Greenhill Books sent the following press release--RL

Greenhill Books, London, are pleased to share with you an advance review by Colonel John R. Elting of Peter Hofschroer's 1815: THE WATERLOO CAMPAIGN: Wellington, his German Allies and the Battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras.

John Elting writes:

'Napoleon has humbugged me, by God!' said the Duke.
'He has gained twenty four hours' march on me.'

"This is the most important book on the Waterloo campaign written in many years and is an intensely researched account of how Wellington came to be so bamboozled and of the almost fatal consequences thereof."

"Since 1815 it has been an article of faith among German historians that Wellington deceived Blucher during the opening phase of the campaign, promising quick support that was actually impossible because of the tardy concentration of the British forces. So assured, Blucher stood to fight at Ligny, got whipped and - except for D'Erlon's inexplicable meandering - undoubtedly would have been completely crushed, leaving Wellington with an unpleasant assortment of alternatives including a nineteenth-century Dunkirk."

"Almost all British historians have vehemently rejected such imputations, the Duke's immaculate omniscience being a basic article of their faith. American opinion has varied but some, at least, of us have believed that, whether inadvertently or intentionally, Wellington did mislead Blucher as to when and in what strength British reinforcements might reach him."

"Peter Hofschroer believes that this deception was intentional, that Wellington deliberately risked sacrificing Blucher in order to gain time for his own fumbled concentration. He traces this Anglo-Prussian friction back to the squabbling Congress of Vienna and Wellington's role in the British effort to restrain Prussian territorial rapacity, followed by - after Napoleon's return from Elba - the two nations' competition in getting the contingents of the smaller German states for their respective armies.

Hofschroer does not whitewash Prussia: the arrogant stupidity with which Blucher and Gneisenau mishandled the Saxon troops, the sloppy Prussian staff functioning and the ramshackle state of the Prussian Army itself are presented in detail."

"The opening moves of the campaign are traced in depth, backed by exhaustive research and careful space-and-time studies. A good many myths and alibis bite the dust. It appears that the Allies were better informed of Napoleon's concentration than has been previously realised, but that Wellington badly misjudged Napoleon's probable stategy and, though promptly warned of his advance, was slow to react. If this version of Wellington seems less than omniscient, remember that the Duke never was exactly a timidly soul, and that a commander who could devastate his Portuguese ally's territory to cover his retreat into the Lines of Torres Vedras just might have been capable of considering Blucher's army an expendable rear-guard."

"Serious students of the Hundred Days may disagree entirely or in part - but they should first read this book."

Peter Hofschroer's 1815: THE WATERLOO CAMPAIGN: Wellington, his German Allies and the Battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras will be published by Greenhill Books on 15th February, coinciding with this year's Napoleonic Fair.

US distribution by Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

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