Battle of Waterloo
Part of the Hundred Days
The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler
Date 18 June 1815 Location Waterloo, Belgium Result Decisive Coalition victory
Combatants
French Empire	Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Prussia United Netherlands Hanover Nassau Brunswick
Commanders
Napoleon Bonaparte, Michel Ney	Duke of Wellington, Gebhard von Blücher
Strength
73,000	67,000 Anglo-Allies 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00)
Casualties
25,000 killed or wounded 7,000 captured 15,000 missing [1]	22,000 killed or wounded[2]

Coordinates: 50°40′45″N 4°24′25″E / 50.67917, 4.40694 The Hundred Days (French Cent-Jours) or the Waterloo Campaign commonly refers to the period between 20 March 1815, the date on which Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris after his return from Elba, and 8 July 1815, the date of the restoration of King Louis XVIII. The phrase Cent jours... The battle of Waterloo, by William Sadler This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... Waterloo The top of the knoll and the famous lion. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Map of the First French Empire in 1811, with the Empire in dark blue and satellite states in light blue Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1804 - 1814/1815 Napoleon I  - 1814/1815 Napoleon II Legislature Parliament  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house Corps législatif Historical era Napoleonic... The Seventh Coalition was hurriedly prepared during the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 after Napoleons return to France and before his successful entry of Paris. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Anthem Preußenlied, Heil dir im Siegerkranz (both unofficial) The Kingdom of Prussia at its greatest extent, at the time of the formation of the German Empire, 1871 Capital Berlin Government Monarchy King  - 1701 — 1713 Frederick I (first)  - 1888 — 1918 William II (last) Prime minister  - 1848 Adolf Heinrich von Arnim... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Limburg in 1839 1, 2 and 3 United Kingdom of the Netherlands (until 1830) 1 and 2 Kingdom of the Netherlands (after 1830) 2 Duchy of Limburg (In the German Confederacy after 1839 as compensation for Waals-Luxemburg) 3 and 4 Kingdom of Belgium (after... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Capital Hanover Head of State King of Hanover Hanover (German: ) was a historical territory in todays Germany, at various times a principality, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire, a kingdom and a province of Prussia and of Germany. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Nassau (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flagge_Herzogtum_Braunschweig. ... Brunswick-Lüneburg was an historical state within the Holy Roman Empire. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, changed his name to Napoléon Bonaparte)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Michel Ney, Marshal of France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. ... The Hundred Days (French Cent-Jours) or the Waterloo Campaign commonly refers to the period between 20 March 1815, the date on which Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris after his return from Elba, and 8 July 1815, the date of the restoration of King Louis XVIII. The phrase Cent jours... Combatants France Anglo-Allies[1] Commanders Michel Ney Duke of Wellington William II of the Netherlands Strength 18,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 32 guns (a total of 24,000 troops by the end of the battle) 20,000 by the end of the battle Casualties 4,000 4... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Combatants First French Empire Prussia Commanders Marshal Grouchy Johann von Thielmann Strength 33,000, 80 cannons[1] 17,000, 48 cannons[1] Casualties 2,500[1] 2,500[1] Hundred Days Quatre Bras – Ligny – Waterloo – Wavre Map of the Waterloo campaign In the Battle of Wavre a Prussian rearguard was... Combatants First French Empire Seventh Coalition Commanders Jean Rapp Strength About 20,000 [1] About 80,000 [1] The Battle of La Suffel was a French victory over forces of the the Seventh Coalition and the last French pitched battle victory in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Combatants First French Empire Kingdom of Prussia Commanders General Exelmans von Sohr The Battle of Rocquencourt was a cavalry skirmish fought on 1 July 1815 in and around the villages of Rocquencourt and Le Chesnay. ... Combatants First French Empire Kingdom of Prussia Commanders Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout Gebhard von Blücher The Battle of Issy was a skirmish fought on 3 July 1815 at the village of Issy, a short distance south west of Paris. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, was Napoleon Bonaparte's last battle. His defeat put a final end to his rule as Emperor of the French. Waterloo also marked the end of the period known as the Hundred Days, which began in March 1815 after Napoleon's return from Elba, where he had been exiled after his defeats at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and the campaigns of 1814 in France. is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, changed his name to Napoléon Bonaparte)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from... The Hundred Days (French Cent-Jours) or the Waterloo Campaign commonly refers to the period between 20 March 1815, the date on which Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris after his return from Elba, and 8 July 1815, the date of the restoration of King Louis XVIII. The phrase Cent jours... Combatants French Empire Duchy of Warsaw Confederation of the Rhine[1] Austria Prussia Russia Sweden Commanders Napoleon I Jozef Antoni Poniatowski† Frederick Augustus of Saxony Barclay De Tolly Count Benningsen Prince of Schwarzenberg Gebhard von Blücher Prince Charles John of Sweden Strength 191,000 330,000 Casualties 38,000...

