlefield Guide

A British military historian offers an expert introduction to The Battle of Waterloo in this essential companion for battlefield visitors.

In Belgium on June 18th, 1915, the Battle of Waterloo marked the climax of the Napoleonic Wars—and a major turning point in world history. The combined forces of the Duke of Wellington and Field Marshal von Blücher delivered a devastating defeat to Napoleon. Though the outcome would have a major influence on the shape of Europe for more than a century, the battle itself cannot be properly understood without a detailed study of the landscape in which it was fought.


Using eyewitness accounts and an intimate knowledge of the terrain, historian David Buttery vividly reconstructs the events of Waterloo as he takes readers across the battleground as it exists today. He provides essential context for understanding pivotal episodes in combat, including the day-long struggle for the chateau at Hougoumont, the massive French infantry assaults, repeated cavalry charges, the fall of La Haye Sainte, the violent clashes in the village of Plancenoit, the repulse of the Imperial Guard and rout of the French army.