In “The Very First Damned Thing” by Jodi Taylor Dr Bairstow travels back to witness the Battle of Waterloo and convince the board that time travel is real.
The Battle of Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815, near the town of Waterloo in present-day Belgium, stands as one of the most significant military engagements in European history. It marked the final showdown between the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte, the erstwhile Emperor of the French, and a coalition of European powers determined to halt his ambitions of conquest and restore stability to the continent. In this article, we delve into the events leading up to the Battle of Waterloo, its pivotal moments, and its lasting impact on European politics and society.
By the spring of 1815, Napoleon had escaped from exile on the island of Elba and returned to France, where he rallied support and reclaimed power as Emperor. His return sparked fear and apprehension among the European powers, who feared a resurgence of Napoleonic aggression and sought to prevent the destabilization of the continent. In response, Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia formed a coalition to oppose Napoleon and restore the Bourbon monarchy to the French throne.
The Battle of Waterloo was the culmination of a series of military campaigns known as the Hundred Days, during which Napoleon sought to consolidate his grip on power and defeat the coalition forces arrayed against him. The main engagement took place on June 18, 1815, when Napoleon's army clashed with the combined forces of the Duke of Wellington's Anglo-Allied army and Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher's Prussian army.
The battle unfolded over the course of a single day, with both sides manoeuvring for advantage and launching ferocious attacks against one another. The fighting was fierce and bloody, as tens of thousands of men engaged in brutal combat amid the rolling fields and farmsteads of Waterloo. Despite initial success on the battlefield, Napoleon's forces were ultimately unable to break the resolve of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian armies, who held their ground against repeated assaults.
The turning point of the Battle of Waterloo came in the late afternoon, when the timely arrival of Prussian reinforcements under Field Marshal Blücher tipped the balance of power in favour of the coalition forces. The Prussian army launched a series of coordinated attacks against Napoleon's right flank, threatening to envelop his forces and shatter his lines. Caught between the hammer of the Anglo-Allied army and the anvil of the Prussian advance, Napoleon's army began to crumble, eventually succumbing to defeat in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Battle of Waterloo marked the end of Napoleon's rule and the Napoleonic Wars, which had raged across Europe for over a decade. Napoleon was forced to abdicate for a second time and was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he would spend the remainder of his days in captivity. The victory at Waterloo ensured the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France and ushered in a period of relative peace and stability in Europe known as the Congress of Vienna era.
The Battle of Waterloo also left an indelible mark on European consciousness, shaping the course of history and inspiring generations of writers, artists, and historians. It remains a symbol of bravery, sacrifice, and the struggle for freedom against tyranny, serving as a reminder of the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity. As we reflect on the events of June 18, 1815, let us honour the memory of those who fought and died on the fields of Waterloo, and the enduring legacy of their sacrifice in shaping the world we inhabit today.
Why not find out how it went for Dr Bairstow and his colleagues when the jump to the Battle of Waterloo in The Very First Damned Thing by Jodi Taylor.
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On my so far one and only trip to Europe, I had a day tour of Waterloo. It helped me understand two things. The first is that it was held on the paved road from Paris to Brussels - the road that Napoleon needed to easily move his artillery.
The second thing was the looting peasants in the battle's aftermath. Waterloo is cropland and the battle was in June, so everything was planted with no chance of replanting for that year. All the farmworkers' income for the year was gone, because you won't be paid to harvest crops that don't exist. Plus the damage done to the fields themselves by infantry, cavalry and bouncing cannon balls.