After Napoleon returned to power, many states which had previously resisted his rule formed the Seventh Coalition and began to mobilise armies to oppose him. The first two armies to assemble, close to the French north eastern border, were a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher and an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington. Napoleon chose to attack them in the hope of destroying them before they, with other members of the Seventh Coalition (who were not such an immediate threat), could join in a coordinated invasion of France. The campaign consisted of four major battles - Quatre Bras (16 June), Ligny (16 June), Waterloo (18 June), and Wavre (18 June-19 June) - with Waterloo proving decisive. The term state may refer to: a sovereign political entity, see state unitary state nation state a non-sovereign political entity, see state (non-sovereign). ... The Seventh Coalition was hurriedly prepared during the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 after Napoleons return to France and before his successful entry of Paris. ... Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. ... Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... Combatants France Anglo-Allies[1] Commanders Michel Ney Duke of Wellington William II of the Netherlands Strength 18,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 32 guns (a total of 24,000 troops by the end of the battle) 20,000 by the end of the battle Casualties 4,000 4... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants First French Empire Prussia Commanders Marshal Grouchy Johann von Thielmann Strength 33,000, 80 cannons[1] 17,000, 48 cannons[1] Casualties 2,500[1] 2,500[1] Hundred Days Quatre Bras – Ligny – Waterloo – Wavre Map of the Waterloo campaign In the Battle of Wavre a Prussian rearguard was... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

It rained heavily overnight on 17 June, so Napoleon delayed giving battle until noon on 18 June to allow the ground to dry out. Wellington's army positioned across the Brussels road on the Mont St Jean escarpment withstood repeated attacks by the French until in the evening they counter-attacked and drove the French from the field. Simultaneously the Prussians — arriving in force — broke through Napoleon's right flank adding their weight to the attack. Losses were heavy on all sides. is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... , Mont-Saint-Jean is a village located in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium south of Waterloo the Brussels road (N5) forks for Charleroi and Nivelles. ...

The French army left the battlefield in disorder, and was unable to prevent Coalition forces entering France and restoring King Louis XVIII to the French throne. Napoleon was exiled to St Helena, where he died in 1821. Louis XVIII (17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), was a King of France and Navarre. ...

The battlefield is in present-day Belgium, about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) SSE of Brussels, and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the town of Waterloo. “km” redirects here. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ... Waterloo The top of the knoll and the famous lion. ...

Prelude

Map of the Waterloo campaign

Main article: Waterloo Campaign

As far back as 13 March 1815, six days before Napoleon reached Paris, the powers at the Congress of Vienna declared him an outlaw.^[4] Four days later, the United Kingdom, Russia, Austria, and Prussia mobilised armies to defeat Napoleon.^[5] Napoleon knew that, once his attempts at dissuading one or more of the Seventh Coalition Allies from invading France had failed, his only chance of remaining in power was to attack before the Coalition put together an overwhelming force. If he could destroy the existing Coalition forces south of Brussels before they were reinforced, he might be able to drive the British back to the sea and knock the Prussians out of the war. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x910, 42 KB)Map of force movements and major engagements during the Waterloo Campaign, June 15-18, 1815. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x910, 42 KB)Map of force movements and major engagements during the Waterloo Campaign, June 15-18, 1815. ... For information about the legislative programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, see New Deal. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors, from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from November 1, 1814, to June 8, 1815. ... For other senses of this word, see outlaw (disambiguation). ... Anthem Preußenlied, Heil dir im Siegerkranz (both unofficial) The Kingdom of Prussia at its greatest extent, at the time of the formation of the German Empire, 1871 Capital Berlin Government Monarchy King  - 1701 — 1713 Frederick I (first)  - 1888 — 1918 William II (last) Prime minister  - 1848 Adolf Heinrich von Arnim... The Seventh Coalition was hurriedly prepared during the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 after Napoleons return to France and before his successful entry of Paris. ...

Wellington expected Napoleon to try to envelop the Coalition armies by moving through Mons to the south-west of Brussels.^[6] This would have cut Wellington's communications with his base at Ostend, but would also have pushed his army closer to Blücher's. Napoleon encouraged Wellington's misapprehension with false intelligence.^[7] He divided his army into a left wing commanded by Marshal Ney, a right wing commanded by Marshal Grouchy, and a reserve, which he commanded personally (although all three elements remained close enough to support one another). Crossing the frontier near Charleroi before dawn on 15 June, the French rapidly over-ran Coalition outposts, securing Napoleon's favoured "central position" between Wellington's and Blücher's armies. Mons Mons ---- (more info) Stage 1 : Request (How-to) Article EN is too short for the city where the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is located Sylfred1977 20:04, 13 October 2007 (UTC) Very good article (featured article in the french WIKIPEDIA) Join this translation   ---   Update this information (instructions)   This... The esplanade with the Thermae Palace, the former Royal Residence and the casino For other uses, see Ostend (disambiguation). ... Michel Ney (January 10, 1769 - December 7, 1815) called Le Rougeaud (the ruddy) and le Brave des Braves (the bravest of the brave) was a marshal of the French army who had fought in the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. ... Emmanuel, Marquis de Grouchy, Marshal of France Emmanuel, marquis de Grouchy (October 23, 1766 – May 29, 1847), marshal of France, was born in Paris. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Only very late on the night of 15 June was Wellington certain that the Charleroi attack was the main French thrust. In the early hours of 16 June, at the Duchess of Richmond's ball, he received a dispatch from the Prince of Orange, and was shocked by the speed of Napoleon's advance. He hastily ordered his army to concentrate on Quatre Bras, where the Prince of Orange, with the brigade of Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, was holding a tenuous position against the troops of Ney's left wing. ^[8] Ney's orders were to secure the crossroads of Quatre Bras, so that if necessary, he could later swing east and reinforce Napoleon. is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Duchess of Richmonds ball was held in Brussels on 15 June 1815, the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras. ... William II (William Frederick George Louis) (December 6, 1792 – March 17, 1849) was King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from October 7, 1840 until his death. ... Quatre Bras is the name of a crossroads in Belgium where the Charleroi-Brussels Road and the Nivelles-Namur Road. ... Prince Bernhard Carl of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (30 May 1792 – 21 July 1862)[1] Prince Bernhard, the seventh child of Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, was born on 30 May 1792 in Weimar. ...

