Military mobilisation during the Hundred Days
Encyclopedia
During the Hundred Days
of 1815, both the Coalition nations and the First French Empire
of Napoleon Bonaparte mobilised for war. This article describe the deployment of forces in early June 1815 just before the start of the Waterloo Campaign and the minor campaigns of 1815
.
The preceding corps were to be formed into L'Armée du Nord
(the "Army of the North") and led by Napoleon Bonaparte would participate in the Waterloo Campaign.
V Corps – Armée du Rhin (Rapp
), cantoned near Strassburg.
VII Corps – Armée des Alpes (Suchet
). Based at Lyons, this army was charged with the defence of Lyons and to observe the Austro-Sardinian army of Frimont. Its composition in June was:
I Corps of Observation – Armée du Jura Based at Belfort and commanded by General Claude Lecourbe
. This army was to observe any Austrian movement through Switzerland and also observe the Swiss army of General Bachmann. Its composition in June was:
II Corps of Observation – Armée du Var
. Based at Toulon and commanded by Marshal Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
. This army was charged with the suppression of any potential royalist uprisings and to observe General Bianchi's
Army of Naples. Its composition in June was:
III Corps of Observation – Army of the Pyrenees orientales. Based at Toulouse and commanded by General Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen. This army observed the eastern Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
IV Corps of Observation – Army of the Pyrenees occidentales. Based at Bordeaux and commanded by General Bertrand Clauzel
. This army observed the western Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
Army of the West - Armée de l'Ouest (also known as the Army of the Vendée and the Army of the Loire). Commanded by General Jean Maximilien Lamarque
, the army was formed to suppress the Royalist insurrection in the Vendée
region of France which remained loyal to King Louis XVIII
during the Hundred Days. The army contained a Young Guard Infantry brigade consisting of the 2nd Tirailleur and 2nd Voltigeur regiments and some line units detached from the other armies as well as gendarmes and volunteers. Its composition in June was:
the military resources of the European states that joined the coalition, the number of troops which they could field for active operations—without unduly diminishing the garrison and other services in their respective interiors—amounted to 986,000 men. The size of the principal invasion armies (those designated to proceed to Paris) was as follows:
, in what is now Belgium, Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
commanded a coalition army, made up of troops from the duchies of Brunswick
, and Nassau and the kingdoms of Hanover
, the Netherlands
and the United Kingdom.
In June 1815 Wellington's army of 93,000 with headquarters at Brussels were cantoned:
The Netherlands Corps, commanded by Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
did not take part in early actions of the Waterloo Campaign (it was posted to a fall back position near Braine
), but did besiege some of the frontier fortresses in the rear of Wellington's advancing army.
A Danish contingent known as the Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps commanded by General Prince Frederick of Hessen-Kassel and a Hanseatic contingent (from the free cities of Bremen, Lübeck and Hamburg) commanded by the British Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, were also on their way to join this army, both however, joined the army in July having missed the conflict.
Wellington had very much hoped to obtain a Portuguese contingent of 12-14,000 men that might be boarded on ships and sent to this army. However, this contingent never materialised, as the Portuguese government were extremely uncooperative. They explained that they did not have the authority to send the Prince Regent of Portugal's forces to war without his consent (he was still in Brazil where he had been in exile during the Peninsular War and had yet to return to Portugal). They explained this even though they themselves had signed the Treaty of March 15 without his consent. Besides this, the state of the Portuguese army in 1815 left much to be desired and were a shadow of their former self with much of it being disbanded.
The Tsar of Russia offered Wellington his II Army Corps under general Wurttemberg
, but Wellington was far from keen on accepting this contingent.
, old and recently acquired alike. Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
commanded this army with General August Neidhardt von Gneisenau as his chief of staff and second in command.
Blücher's Prussian army of 116,000 men, with headquarters at Namur
, was distributed as follows:
: Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
, Duchy of Oldenburg (state)
, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha
, Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg
, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau
, Duchy of Anhalt-Kothen
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
, Principality of Waldeck (state)
, Principality of Lippe
and the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
.
