Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present TimeHarbottle, Thomas Benfield
History
Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present Time
Harbottle, Thomas Benfield
Battles
Fought June 18, 1815, between 24,000 British, and 43,500 Dutch, Belgians
and Nassauers, in all 67,655 men, with 156 guns, under the Duke of
Wellington, and the French, 71,947 strong, with 246 guns, under
Napoleon. Wellington posted his troops along the line of heights
covering the road to Brussels, with advanced posts at the farms of
Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. Napoleon attacked this position with the
utmost resolution, but the British squares held their ground against the
French cavalry and artillery throughout the day, and though the French
captured La Haye Sainte, and obtained a footing in Hougoumont, the
arrival of Blucher, with the Prussian army, on the French right, enabled
Wellington at last to assume the offensive, and drive the enemy headlong
from the field, utterly routed. The British lost about 15,000, the
Prussians 7,000 in the battle. The losses of the Dutch and Belgians were
very small, as they left the field early in the day. The French loss was
never officially stated, but it was doubtless enormous, and the army
practically ceased to exist as an organized force.
Watigaon (First Burmah War).
Fought November 15, 1825, when Brigadier-General M’Donell, with four
native regiments, advanced in three columns, against a large force of
Burmans, under Maha Nemyo. The columns failed to keep touch, and were
repulsed in detail, with a loss of 200 men, including the Brigadier.
Watrelots (Netherlands War of Independence).
Fought January, 1567, between 1,200 Flemish Protestants, under Teriel,
and 600 Spaniards, under the Seigneur de Rassinghem. The Protestants
were defeated and 600 took refuge in an old graveyard, where they held
out till the last man had fallen.
Wattignies (Wars of the French Revolution).
Fought October, 1793, when the French, under Jourdan, attacked the
Austrians, under the Duke of Coburg, and drove him from his position,
forcing him to raise the siege of Manbeuge.
Wavre (Hundred Days).
Fought June 18, 1815, between the French, under Grouchy, and the
Prussians, 27,000 strong, under Thielmann, who had been entrusted by
Blucher with the task of containing Grouchy, while the main Prussian
army marched on Waterloo. Grouchy, who was anxiously expected at
Waterloo, mistook his instructions, and wasted the day in attacking
Thielmann, whom he defeated, but uselessly.
Wednesfield (Danish Invasion).
Fought in 911, between the Danes and the West Saxons, under Edward the
Elder. The Danes were defeated.
Wei-hai-Wei (Chino-Japanese War).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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