Napoleon moved against the concentrated Prussian army first. On 16 June, Napoleon, with the reserve and the right wing of the army, attacked and defeated Blücher's Prussians at the Battle of Ligny. The Prussian centre gave way under heavy French attack, but the flanks held their ground. is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ...

Ney, meanwhile, found Quatre Bras lightly held by the Prince of Orange. The latter successfully repelled Ney's initial attacks, but was gradually driven back by overwhelming numbers of French troops. First reinforcements and then Wellington himself arrived. He took command and drove Ney back, securing crossroads by early evening, but too late to send help to the Prussians who were defeated at the Battle of Ligny on the same day. The Prussian defeat made Wellington's position at Quatre Bras position untenable, so the next day he withdrew northwards, to a defensive position he had personally reconnoitred the previous year - a low ridge called at Mont St Jean, south of the village of Waterloo and the Forest of Soignes.^[9] Combatants France Anglo-Allies[1] Commanders Michel Ney Duke of Wellington William II of the Netherlands Strength 18,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 32 guns (a total of 24,000 troops by the end of the battle) 20,000 by the end of the battle Casualties 4,000 4... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... This article is about the use of the term in geography and physical geology. ... Waterloo The top of the knoll and the famous lion. ... The Forest of Soignes or Sonian Forest (French: Forêt de Soignes, Dutch: Zoniënwoud) is a 43 km² forest on the southeast of Brussels, Belgium, which stretches out over the three regions of Belgium, the Brussels-Capital Region (38 %), the Flemish Region (56 %) and the Walloon Region (6 %). The...

Napoleon after abdicating

The Prussian retreat from Ligny was uninterrupted, and seemingly unnoticed, by the French.^[10]The bulk of the rearguard units held their positions until about midnight, and some elements did not move out until the following morning, completely ignored by the French.^[10] Crucially, the Prussians did not retreat to the east, along their own lines of communication. Instead, they too fell back northwards - parallel to Wellington's line of march, still within supporting distance, and in communication with him throughout. The Prussians rallied on Von Bülow's IV Corps, which had not been engaged at Ligny, and was in a strong position south of Wavre. ^[10] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 449 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (509 × 680 pixel, file size: 212 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Paul Delaroche, Napoléon abdiquant à Fontainebleau (Napoléon Bonaparte abdicated in Fontainebleau), 1845 Oil on canvas, 180. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 449 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (509 × 680 pixel, file size: 212 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Paul Delaroche, Napoléon abdiquant à Fontainebleau (Napoléon Bonaparte abdicated in Fontainebleau), 1845 Oil on canvas, 180. ... Freiherr Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow, Count of Dennewitz (February 16, 1755 - February 25, 1816), Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars, born at Falkenberg in the Altmark; he was the elder brother of the foregoing. ...

Napoleon, with the reserves, made a late start on 17 June and joined Ney at Quatre Bras at 13:00 to attack Wellington's army, but found the position empty. The French pursued Wellington, but the result was only a brief cavalry skirmish in Genappe just as torrential rain set in for the night. Before leaving Ligny, Napoleon ordered Grouchy, commander of the right wing, to follow up the retreating Prussians with 33,000 men. A late start, uncertainty about the direction the Prussians had taken, and the vagueness of the orders given to him meant that Grouchy was too late to prevent the Prussian army reaching Wavre, from where it could march to support Wellington. By the end of 17 June, Wellington's army had arrived at its position at Waterloo, with the main body of Napoleon's army following. Blücher's army was gathering in and around Wavre, around eight miles (13 km) to the east. is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Genappe is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ... Wavre is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Wellington.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x1111, 108 KB) The Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya File links The following pages link to this file: Enlightenment Spain ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x1111, 108 KB) The Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya File links The following pages link to this file: Enlightenment Spain ...

Armies

Main article: Order of Battle of the Waterloo Campaign

Three armies were involved in the battle: Napoleon's Armée du Nord, a multinational army under Wellington, and a Prussian army under Blücher. The French army of around 69,000 consisted of 48,000 infantry, 14,000 cavalry, and 7,000 artillery with 250 guns.^[11] Napoleon had used conscription to fill the ranks of the French army throughout his rule, but he did not conscript men for the 1815 campaign. All his troops were veterans of at least one campaign who had returned more or less voluntarily to the colours. The cavalry in particular was both numerous and formidable, and included fourteen regiments of armoured heavy cavalry and seven of highly versatile lancers. Neither Coalition army had any armoured troops at all, and Wellington had only a handful of lancers. This is the complete order of battle for the Waterloo Campaign. ... Early 16th century French gendarmes, with complete plate armour and heavy lances. ... A Lancer was a cavalry soldier who fought with a lance. ...

