Some truth in this people who bought their commissions didn't always know what to do with them. While many were good, but a lot were bad Wellington (the REAL one) said of his generals "I only hope that when the enemy reads the list of their names, he trembles as I do."
The whole Chosen Man crew could kill any Frenchman with just 2 blocks with the rifle barrel and a kick. We've all seen it, those lads kicked more Frenchman to death than even Napoleon.
What I don't understand about this, is the best defense against horses is getting among trees, which cuts down their speed and maneuverability. It would also hide you from the cannons. When the commander yells "form square", they don't do it where they're standing, they run toward the trees, they just should have kept going another few feet and been out of sight of all 3 enemies, the guns, the cavalry, and Silly Billy.
correct, but keep in mind that there were instances of line repelling cavalry, as was the case at Minden in 1759, though this was rare, and often very bloody.
The only way to deal with cavalry during that period was to form square, as the cavalry could not penetrate squares as the fence caused by the bayonets of the infantry was completely impenetrable by the horses. Because of Orange's inexperience, forming the infantry into line was death for them. Sharpe and Harper sent them into the trees, while the Officers of the Volunteers attempted to protect the men so they could get into cover
What?! Wellington wasnt "Luck" it was his job to hold the French (Even though he had a significantly smaller army). And he done what needed to be done....hold off the French.
You've right about most historian regarding the Prince of Orange as being brave and competent in the battle. But I think you have the wrong biases it has more to do with the "prince" and less to do with the Dutch. They actually show almost most rich offices and commanders people as dumb in Sharpe, the wealthier they are the dumber and or cowardly they get, or just evil.
To remain in square under artillery fire is also pretty bad,they should have retreated that position in square,to avoid surprize of a cuirassier charge.
@rifal004 The musket with bayonet wasn't long enough. They would ride you down. It took infantry in squares or lancers with long lances to truly handle cavalry.
@mwillis1000, Wellington held on, but only by a hair. Everything depended on the Prussians. Luck played a huge part for the Allies at Waterloo, just as Napoleon won at Marengo only because of Desaix's lucky timing. At Friedland, Jean Lannes was in no serious situation, and he had a much smaller force than the Russians.
@Pandemonius88, yes, Welly came up victorious, but only because of the Prussians. No matter what he did, Napoleon was about to win anyway at the end of the day. His exhausted army was overwhelmed on the right flank by the fresh Prussian reinforcements.
The chap in the top hat and tails sat within Wellington's staff, I think that's Nathan Rothschild. I love how they purposely add things like that in. :)
In reality, French Cuirassiers did capture a British color at Quatre Bras. At Waterloo, French captured six standards while the Allies only took two eagles
@mwillis1000, I know several commanders who held off superior numbers for a longer period of time than Wellington did. Marshal Jean Lannes held off the entire Russian army at Friedland for 11 hours across the Alle river with only 10,000 men, until Napoleon arrived with the main army. Bennigsen held off the French army at Eylau for 14 hours but was forced to withdraw as a result of Murat's massive cavalry charge.
ah, sweet, it's the Prince of Wales Own, the old South Essex regiment, and for once they have a competent colonel in command. to bad the Prince of Orange's military skills are non-existent. ah shit, they lost the Colours again! this regiment has bad luck with colours
@expertstrategy Your totally missing a crucial point. Napoleon had an army of almost 70 000 experienced veterans, whilst Wellington had measly 7000 veterans in his whole force. Napoleon's army was FAR stronger. Saying that Wellington needed the Prussians to win does not lessen his victory in any way. Napoleon knew this and ingeniously split the two ally's apart. But despite the uneven odds, Napoleon could not defeat Wellington's far inferior force before the Prussians got there.
Napoleon and ingeniously don't really belong in the same sentence. You know how in the 1940's everyone thought the German army was much more mechanised and good at fighting than it turned out to be, they just had brilliant propaganda? Something very similar with Bonaparte. The man butchered a LOT of people, both his followers and random innocents, but tactically he was a beginner level chess player. If you don't believe me, go look at the history yourself, see not only where he fought but WHO he fought against and the odds. The man was a useless leader, hence why he lost over and over again against proffesional soldiers.
@@guypierson5754 @Guy Pierson replying to a 9 year old comment, very weird experience haha. There are people that are both evil and ingenious, unfortunately. The WW2 German army was advanced tech-wise. They just ALSO relied on horse power a lot. Boney clearly wasn't useless seeing as he succesfully invaded half of Europe... BTW I don't particularly care about Boney. Just speaking common sense. What's more, you are replying to a reply I gave to someone else, which neither of us can see anymore. Por que?
@PhinfanUK probabaly him, his baggage didnt turn up thats why he fought like that, think he caught a cannonball when leading an infantry advance at waterloo
@sturmman89 ah but Napoleon was a great man, he did some things that helped, not many of course a great leader, able to use propagnda in a way noone was using it in the end, in mind an body he was sick and wats wrong with family loyalty? his downfall was due to the continental blockade, thats what killed his people, ruined lives
@Jouhanimou DAMNIT!! now the Prince of Orange has lost the king's colors. and dare i say it, in a bigger fiascko that Simmerson!! Orange makes him look like a giniouse!!
Man this is so unrealistic, so at 7:30 Sharpe taps a Cuirassier on the armor and he just falls over dead? Why do the French even bother wearing armor if at any moment Sharpe can just smote them with lazerbeams from his eyes?
@expertstrategy Well obviously the Prussians and English needed each other to make up the numbers...but Napoleon knew this, outmaneuvered the ally armies, separating them and expected to defeat Wellington easily before the Prussians could arrive...which he failed to do. I don't know which general was overall better...but Wellington beat Napoleon when they fought, with a smaller army.
@sturmman89 yeah, except none of the things he did were considered completely unreasonable at the time. morals and ethic change with the culture, at that time it was different.
@Pandemonius88, Welly can thank the Prussians for saving his army and delivering the death blow for him. it takes more than brains to defeat Napoleon, it literally takes sheer numbers to even the odds. Napoleon virtually defeated welly until fresh reinforcements arrived on his right flank. I don't see Welly as the better commander for obvious reasons which everybody should be able to know.
@sturmman89 Cromwell was more of a dick than Napoleon was, though Napoleon is still one of the greatest villains in world history, and certainly more global than Cromwell who stayed in the United Kingdom.
@expertstrategy How could Wellington hold them off any longer, the Prussians had already arrived, so he couldnt hold them off any longer see? But he was there to hold the French and make sure he wasnt beaten, wait for the Prussians and together beat the ~French, he did this.
In real life he would have got court martialled long ago. Totally innacurate in an historical sense. You answer to your superior not the other way around. Sometimes they may ask a lower officer's opinion, but the lower absolutalely could not do this, it would be seen as a imbecillic stunt during a very important battle like this.
Because he only answers to Wellington, and trusted Wellington to defend him. He is also a well known war hero back home, absolutely idolized by both the Regent himself and fresh bloods such as Doggett and Harry Price.
