The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815

Quatre Bras was the battle that turned a campaign – a tale of triumph and disaster. The Battle of Quatre Bras 1815is not only a significant addition to the written history of the Napoleonic Wars, it is also the first English language account to focus solely on this crucial battle of the Waterloo campaign. Mike Robinson’s compelling account is based on extensive original research and includes many unpublished personal accounts from all the participating nations. The author combines this testimony with an unparalleled study of the topography of the battlefield and deep knowledge of Napoleonic warfare to tell the story of a battle where commanders made errors of omission and commission and where cowardice rubbed shoulders with heroism. Above all, it is the story of the intense human experience of those who participated in the events of those two fateful days in June 1815. A work of impressive scholarship … meticulously but not excessively referenced … well-mapped and beautifully illustrated – The book deserves a place on the shelves with the great historians of the battle of the first rank which followed it. The Spectator