Wellington said he had "an infamous army, very weak and ill-equipped, and a very inexperienced Staff".^[12] His army consisted of 67,000 men; 50,000 infantry, 11,000 cavalry, and 6,000 artillery with 150 guns. Of these, 24,000 were British, with another 6,000 from the King's German Legion All these were regular troops, 7,000 of whom were Peninsular War veterans.^[13] In addition, there were 17,000 troops from the Netherlands, 11,000 from Hanover, 6,000 from Brunswick, and 3,000 from Nassau.^[14] These Coalition armies had been re-established in 1815, following the earlier defeat of Napoleon. Most of the professional soldiers in these armies had spent their careers in the armies of France or Napoleonic regimes, with the exception of some from Hanover and Brunswick who had fought with the British army in Spain. Many of the troops in the continental armies were inexperienced militia.^[15][16] Wellington was also acutely short of heavy cavalry, having only seven British and three Dutch-Belgian regiments. The Duke of York imposed many of Wellington's staff officers on him, including his second-in-command, the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge commanded the cavalry and had carte blanche from Wellington. Wellington stationed a further 17,000 troops at Hal, eight miles (11.2 km) away to the west; they were not recalled to participate in the battle. When Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on July 5, 1803 the Kurfürstentum Hannover (Electorate of Hannover) was disbanded and its army dissolved. ... For the 1862 American Civil War campaign, see Peninsula Campaign. ... The House of Hanover (the Hanoverians) is a German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, the Kingdom of Hanover and the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Brunswick-Lüneburg was an historical state within the Holy Roman Empire. ... For other uses, see Nassau (disambiguation). ... Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (Frederick Augustus) (16 August 1763 - 5 January 1827) was a member of the British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III. From 1820 until his death in 1827, he was the heir presumptive to his elder... Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey (17 May 1768–29 April 1854) was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against dErlons column during the Battle of Waterloo. ...

The Prussian army was in the throes of reorganisation. In 1815, the former Reserve fragments, Legions, and Freikorps volunteer formations from the wars of 1813 - 14 were in the process of being absorbed into the line, along with many Landwehr (militia) regiments. The Landwehr were mostly untrained and inequipped when they arrived in Belgium. The Prussian cavalry were in a similar state. ^[17] Its artillery was also reorganising and would not give its best performance - guns and equipment would continue to arrive during and after the battle. Offsetting these handicaps, however, the Prussian Army did have excellent and professional leadership in its General Staff organization. This staff system ensured that before Ligny, three-quarters of the Prussian army concentrated for battle at 24 hours' notice. After Ligny, the Prussian army, although defeated, was able to realign its supply train, reorganize itself, and intervene decisively on the Waterloo battlefield within 48 hours. ^[18] Two and a half Prussian army corps, or 48,000 men, were engaged at Waterloo by about 18:00. (Two brigades under Friedrich von Bülow, commander of IV Corps, attacked Lobau at 16:30, while Ziethen's I Corps and parts of Georg von Pirch's II Corps engaged at about 18:00.) The Landwehr was a type of militia found in 19th- and early 20th-century Europe. ... Freiherr Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow, Count of Dennewitz (February 16, 1755 - February 25, 1816), Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars, born at Falkenberg in the Altmark; he was the elder brother of the foregoing. ... Georges Mouton, count of Lobau (February 21, 1770 - November 21, 1838) was a Marshal of France born in Pfalzburg, Lorraine who enlisted in the French army in 1792. ...

Battlefield

The famous morne plaine described by Victor Hugo and the Lions' Hillock.

The Waterloo position was a strong one. It consisted of a long ridge running east-west, perpendicular to and bisected by the main road to Brussels. Along the crest of the ridge ran the Ohain road, a deep sunken lane. Near the crossroads with the Brussels road was a large elm tree that was roughly in the centre of Wellington's position and served as his command post for much of the day. Wellington deployed his infantry in a line just behind the crest of the ridge following the Ohain road. Using the reverse slope, as he had many times previously, nowhere could Wellington's strength actually be seen by the French except for his skirmishers and artillery.^[19] The length of front of the battlefield was also relatively short at two and a half miles (4 km). This allowed Wellington to draw up his forces in depth, which he did in the centre and on the right, all the way towards the village of Braine-l'Alleud, in the expectation that the Prussians would reinforce his left during the day.^[20] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2305 KB) Document publié avec laccord de lauteur (Jean-Pol Grandmont). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2305 KB) Document publié avec laccord de lauteur (Jean-Pol Grandmont). ... Victor-Marie Hugo (IPA: (26 February 1802 — 22 May 1885) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights campaigner, and perhaps the most influential exponent of the Romantic movement in France. ... Ohain is a town in the Belgian municipality of Lasne, located in the province of Walloon Brabant. ... Tennysons Lane, a picturesque sunken lane on Blackdown named in memory of the poet. ... Species See Elm species, varieties, cultivars and hybrids Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees making up the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Indonesia, Mexico to Japan. ... Braine-lAlleud (Dutch:Eigenbrakel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. ...

