By the evening of 18 June 1815, over 40,000 soldiers lay dead, wounded or missing in the bloody field of Waterloo. Napoleon’s army, and the emperor himself, were in full retreat, and the Anglo-Prussian allies were victorious.
However, as the French fled the field, one square of battle-hardened Old Guard stood firm and refused to surrender. This was the resolute last stand of veteran troops, many of whom had served during the height of the Grande Armée’s powers.
This issue, historian Dr. Bernard Wilkin explores who these crack soldiers were, how they gained their superior reputation, and takes us through the tactics of their final battle.…
