Glossary

Battalion
An Infantry battalion was made up of 10 companies - 8 battalion companies numbered from 1-8, a right flank company called the Grenadiers, and a left flank company called Light Infantry.

Each company had 85-100 privates, as well as a fifer, a drummer, 3 corporals, 2 Sergeants, either 2 leiutenants or a leiutenant and and ensign and was commanded by a captain.

Enfilade

To fire down the length of troops rather than AT a line you fire DOWN the line of them - if that explains it.

Fusiliers Named for the flintlock like musket they carried - a fusil

Grenadier
Right flank battalion

Ligny
On June 16th 1815 Napoleon's forces met the Prussians led by Blucher at Ligny as a prelude to Waterloo.

Regimental Names
Many regiments acquired very romantic nicknames which related either to their uniform or sometimes their battle history. The 57th got their nickname of the 'Diehards' from their performance during the Peninsular battle of Albuhera when their commander Colonel Inglis - mortally wounded - lay on the ground and shouted "Die Hard my men, Die Hard."

Other names include the Lily white seventh - for the seventh Hussars whose facings up until 1814 had been white.

The 11th Hussars were known as the Cherry Pickers after the Peninsular War, they had engaged the enemy in a cherry orchard. This was later corrupted to the cherry bums.

Cavalry regiments were often called for their colour of their horses (the Grey's and the Bay's) or their uniform (the Blues.)

Other odd names include the 9th Norfolk, and infantry regiment known as the 'Holy Boys' after the badge they had on their uniform of Britania was mistaken by the Spanish for the Virgin Mary. The 65th whose badge incorporates the Royal Tiger and the Union Rose are known as 'the cat and the cabbage.' Napoleon's War Tactics
He had a a simple plan that was adopted by the other European nations. Basically find the enemy, formce them to form a line somewhere (preferably of his choosing) bombard them with artillery, keep a lethal frontal attack going, move reserve troops around the back of the force under the cover of woods or land features and encircle them then use light cavalry to pursue them to turn the victory into a rout.

Quatre Bras Napoleon sent a force to take care of the Anglo Dutch at Quatre Bras on June 16th 1815 while he dealt with the Prussians at Ligny an attempt to divide the two forces. He defeated both of them, they retreated to Waterloo.

Vedette
Used during the Peninsular War, a vedette is a scout

Waterloo
In short the battle was fought on June 18th 1815 by a force of Anglo-Dutch troops led by the Duke of Wellington against a significantly larger French force led by Napoleon who had escaped from exile and was determined to regain power by crushing opposition before it had time to form. A prelude to the battle was fought two days earlier on the sixteenth by them at Quatre Bras a few miles south of this position - they were beaten, as were their allies the Prussians a few miles away at Ligny. However on the 18th Wellington held the day defeating the French in the bloodiest battle Europe had experienced to date.
To find out about the battle in more detail go to the Regency collection Waterloo page.

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