In front of the ridge, there were three positions that could be fortified. On the extreme right was the chateau, garden, and orchard of Hougoumont. This was a large and well-built country house, initially hidden in trees. The house faced north along a sunken, covered lane (or hollow way) along which it could be supplied. On the extreme left was the hamlet of Papelotte. Both Hougoumont and Papelotte were fortified and garrisoned, and thus anchored Wellington's flanks securely. Papelotte also commanded the road to Wavre that the Prussians would use to send reinforcements to Wellington's position. On the western side of the main road, and in front of the rest of Wellington's line, was the farmhouse and orchard of La Haye Sainte, which was garrisoned with 400 light infantry of the King's German Legion.^[21] On the opposite side of the road was a disused sand quarry, where the 95th Rifles were posted as sharpshooters. This position presented a formidable challenge to an attacker. Any attempt to turn Wellington's right would entail taking the entrenched Hougoumont position; any attack on his right centre would mean the attackers would have to march between enfilading fire from Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. On the left, any attack would also be enfiladed by fire from La Haye Sainte and its adjoining sandpit, and any attempt at turning the left flank would entail fighting through the streets and hedgerows of Papelotte, and some very wet ground.^[22] View on the Hougoumont farm from the north Château dHougoumont is a large farmhouse situated at the bottom of an escarpment near the Nivelles road. ... La Haye Sainte (sacred hedge) is a walled farmhouse compound at the foot of an escarpment on the Charleroi-Brussels road. ... When Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on July 5, 1803 the Kurfürstentum Hannover (Electorate of Hannover) was disbanded and its army dissolved. ... In 1800 an Experimental Corps of Rifllemen were raised by Colonel Coote-Manningham and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon William Stewart, drawn from officers and other ranks from drafts of a variety of British regiments. ...

The French army formed on the slopes of another ridge to the south. Napoleon could not see Wellington's positions, so he drew his forces up symmetrically about the Brussels road. On the right was I Corps under d'Erlon with 16,000 infantry and 1,500 cavalry, plus a cavalry reserve of 4,700. On the left was II Corps under Reille with 13,000 infantry, and 1,300 cavalry, and a cavalry reserve of 4,600. In the centre about the road south of La Belle Alliance a reserve including Lobau's VI Corps with 6,000 men, the 13,000 infantry of the Imperial Guard, and a cavalry reserve of 2,000.^[23] In the right rear of the French position was the substantial village of Plancenoit, and at the extreme right, the Bois de Paris wood. Napoleon initially commanded the battle from Rossomme farm, where he could see the entire battlefield, but moved to a position near an inn, La Belle Alliance, early in the afternoon. Command on the battlefield (which was largely hidden from him) was delegated to Ney.^[24] dErlon, 1815 Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte dErlon (July 29, 1765-January 25, 1844) was a marshal of France and a soldier in Napoleons Army. ... Honoré Charles Michel Joseph Reille (September 1, 1775 - March 4, 1860) was a Marshal of France, born in Antibes. ... Grognard of the Old Guard in 1813 The Imperial Guard (French:Garde impériale) was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. ... Placenoit is a Belgian village which was a key strategic point during the Battle of Waterloo Category: ...

Battle

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher

Wellington rose around 02:00 or 03:00 on the morning of 18 June, and wrote letters until dawn. He had written to Blücher confirming with him that he would give battle at Mont St Jean provided Blücher would provide him with at least a corps, otherwise he would retreat towards Brussels. At a late-night council, Blücher's chief of staff, August Neidhardt von Gneisenau, was distrustful of Wellington, but Blücher persuaded him that they should march to join Wellington's army. In the morning Wellington received dispatches from Blücher promising him three corps.^[25] After 06:00 Wellington was out supervising the deployment of his forces. The Prussian IV Corps under Bülow was designated to lead the march to Waterloo as it was in the best shape, having not been involved in the Battle of Ligny. Although they had not taken casualties, IV Corps had been marching for two days covering the retreat of the other three corps of the Prussian army from the battlefield of Ligny. They had been posted farthest away from the battlefield and progress was very slow. The roads were in poor condition after the night's heavy rain, and Bülow's men had to pass through the congested streets of Wavre, along with 88 pieces of corps artillery. Matters were not helped by a fire which broke out in Wavre and blocked several streets along Bülow's intended route. As a result, the last part of the corps left at 10:00, six hours after the leading elements had moved out towards Waterloo. Bülow's men would be followed to Waterloo first by I Corps and then by II Corps.^[26] Image File history File linksMetadata Blücher. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Blücher. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... August Wilhelm Antonius Graf[1] Neidhardt von Gneisenau (27 October 1760 – 23 August 1831) was a Prussian field marshal. ... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ...

Napoleon breakfasted off silver at Le Caillou, the house where he had spent the night. When Soult suggested that Grouchy should be recalled to join the main force, Napoleon said, "Just because you have all been beaten by Wellington, you think he's a good general. I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad troops, and this affair is nothing more than eating breakfast."^[27] Later, on being told by his brother, Jerome, of some gossip between British officers (overheard by a waiter at a lunch at 'King of Spain Inn' in Genappe) that the Prussians were to march over from Wavre, Napoleon declared that the Prussians would need at least two days to recover and would be dealt with by Grouchy.^[28] Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia (November 15, 1784 - June 24, 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him King of Westphalia (1807-1813). ...