Fearing that Napoleon was going to strike him first, Blücher ordered this army to march north to join the rest of his own army. The Prussian General Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
initially commanded this army before he fell ill on June 18 and was replaced by the Hessen-Kassel General Von Engelhardt. Its composition in June was:
Total 25,000
commanded the First Russian Army. In June it consisted of the following:
Total 200,000
. Its target was Paris. This Austrian contingent was joined by those of the following nations of the German Confederation
: Kingdom of Bavaria
, Kingdom of Württemberg
, Grand Duchy of Baden
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
(Hessen-Darmstadt), Free City of Frankfurt
, Principality of Reuss Elder Line
and the Principality of Reuss Junior Line
. Besides these there were contingents of Fulda
and Isenburg
. These were recruited by the Austrians from German territories that were in the process of losing their independence by being annexed to other countries at the Congress of Vienna. Finally, these were joined by the contingents of the Kingdom of Saxony
, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
and the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. It's composition in June was:
commanded this army. This force was to observe any French forces that operated near its borders. Its composition in July was:
Total 37,000
commanded this army. Its composition in June was:
Total 50,000
commanded this army. This was the Austrian army that defeated Murat's army in the Neapolitan War
. It was not composed of Neapolitans as the army's name may suggest and as one author supposed. There was however a Sardinian force in this area forming the garrison of Nice under General d'Osasco which may have been where the other part of this misunderstanding had arisen. Its composition in June was:
Total 23,000
transported and supported by the Mediterranean Fleet of Lord Viscount Exmouth
. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon.
commanded this army.
It was planned that a second Spanish army was to invade France via Bayonne and Bordeaux. General Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
commanded this army.
Both Wellington's Despatches and his Supplementary Despatches show that neither of the Spanish armies contained any Portuguese contingents nor were they likely too, (See the section Portuguese contingent below), however both Chandler and Barbero state that the Portuguese did send a contingent.
This consisted of:
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
of 1815, both the Coalition nations and the First French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
of Napoleon Bonaparte mobilised for war. This article describe the deployment of forces in early June 1815 just before the start of the Waterloo Campaign and the minor campaigns of 1815
Minor campaigns of 1815
On 1 March 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from his imprisonment on the isle of Elba, and launched a bid to recover his empire. A confederation of European powers pledged to stop him. During the period known as the Hundred Days Napoleon chose to confront the armies of Prince Blücher and the Duke of...
.
French
Upon assumption of the throne, Napoleon found that he was left with little by the Bourbons and that the state of the Army was 56,000 troops of which 46,000 were ready to campaign. By the end of May the total armed forces available to Napoleon had reached 198,000 with 66,000 more in depots training up but not yet ready for deployment.Waterloo Campaign
By the end of May Napoleon had deployed his forces as follows:- I Corps (D'ErlonJean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'ErlonJean-Baptiste Drouet, comte d'Erlon was a marshal of France and a soldier in Napoleon's Army. D'Erlon notably commanded the I Corps of the Armée du Nord at the battle of Waterloo....
) cantonedCantonmentA cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
between LilleLilleLille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
and ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
. - II Corps (ReilleHonoré Charles ReilleHonoré Charles Michel Joseph Reille was a Marshal of France, born in Antibes.Reille served in the early campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars under Dumouriez and Masséna, whose daughter Victoire he married. In 1800, Reille was appointed commander of the Italian city of Florence...
) cantoned between ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
and AvesnesAvesnesAvesnes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:The commune is a very small village situated some 12 miles northeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer, on the D 129 E 1.-Population:-References:* -External links:*...
. - III Corps (Vandamme) cantoned around RocroiRocroiRocroi is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.The center was a fortified city, the walls of which are in the shape of a stylised star. The Battle of Rocroi was fought here.-Population:-External links:*...
