Imagine replaying the battle of Waterloo with 3,000 figures on a finely detailed table. Now imagine if those figures were life-sized and moved of their accord, the cannon with smoke belching thunder issuing from their brazen throats, muskets popping, the horses whinnying, all the sounds and sights of battle assaulting the senses. Finally imagine that all this takes place on the site where the original battle was fought to the day, 180 years ago. It is indeed Waterloo, day of battle, to paraphrase a great book's title.
On June 18th, 1995 over 50,000 camera and video toting spectators gathered to watch more than 3,000 gaily costumed reenactors recreate the grand finale to Napoleon I's dream of European domination. And I was there. My name is Eric Schultz, and I'm a reenactor. Actually I prefer the term living historian applied to my hobby. but no matter. This is my short personal diary of Waterloo: the Day of Living History. But first some background on how I came to be in the ranks at Waterloo.
In November of 1994. 1 joined the British 4th Regiment of Foot (Kings Own) to attend this event. I am no stranger to reenacting, I use to oversee Hampdens Legion, a CSA unit that reenacts at Fort Tejon near Gorman CA. but this was something different. In the next six months. most of my spare time was taken up with organizing the unit, obtaining authentic uniforms, making items that were not available and planning a trip to Europe for 20 men and their women decked out in historic period clothing, with all a soldier's accouterments including Brown Besses and bayonets. Scott Bendle was the Sergeant of the Unit. and was responsible for coordinating a tremendous amount of details in a small amount of time. (Remember we all hold day jobs.) By June 15th most of the details were completed though we still spent the night before the event sewing on uniform trim, and attaching regimental plates to our Belgic shakos. Our unit was housed at school in Wavre, the Napoleonic Association helped by providing meals, housing and bus transportation during the event.
After arriving in Belgium. we were sent to our staging area in Wavre. The actual event began on the morning of June 17th. with a parade through the town of Waterloo. Afterward the Association provided lunch, which consisted of Chicken McNuggets. or Mickey Dee's hamburger. How ironic, we had traveled 4.000 miles to lunch on American fast food. After lunch, my unit was returned to Wavre to prepare for dinner. (Full dress regimentals no doubt. Ed ] Dinner was interesting. It was held at the Waterloo Sports Facility. were unit members from England. Canada. Australia, New Zealand. France. Italy, Spain. Germany, Russia, Poland, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium gathered to eat together (They may have been additional countries as well, but people from the aforementioned nations are the only ones with who I had contact.)
Things really began rolling when the Iron Duke (Wellington) finished addressing the troops assembled, and the British and their allies immediately started to sing "God Save the King." The Monsieurs in attendance, not to be outdone, chimed back with "La Marseillaise." This songfest continued with first period British songs followed by French military tunes. Finall the reception was at an end, and we went a-foraging for a watering hole in Waterloo. The unit, accompanied by 2nd Foot, (The Buffs, who were real Englishmen) and Welshmen from the 23rd Welsh Fusilers crammed into an establishment called the Wellington Snookers. After countless pints of beer, the unit returned to Wavre at 1:00 AM, to snatch a few precious hours of rest before the battle.
[Wellesey was right, solders in the British army did enlist for drink! Ed]
THE BATTLE
June 18th, Sunday 6:00 AM: Sky drizzling. Wake up, dress in uniform, get breakfast. Breakfast consists of hard rolls, butter, cold cuts. Grab a cup of coffee, then catch the wagon for the battlefield.
7:00 AM on our way to the field.
8:30 AM. We disembark and march onto the field. Where we stop is near Hougemount on the unit's right. On our left is the Lion ',Mound and Mount. St. Jean. We are deployed in the exact spot were the British formed squares a inst Ne 's impetuous cavalry charges 180 years fore.
10:00 AM. We practice forming square. Still drizzling. The ground is a sea of mud my boots are almost being sucked from my feet as we maneuver.
10:30 AM. The French arrive, columns pouring onto the field. Tricolors float above the imperial columns.
11:00 AM They are deploying artillery to our front. Pretty soon now, it's stopped drizzling.
11:30 AM. French artillery fires, the Duke of Wellington player repeats his historic line and the grand ball opens.
11:45 they have deployed skirmishers in front of us, brigade's light company counters. We move to the back of Le Have Saint.
12:00 PM French form into attack columns and prepare to assault the replicable of Hougemont. The Buffs move off to support the defenders. Attack columns number 300 each and are impressive as they move forward.
12:45 PM The French attack reaches Lc Haye Saint. The Kings Own move forward. to give the defenders fire support
Approx 1:00 PM. Cuirassiers! We are forced into square, and beat off an attack. There are only twenty, but those twenty look awesome. (Remember we number 20 as well.)
Approx 1:25 PM the attack on the farm continues, but the Prussians have commenced their flank attack, Blucher has arrived and begins to roll up the French right.
Approx. 1:45 PM. The Guard takes Le Haye Saint, but our constant platoon fire breaks them up and then forces them back, Wellington waves his hat and we began a general advance. At this point I take hit and is left behind. A woman approaches me with a water barrel. I take a swig and find out that I have imbibed a half gill of gin! Nothing like gin to revive the dead. I catch up to my unit in the general advance at the end of the battle. We shake hands with our gallant French foes, and all march over to the Lion's Mound for a brunch of French Bread and Cheese.
This repast completed (who says an army doesn't march on its stomach) we reform' and march back, parading through Waterloo.
3:00 PM, the 180th anniversary reenactment of Waterloo is over.
We are now planning to return to 185th reenactment in the year 2000. If you are interested in joining our unit, or wish to have more information about the event, write me at
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