Napoleon had delayed the start of the battle owing to the sodden ground, which would have made manoeuvring cavalry and artillery difficult. In addition, many of his forces had bivouacked well to the south of La Belle Alliance. At 10:00, in answer to a dispatch he had received from Grouchy six hours earlier, he sent a dispatch telling Grouchy to "head for Wavre [to Grouchy's north] in order to draw near to us [to the west of Grouchy]" and then "push before him" the Prussians to arrive at Waterloo "as soon as possible".^[29]

At 11:00, Napoleon drafted his general order. Jerome's corps would make an initial attack on Hougoumont, which Napoleon expected would draw in Wellington's reserves, since its loss would threaten his communications with the sea. A grande batterie of the reserve artillery of I, II, and VI Corps was to bombard the centre of Wellington's position from about 13:00. D'Erlon's corps then would attack Wellington's left, break through, and roll up his line from east to west. In his memoirs, Napoleon wrote that his intention was to separate Wellington's army from the Prussians and drive it back towards the sea.^[30] Grand Battery (Grande Batterie, meaning big or great battery) was a French artillery tactic of the Napoleonic wars. ...

Hougoumont

Main article: Hougoumont

Andrieux, The Battle of Waterloo.

Wellington recorded in his dispatches that "at about ten o'clock [Napoleon] commenced a furious attack upon our post at Hougoumont".^[31] Other sources state that this attack was at about 11:30.^[32] The historian Andrew Roberts notes that "It is a curious fact about the Battle of Waterloo that no one is absolutely certain when it actually began".^[33] The house and its immediate environs were defended by four light companies of Guards and the wood and park by Hanoverian Jäger and the 1/2nd^[34] Nassau.^[35] The initial attack by Bauduin's brigade emptied the wood and park, but was driven back by heavy British artillery fire and cost Bauduin his life. As the British guns were distracted into a duel with French artillery, a second attack by Soye's brigade and what had been Bauduin's succeeded in reaching the north gate of the house. Some French troops managed to get into its courtyard before the gate was secured again. The 2nd Coldstream Guards and 2/3rd Foot Guards then arrived and repulsed this attack. Château dHougomont is a large farmhouse situated at the bottom of an escarpment near the Nivelles road. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 463 pixel Image in higher resolution (1400 × 811 pixel, file size: 165 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Clément-Auguste Andrieux: , 1852 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 463 pixel Image in higher resolution (1400 × 811 pixel, file size: 165 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Clément-Auguste Andrieux: , 1852 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are... Foot guards is a term used to describe elite infantry regiments. ... Jäger (plural also Jäger, both pronounced as the surname Yeager) is a German word for hunter. In English it is often written with the plural Jägers, or as jaeger (pl. ... The Coldstream Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division. ...

Gate on the north side assaulted by the 1st Legere who were led by sous-lieutenant Legros.^[36]

Fighting continued around Hougoumont all afternoon, with its surroundings heavily invested with French light infantry, and coordinated attacks sent against the troops behind Hougoumont. Wellington's army defended the house and the hollow way running north from it. In the afternoon, Napoleon personally ordered the house to be shelled to set it on fire,^[37] resulting in the destruction of all but the chapel. Du Plat's brigade of the King's German Legion was brought forward to defend the hollow way, which they had to do without any senior officers, and were then relieved by the 71st Foot, a Scottish infantry regiment. Adam's brigade, further reinforced by Hew Halkett's 3rd Hanoverian Brigade, successfully repulsed further infantry and cavalry attacks sent by Reille, and Hougoumont held out until the end of the battle. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 938 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gate at the north side I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 938 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gate at the north side I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms...

The Hougoumont battle has often been characterised as a diversionary attack to draw in Wellington's reserves that then escalated into an all-day battle and drew in French reserves instead.^[40] In fact, there is a good case that both Napoleon and Wellington thought Hougoumont was key to the battle. Hougoumont was a part of the battlefield that Napoleon could see clearly,^[41] and he continued to direct resources towards it and its surroundings all afternoon (33 battalions in all, 14,000 troops). Similarly, though the house never contained a large number of troops, Wellington devoted 21 battalions (12,000 troops) over the course of the afternoon to keeping the hollow way open to allow fresh troops and ammunition to be admitted to the house. He also moved several artillery batteries from his hard-pressed centre to support Hougoumont.^[42]

First French infantry attack

Map of the battle. Napoleon's units are in blue, Wellington's in red, Blücher's in grey

The 80 guns of Napoleon's grande batterie drew up in the centre. These opened fire at 11:50, according to Lord Hill (commander of the Anglo-allied II Corps),^[43] while other sources put the time between noon and 13:30.^[44] The grande batterie was too far back to aim accurately, and the only other troops they could see were part of the Dutch division (the others were employing Wellington's characteristic "reverse slope defence".^[45] In addition, the soft ground prevented the cannon balls from bouncing far, and the French gunners covered Wellington's entire deployment, so the density of hits was low. The idea was not to cause a large amount of physical damage, however, but in the words of Napoleon's orders, "to astonish the enemy and shake his morale".^[45] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x790, 94 KB)Map of the Battle of Waterloo, 18 June 1815, showing major movements and attacks. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x790, 94 KB)Map of the Battle of Waterloo, 18 June 1815, showing major movements and attacks. ... Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill (1772 - 1842) was a soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars as a subordinate to the Duke of Wellington. ... A reverse slope defence is a positioning technique characterised by the location of defensive forces on a slope of a hill, ridge, or mountain that descends away from the enemy. ...

