Waterloo New Perspectives: The Great Battle Reappraised
Author: David Hamilton-Williams
Pages: 416
Illustrations: 66 black and white illustrations and photos in three glossy folios
Maps: 13 campaign and battle maps in one folio, 4 maps in text
Footnotes: 693 listings in 36 pages
Appendices: 3, including Napoleon's and Wellington's initial campaign orders along with a nice chart displaying Anglo-Allied orders and troop movements by various formations
Bibliography: Contained in footnotes
Index: 427 listings in 9 pages
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Publication Date: 1994
Binding: Cloth (hardcover)
ISBN: 0-471-05225-6
Price: $27.95
Summary: This book sets out to be controversial and revisionist with mixed results in its hopes to be a sweeping reappraisal of the way we look at the events of the Waterloo Campaign. It covers from Napoleon's arrival to his departure, and focuses in some depth on the battles that made up the campaign.

The book's introductory chapter is a vehement attack on Captain William Siborne and his famous Waterloo letters (and his model as well), which so many historians have taken as fairly reliable primary sources. Mr. Hamilton-Williams charges that Siborne's work was severely tainted by his reliance on financial contributions from the very officers whose letters and accounts he was supposed to be judging. Furthermore, Hamilton-Williams strenuously objects to the traditional disparagement of the Allied contributions to the battle, particularly of the Dutch-Belgians. Williams is shocked to discover that British primary sources have proven unreliable in their estimates!

Furthermore, Williams points out that few historians have bothered to check the actual Siborne letters themselves (now at the British Library), and have relied on the abridged version (available from Greenhill/Stackpole books - and fascinating and worthwhile despite Hamilton-Williams somewhat naive outrage about them), which Hamilton-Williams argues has been disingenuosly edited by Siborne's son. In fact, he considers the bias in Siborne's work so grotesque that he states it was "more than a bad book; it was a bad deed." As for his own views, Hamilton-Williams announces what he considers his bias to be-an unremitting antipathy toward the Bourbons, and in particular toward the unscrupulous Comte d'Artois (and all this by page 30!).

The author next sets the stage with an account of the various "conspirators and traitors" who brought the Emperor low. Depending upon your tolerance for conspiracy theory, you will find his arguments either thinly disguised apology, or an interesting and possibly dubious account of early Realpolitik. Among the villains, besides d'Artois, include other usual suspects such as Talleyrand, Fouche, Marmont, and especially General Clarke, Napoleon's Minister of War, whom the Author believes is an out and out enemy agent. Furthermore, Hamilto.n-Williams asserts that Berthier's death was no accident or suicide, but the work of nefarious anti-Bonapartists. Needless to say, the author sides with those who believe the Emperor was poisoned at St. Helena.

If the reader isn't turned off by Hamilton-Williams' early opinions, his account of the campaign and battles is in fact worthy of serious attention. It is unfortunate that the author has been so polemic and passionate in the beginning that he may have discredited the rest of his book.

To make matters worse, he routinely makes startling assertions which he presents as historical facts. For instance, I did not know that it was Metternich who arranged to leave Napoleon's escape route unblocked after the disaster at Leipzig, nor did I realize that Schwarzenberg was deliberately selected by Francis to command over Archduke Charles in order to insure Napoleon's survival! When I went to check the sources for this, I found that Mr. Hamilton-Williams had footnoted his other as of then unpublished work!

This book is full of sweeping assessments and controversial statements that are either not documented or inadequately explained. [Mr. Hamilton-Williams' various arguments and opinions-too numerous to list in the space and scope of this review - might make for interesting research articles, both pro and con, by the EE&L readership- Ed.]

When the reader finally gets to the author's actual accounts of the battles, the level of objectivity and scholarship dramatically improves. This book, in the 100 pages that cover 18 June, appears to have more insight and perspective on the battle of Waterloo than any account that has come out in years.

The inadequate appreciation of the Allied part in Wellington's success seems to be redressed here, as Mr. Hamilton-Williams appears to have done a good bit of research on that score. His assessment of the events and decisions of the four days from 14-18 June is surprisingly balanced and well-presented. His discussion of crucial tactical points is both clear and enlightening.

The account of the dissolution of the French Army in the evening, with the dramatic failure of the first wave of the Middle-Guard coupled with Zieten's breaking the hinge of the French battle line, is compelling reading. Furthermore, the maps provided with the book are not only of good quality but also are extremely useful in following along with the fine points of the battle.

The author's intention seems to be to ask the reader to re-examine previously accepted "truths" about the 1815 campaign. He has succeeded in being controversial, but fails to be convincing or conclusive because of weak documentation and a propensity for sweeping assertions.

More Napoleonic Library Book Reviews:

The Waterloo Campaign: June 1815
Waterloo New Perspectives: The Great Battle Reappraised
Colonel John R. Elting comments on some recent books
Napoleon at Dresden: The Battles of August 1813
The Used Book Lover's Guide to the South Atlantic States
How to Study and Read Military History