24 Hours at Waterloo - Hardcover

Kershaw, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 161200296X ISBN 13: 9781612002965

Publisher: Casemate, 2015

Synopsis

The epic and brutal battle of Waterloo was a pivotal moment in history—when the events of a single day defined the course of Europe's future. In this vibrant and exhilarating hour-by-hour portrayal of the battle, a renowned historian joins his voice with the eyewitness accounts of those who fought it. For example:

“One of the lancers rode by, and stabbed me in the back with his lance. I then turned, and lay with my face upward, and a foot soldier stabbed me with his sword as he walked by. Immediately after, another, with his firelock and bayonet, gave me a terrible plunge, and while doing it with all his might, exclaimed, ‘Sacré nom de Dieu!’”

In March 1815, the Allies declared war on Napoleon in response to his escape from exile and his renewed threat to imperial European rule. Three months later, on 18 June 1815, having suffered considerable losses at Quatre-Bras, Wellington's army fell back on Waterloo, some ten miles south of Brussels. Halting on the ridge, they awaited Napoleon's army, blocking its entry to the capital. This would become the Allies' final stand, the infamous battle of Waterloo. In this intimate, hour-by-hour account, acclaimed military historian Robert Kershaw resurrects the human stories at the center of the fighting, creating an authoritative single-volume biography of this landmark battle. Drawing on his profound insight and a field knowledge of military strategy, Kershaw takes the reader to where the impact of the orders was felt, straight into the heart of the battle, shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers on the mud-splattered ground.

Masterfully weaving together painstakingly researched eyewitness accounts, diaries and letters—many never before seen or published—this gripping portrayal of Waterloo offers unparalleled authenticity. Extraordinary images of the men and women emerge in full color; the voices of the sergeants, the exhausted foot-soldiers, the boy ensigns, the captains and the cavalry troopers, from both sides, rise from the page in vivid and telling detail, as the fate of Europe hangs by a thread.

About this title

About the Author

ROBERT KERSHAW is a former Para, having joined the Parachute Regiment in 1973, commanded 10 Para and left as a full Colonel in 2006. His active service includes tours in Northern Ireland, the first Gulf War (during which he was awarded the US Bronze Star) and Bosnia. He is now a professional writer and has written seven highly praised books of military history. He has been interviewed on numerous TV documentaries and has published articles in the Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, Mail and Express. He recently edited Paradata, an online encyclopaedia covering the living history of British Airborne Forces, which won the Outstanding Achievement Award in the Military category of the 2008 Interactive Media Awards. Kershaw has led site-specific battlefield touring groups across the world, including at Waterloo. He has also given lectures at the National Army, Airborne and Tank Museums and aboard the Queen Elizabeth cruise liner.

Review

"Kershaw combines his own keen insights with eyewitness accounts from combatants to create a gripping hour-by-hour account of the battle. He assesses the military strategy and the direct impact of orders issued. The author also humanizes the clash by giving the reader a sense of what it was really like to be on the blood and mud-splattered field during that fateful day. This 442-page, hardcover book is a riveting read as Kershaw draws from eyewitness reports, diaries and letters – many said to have never been seen or published before – to enhance the authenticity of his perspective." (Toy Solder & Model Figure)

"a fresh, and arguably very innovative look at Waterloo.... very valuable addition to the literature on Waterloo, as it adds a fresh perspective to many of the events." (The NYMAS Review)

About this edition

• Publisher: Casemate
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 161200296X
• ISBN 13: 9781612002965
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448