At about 13:00, Napoleon saw the first columns of Prussians around the village of Chapelle St Lambert, four or five miles (three hours' march for an army) away from his right flank.^[46] Napoleon's reaction was to send a message to Grouchy telling him to come towards the battlefield and attack the arriving Prussians.^[47] Grouchy, however, had been executing Napoleon's previous orders to follow the Prussians "with your sword against his back" towards Wavre, and was by now too far away to reach Waterloo. Grouchy was advised by his subordinate, Gérard, to "march to the sound of the guns", but stuck to his orders and engaged the Prussian III Corps rear guard under the command of Lieutenant-General Baron Johann von Thielmann at the Battle of Wavre. Painting of Étienne Maurice, comte Gérard, marshal of France by Jacques-Louis David Étienne Maurice Gérard (April 4, 1773 - April 17, 1852), French general, was born at Damvilliers (Meuse). ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... For other uses, see Baron (disambiguation). ... Johann Adolf, freiherr von Thielmann (1765-1824), Prussian cavalry soldier, was born at Dresden. ... Combatants First French Empire Prussia Commanders Marshal Grouchy Johann von Thielmann Strength 33,000, 80 cannons[1] 17,000, 48 cannons[1] Casualties 2,500[1] 2,500[1] Hundred Days Quatre Bras – Ligny – Waterloo – Wavre Map of the Waterloo campaign In the Battle of Wavre a Prussian rearguard was...

A little after 13:00, I Corps' attack began. D'Erlon, like Ney, had encountered Wellington in Spain, and was aware of the British commander's favoured tactic of using massed short-range musketry to drive off infantry columns. Rather than use the usual nine-deep French columns deployed abreast of one another, therefore, each division advanced in closely-spaced battalion lines behind one another. This allowed them to concentrate their fire,^[48] but it did not leave room for them to change formation.

The formation was initially effective. Its leftmost division, under Donzelot, advanced on La Haye Sainte. While one battalion engaged the defenders from the front, the following battalions fanned out to either side and, with the support of two brigades of cuirassiers, succeeded in isolating the farmhouse. The Prince of Orange saw that La Haye Sainte had been cut off, and tried to reinforce it by sending forward the Hanoverian Lüneberg Battalion in line. Cuirassiers concealed in a fold in the ground caught and destroyed it in minutes, and then rode on past La Haye Sainte almost to the crest of the ridge, where they covered d'Erlon's left flank as his attack developed. Cuirass (French cuirasse, Latin coriaceus, made of leather, from corium, the original breastplate being of leather), the plate armour, whether formed of a single piece of metal or other rigid material or composed of two or more pieces, which covers the front of the wearers person. ...

At about 13:30, d'Erlon started to advance his three other divisions, some 14,000 men over a front of about 1,000 metres (1,094 yd) against Wellington's weak left wing.^[49] They faced 6,000 men: the first line consisted of the Dutch 2nd division, the second of British and Hanoverian troops under Sir Thomas Picton, who were lying down in dead ground behind the ridge. All had suffered badly at Quatre Bras; in addition, the Dutch brigade under Bijlandt, posted towards the centre of the battlefield, had deployed on the forward slope and had been exposed to the artillery battery.^[50] Sir Thomas Picton (August, 1758-June 18, 1815) was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General. ...

As the French advanced, Bijlandt's brigade withdrew to the sunken lane, and then, with nearly all their officers dead or wounded, left the battlefield, leaving just their Belgian battalion, the 7th.^[51][52] D'Erlon's men began to ascend the slope, and as they did so, Picton's men stood up and opened fire. The French infantry returned fire and successfully pressured Wellington's troops; although the attack faltered at the centre of Wellington's position,^[53] the left wing started to crumble. Picton was killed and the British and Hanoverian troops began to give way under the pressure of numbers.

Charge of the British heavy cavalry

At this crucial juncture, Uxbridge ordered his two brigades of British heavy cavalry, formed unseen behind the ridge, to charge in support of the hard-pressed infantry. The 1st Brigade, known as the Household Brigade, commanded by Major-General Edward Somerset (Lord Somerset), consisted of 'guards regiments': the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards (the Blues), and the 1st 'King's' Dragoon Guards. The 2nd Brigade, also known as the Union Brigade, commanded by Major-General Sir William Ponsonby, was so called as it consisted of an English (1st, 'The Royals'), a Scottish (2nd, 'Scots Greys'), and an Irish (6th, 'Inniskilling') regiment of heavy dragoons. Over twenty years of warfare had eroded the numbers of suitable cavalry mounts available on the European continent; this resulted in the British heavy cavalry entering the 1815 campaign with the finest horses of any contemporary cavalry arm. They also received excellent mounted swordsmanship training. They were, however, inferior to the French in manoeuvring in large formations, cavalier in attitude, and unlike the infantry had scant experience of warfare. According to Wellington, they had little tactical ability or nous (common sense).^[54] The two brigades had a likely combined field strength of about 2,000, and they charged with the forty-seven-year-old Uxbridge leading them and little reserve.^[55][56][57] Lord Robert Edward Henry Somerset G.C.B. (December 19, 1776 - September 1, 1842) was a British soldier. ... The 1st Regiment of Life Guards was the first of two regiments of Household Cavalry which were amalgamated in 1922 to form the Life Guards. ... Life Guards on parade The Life Guards is the senior cavalry regiment of the British Army. ... The Royal Horse Guards (RHG) was a Household Cavalry regiment of the British Army. ... For other uses, see Dragoon (disambiguation). ... Major-General Sir William Ponsonby (1772-1815) was the second son of William, 1st Baron Ponsonby, of Imokilly, County Cork and Louisa Molesworth. ... The Scots Greys was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1678 until 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Waless Dragoon Guards) to form The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys). ... Nous (Νους) is a Greek word (pronounced noose), that corresponds to the English words intelligence, intellect, or mind. ...

