Waterloo

[W.G.Ewald]

Charge of the Scots Grays


Anybody see what is wrong with infantry marching in this video?

 

[Snuggy321]

Charge of the Scots Grays


Anybody see what is wrong with infantry marching in this video?

I could not find the problem.

Anyway, the battle scene is really impressive, especially if you consider the age of that movie. No CGI

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I could not find the problem.

Anyway, the battle scene is really impressive, especially if you consider the age of that movie. No CGI

The anachronism is that the infantry in the movie were advancing at 120 steps per minute, when 90 was normally the count on the early 19th century battlefield. Large formations needed to relatively slowly for their commanders to control them. Also, Waterloo was not a parade ground at the time due to soil conditions.

At the time, only the Prussians could move at a rapid pace on the battlefield and maintain their formations.

 

[Snuggy321]

The anachronism is that the infantry in the movie were advancing at 120 steps per minute, when 90 was normally the count on the early 19th century battlefield. Large formations needed to relatively slowly for their commanders to control them. Also, Waterloo was not a parade ground at the time due to soil conditions.

At the time, only the Prussians could move at a rapid pace on the battlefield and maintain their formations.

Ok did not know that but makes sense, although I allways thought that the brits had the best infantry of that time.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Ok did not know that but makes sense, although I allways thought that the brits had the best infantry of that time.

After Waterloo, the Brits could send more troops to fight the US in the War of 1812 (1812 - 1814). They took Washington, DC, burning the Capitol and the White House, and assaulted the city of Baltimore.

They were defeated at New Orleans in a battle after the Treaty of Ghent was signed but before it was ratified by the Senate.

 

[abhijit8p]

After Waterloo, the Brits could send more troops to fight the US in the War of 1812 (1812 - 1814). They took Washington, DC, burning the Capitol and the White House, and assaulted the city of Baltimore.

They were defeated at New Orleans in a battle after the Treaty of Ghent was signed but before it was ratified by the Senate.

Waterloo happened in 1815--- the battle was important for the British to strengthen & maintain a position on european soil. Also due to the 1812-1814 campaign in US & small British contingents being sent elsewhere on the globe, the army under Wellington was 'allied'....having largely troops of other nations & further, of all the British troops, the majority of the units were Irish !!!

 

[sob]

Ok did not know that but makes sense, although I allways thought that the brits had the best infantry of that time.

The British army was made largely of conscripts, lots of Irish, lots of criminals, so called dregs of the society. Compared to them the French Army was better trained and organised.

 

[indian_sukhoi]

Napoleon had the best Artillery in his era.

Artillery is used to soften up the enemy line prior to an attack by infantry or cavalry. Hope someone explain what the heck happen to Napoleon Artillery and Cavalry

 

[Neil]

Napoleon had the best Artillery in his era.

Artillery is used to soften up the enemy line prior to an attack by infantry or cavalry. Hope someone explain what the heck happen to Napoleon Artillery and Cavalry

according to one of the documentary....it rained - quite unusual during that time - which resulted in artillery getting sucked in mud while firing and slowed down napoleon army.... it is considered to be the biggest factor of his defeat.. dont know how much of that is true.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Waterloo happened in 1815--- the battle was important for the British to strengthen & maintain a position on european soil. Also due to the 1812-1814 campaign in US & small British contingents being sent elsewhere on the globe, the army under Wellington was 'allied'....having largely troops of other nations & further, of all the British troops, the majority of the units were Irish !!!

You're right, I had it exactly backwards!

Coinciding with the War of the Sixth Coalition, though technically not considered part of the Napoleonic Wars but directly influenced and driven by it, the otherwise neutral United States declared war on the United Kingdom and attempted to invade British North America (present day Canada). The war ended in the status quo ante bellum under the Treaty of Ghent, signed on 24 December 1814, though sporadic fighting continued for several months (most notably, the Battle of New Orleans). Apart from the seizing of then-Spanish Mobile by the United States, there was negligible involvement from other participants of the broader Napoleonic War. Notably, a series of British raids, later called the Burning of Washington, would result in the burning of the White House, the Capitol, the Navy Yard, and other public buildings. The main effect of the War of 1812 on the wider Napoleonic Wars was to force Britain to divert troops, supplies and funds to defend Canada.

Napoleonic Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Armand2REP]

The British army was made largely of conscripts, lots of Irish, lots of criminals, so called dregs of the society. Compared to them the French Army was better trained and organised.

Remember this was long after Napoleon's Grand Armee. He had come off his island prison and managed to muster an army of disparate home guard to put up a fight against a combined Allied army. Any organization he had was done on the fly, that and his masterful leadership.

 

[sob]

Remember this was long after Napoleon's Grand Armee. He had come off his island prison and managed to muster an army of disparate home guard to put up a fight against a combined Allied army. Any organization he had was done on the fly, that and his masterful leadership.

@Armand2REP, thanks for putting in the correct chronology.

 

[abhijit8p]

Napoleon had the best Artillery in his era.

Artillery is used to soften up the enemy line prior to an attack by infantry or cavalry. Hope someone explain what the heck happen to Napoleon Artillery and Cavalry

Napoleon liked to use massed artillery prior to putting in a hammering infantry attack---it had rained the night before & napoleon had to wait till around 11am to attack, so that he could use his guns effectively---after a pounding of the enemy's centre by massed guns(between 85-90 guns), the main infantry attack on the british centre was carried out by D'Erlon's corps...roughly say around 14-15000 men---this was repulsed by the Highland units...& the famous charge of the scots greys--- To lure the french cavalry into an attack, wellington 'strategically gave ground'----The cavalry charged but without infantry & only supported by mobile 'horse-artillery' units---British infantry formed squares & totally destroyed the french cavalry.....although suffering horrible causalities by close range canister & solid shot from the 'horse-artillery' guns---a cuirassier unit was routed by a british light dragoon unit---Wellington's army was in tatters & the Empereur would have won, but for a number of events which resulted in wellington's most famous victory---

 

[Ray]

WGE,

Good to see you back.

Your posts are something I look forward to!

Remember, it takes all sorts to make the world.