Great deeds deserve great critics, but, as Colonel Henderson wrote in his Preface to “Stonewall Jackson,” “if we were to wait for those who are really qualified to deal with the achievements of famous captains, we should, as a rule, remain in ignorance of the lessons of their lives, for men of the requisite capacity are few in a generation.” Man is not so fortunate that he can live in every period; and for knowledge he must go backwards to search in history. The statesman will read of the great quarrels between Charles I. and his Parliament, not because he would imitate either the one side or the other, but because he will desire to mould future action upon the experience of the past. Napoleon himself prepared all his ambitious schemes from the pages of Tacitus, Plutarch and Livy, and the histories of the deeds of Hannibal, Alexander, and Cæsar. Wellington “made it a rule to study for some hours every day”; and since these two great men advocate study of history, who is there who shall gainsay the advantages of learning? But the true method of reading history requires something far deeper than mere perusal: it must be accompanied by careful and continuous thought. A true history will encourage the reader to bury himself in the very atmosphere of the time, and will bring him to see with his eyes the comings and goings of great men, the rights and wrongs of their deeds, and their impress upon contemporary people. This small volume attempts nothing of this kind: it is a sketch, a mere outline, of a minor portion of a remarkable campaign. In it I have made no mention of the tactical formations employed; I have given no details of armaments, equipments, or means of transport; for these are now of no value to the soldier-student. The comments or remarks are to be taken or left, as it shall please the reader: they are my own views; possibly they may coincide with the views of others; in that case they will be interesting. I may admit that these pages were at first written for my own use--mere notes taken down while I read a dozen authorities on the subject. I afterwards persuaded myself that my studies might prove of use to those who had little time to search the volumes in the libraries. I trust I shall not offend German susceptibilities by omitting the prefix “von” in the Prussian names and titles. I only do so to save space. I have to add my gratitude to the numerous writers and historians who have told the splendid story of Waterloo, and from whom I have drawn my facts. W. HYDE KELLY. _August 1905._ CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE EARLIER OPERATIONS--UP TO LIGNY 1 II. THE THIRD PRUSSIAN CORPS AND GROUCHY’S FORCES 52 III. THE RETREAT OF THIELEMANN’S CORPS FROM SOMBREFFE 66 IV. GROUCHY’S PURSUIT OF THE PRUSSIANS 80