The Household Brigade charged down the hill in the centre of the battlefield. The French brigade of cuirassiers guarding d'Erlon's left flank were still dispersed, and so were swept over the deeply sunken main road and then routed.^[58] The sunken lane acted as a trap which funnelled the flight of the French horsemen to their own right, away from the British cavalry. Some of the cuirassiers then found themselves hemmed in by the steep sides of the sunken lane, with a confused mass of their own infantry in front of them, the 95th Rifles firing at them from the north side of the lane, and Somerset's heavy cavalry still pressing them from behind.^[59] The novelty of fighting armoured foes impressed the British cavalrymen, as was recorded by the commander of the Household Brigade.

Continuing their attack, the squadrons on the left of the Household Brigade then destroyed Aulard's brigade. Despite attempts to recall them, however, they continued past La Haye Sainte and found themselves at the bottom of the hill on blown horses facing Schmitz's brigade formed in squares. An infantry square is a battle tactic of infantry when faced with cavalry. ...

The Sunken Road at Waterloo, by Stanley Berkley

To their left, the Union Brigade suddenly swept through the infantry lines (giving rise to the legend that some of the 92nd Gordon Highland Regiment clung onto their stirrups and accompanied them into the charge).^[61] From the centre leftwards, the Royal Dragoons destroyed Bourgeois' brigade, capturing the eagle of the 105th Ligne. The Inniskillings routed the other brigade of Quoit's division, and the Greys destroyed most of Nogue's brigade, capturing the eagle of the 45th Ligne.^[62] On Wellington's extreme left, Durutte's division had time to form squares and fend off groups of Greys. Download high resolution version (1800x1008, 372 KB)The Sunken Road at Waterloo, painting by Stanley Berkley, from A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year, Edwin Emerson, Jr. ... Download high resolution version (1800x1008, 372 KB)The Sunken Road at Waterloo, painting by Stanley Berkley, from A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year, Edwin Emerson, Jr. ...

As with the Household Cavalry, the officers of the Royals and Inniskillings found it very difficult to rein back their troops, who lost all cohesion. James Hamilton, commander of the Greys (who were supposed to form a reserve) ordered a continuation of the charge to the French grande batterie. Though the Greys had neither the time nor means to disable the cannon or carry them off, they put very many out of action as the gun crews fled the battlefield.^[63] James Inglis (Anderson) Hamilton (1777-1815) was a Colonel in the British Army killed at the Battle of Waterloo. ...

Napoleon promptly responded by ordering a counter-attack by the cuirassier brigades of Farine and Travers and Jaquinot's two lancer regiments in the I Corps light cavalry division. The result was very heavy losses for the British cavalry.^[64] All figures quoted for the losses of the cavalry brigades as a result of this charge are estimates, as casualties were only noted down after the day of the battle and were for the battle as a whole.^[65][66] Some historians believe the official rolls tend to overestimate the number of cavalrymen present in their squadrons on the field of battle and that the proportionate losses were, as a result, considerably higher than the official numbers might suggest.^[67] The Union Brigade lost heavily in both officers and men killed (including its commander, William Ponsonby, and Colonel Hamilton the of the Scots Greys) and wounded. The 2nd Life Guards and the King's Dragoon Guards of the Household Brigade also lost heavily (with Colonel Fuller, commander of the King's DG, killed), though the 1st Life Guards, on the extreme right of the charge, and the Blues, who formed a reserve, had kept their cohesion, and suffered significantly fewer casualties. A counter-charge, by British and Dutch-Belgian light dragoons and hussars on the left wing and Dutch-Belgian carabiniers in the centre, repelled the French cavalry back to their positions.^[68][69] An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... A British Hussar from the Crimean War Hussar (original Hungarian spelling: huszár, plural huszárok, Polish: Husaria) refers to a number of types of cavalry used throughout Europe since the 15th century. ... A Carabinier (also sometimes spelled Carabineer) was a cavalry soldier armed with a carbine (a short rifle). ...

Many popular histories suggest that the British heavy cavalry were destroyed as a viable force following their first, epic charge. Examination of eyewitness accounts reveals, however, that far from being ineffective, they continued to provide very valuable services. They counter-charged French cavalry numerous times (both brigades),^[70] halted a combined cavalry and infantry attack (Household Brigade only),^[71][72] and were used to bolster the morale of those units in their vicinity at times of crisis, and to fill gaps in the Anglo-allied line caused by high casualties in infantry formations (both brigades).^[73] This service was rendered at a very high cost, as close combat with French cavalry, carb