Paul L Dawson

Napoleon and Grouchy

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One of the enduring controversies of the Waterloo campaign is the conduct of Marshal Grouchy. Given command of a third of Napoleons army and told to keep the Prussians from joining forces with Wellington, he failed to keep Wellington and Blcher apart with the result that Napoleon was overwhelmed at Waterloo. Grouchy, though, was not defeated. He kept his force together and retreated in good order back to France.Many have accused Grouchy of intentionally holding back his men and not marching to join Napoleon when the sound of the gunfire at Waterloo could clearly be heard, and he has been widely blamed for Napoleons defeat.Now, for the first time, Grouchys conduct during the Waterloo campaign is analyzed in fine detail, drawing principally on French sources not previously available in English. The author, for example, answers questions such as whether key orders did actually exist in 1815 or were they later fabrications to make Grouchy the scapegoat for Napoleons failures? Did General Grard really tell Grouchy to march to the sound of the guns? Why did Grouchy appear to move so slowly when speed was essential?This is a subject which is generally overlooked by British historians, who tend to concentrate on the actions of Wellington and Napoleon, and which French historians choose not to look at too closely for fear that it might reflect badly upon their hero Napoleon.Despite the mass of books written on Waterloo, this is a genuinely unique contribution to this most famous campaign. This book is certain to fuel debate and prompt historians to reconsider the events of June 1815.
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542 printed pages
Original publication
2017
Publication year
2017
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Quotes

  • Iris Harmsworthhas quoted3 years ago
    General Drouot recalled:1

    Meantime, the Prussian corps which had joined the left of the English placed itself en potence upon our right flank and began to attack about half-past five in the afternoon. The 6th Corps, which had taken no part in the battle of the 16th, was placed to oppose them, and was supported by a division of the Young Guard and some battalions of the Guard. Towards seven o’clock we perceived in the distance, towards our right, a fire of artillery and musketry. It was not doubted that Marshal Grouchy had followed the movement of the Prussians, and was coming to take part in the victory. Cries of joy were heard along our whole line. The troops, fatigued by eight combats [‘huit combats’, perhaps it should be ‘huit heures de combats’, or ‘eight hours of fighting’] recovered their vigour and made new efforts. The emperor regarded this moment as decisive. He brought forward all his Guard, ordered four battalions to pass near the village of Mont-Saint-Jean, to advance upon the enemy’s position, and to carry with the bayonet whatever should resist them. The cavalry of the Guard, and all the other cavalry that remained at hand, supported this movement. The four battalions, upon arriving on the plateau, were received by the most terrible fire of musketry and canister. The great number of wounded who detached themselves from the columns made it believe that the Guard was routed. Panic spread to the neighbouring corps, which precipitately took flight. The enemy’s cavalry, which perceives this disorder, is let loose into the plain; it is checked for some time by the twelve battalions of the Old Guard who had not yet charged, but even these troops were carried away by this inexplicable movement, and follow the steps of the fugitives, but with more order.
  • Iris Harmsworthhas quoted3 years ago
    Grouchy’s action at Wavre was vitally important, as it prevented the defeat at Waterloo being far worse than it was.
  • Iris Harmsworthhas quoted3 years ago
    Robbed of his ‘eyes and ears’ by Napoléon on 17 June, he had no idea where the Prussians were that day un
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