. - IV Corps (GerardÉtienne Maurice GérardÉtienne Maurice Gérard, comte Gérard was a French general and statesman. He served under a succession of French governments including the ancien regime monarchy, the Revolutionary governments, the Restorations, the July Monarchy, the First and Second Republics, and the First Empire , becoming...
) cantoned at MetzMetzMetz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. - VI Corps (Lobau) cantoned at LaonLaonLaon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
. - Cavalry Reserve (GrouchyEmmanuel, marquis de GrouchyEmmanuel de Grouchy, 2ème Marquis de Grouchy was a French general and marshal.-Biography:Grouchy was born in Paris, the son of François-Jacques de Grouchy, 1st Marquis de Grouchy and intellectual wife Gilberte Fréteau de Pény . His sister was Sophie de Condorcet, a noted femininist...
) cantoned at GuiseGuiseGuise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
. - Imperial GuardImperial GuardThe Imperial Guard was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. It acted as his bodyguard and tactical reserve, and he was careful of its use in battle...
(MortierÉdouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph MortierÉdouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier, 1st Duc de Trévise was a French general and Marshal of France under Napoleon I.-Biography:...
) at Paris.
The preceding corps were to be formed into L'Armée du Nord
L'Armée du Nord
The Army of the North or Armée du Nord is a name given to several historical units of the French Army. The first was one of the French Revolutionary Armies that fought with distinction against the First Coalition from 1792 to 1795...
(the "Army of the North") and led by Napoleon Bonaparte would participate in the Waterloo Campaign.
Armies of observation
For the defence of France, Bonaparte deployed his remaining forces within France observing France's enemies, foreign and domestic, intending to delay the former and suppress the latter. By June they were organised as follows:V Corps – Armée du Rhin (Rapp
Jean Rapp
Jean Rapp was a French Army general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military,...
), cantoned near Strassburg.
- 15th Infantry Division;
- 16th, Infantry Division;
- 17th Infantry Division;
- 7th Cavalry Division;
- National Guard Division;
- 46 guns;
- Total 20,000–23,000 men.
VII Corps – Armée des Alpes (Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet
Louis Gabriel Suchet, 1st Duc d'Albufera was a Marshal of France and one of Napoleon's most brilliant generals.-Early career:...
). Based at Lyons, this army was charged with the defence of Lyons and to observe the Austro-Sardinian army of Frimont. Its composition in June was:
- 22nd Infantry Division
- 23rd Infantry Division
- 15th Cavalry Division
- 6th National Guard Division
- 7th National Guard Division
- 8th National Guard Division
- 42–46 guns
- Total 13,000–23,500 men
I Corps of Observation – Armée du Jura Based at Belfort and commanded by General Claude Lecourbe
Claude Lecourbe
Claude Jacques Lecourbe , born in Besançon, was a French general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars....
. This army was to observe any Austrian movement through Switzerland and also observe the Swiss army of General Bachmann. Its composition in June was:
- 18th Infantry Division
- 8th Cavalry Division
- 3rd National Guard Division
- 4th National Guard Division
- 38 guns
- Total 5,392–8,400 men
II Corps of Observation – Armée du Var
Armée du Var
The Army of the Var was one of the French Revolutionary armies. It was established along the River Var, the frontier between France and Piedmont, and charged with protecting Provence from invasion.In reality its name was not official...
. Based at Toulon and commanded by Marshal Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, 1st Comte Brune was a French soldier and political figure who rose to Marshal of France....
. This army was charged with the suppression of any potential royalist uprisings and to observe General Bianchi's
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza , was an Austrian general and later field marshal.-Biography:...
Army of Naples. Its composition in June was:
- 24th Infantry Division;
- 25th Infantry Division;
- 14th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment;
- 22 guns;
- Total 5,500–6,116 men.
III Corps of Observation – Army of the Pyrenees orientales. Based at Toulouse and commanded by General Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen. This army observed the eastern Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
- 26th Infantry Division;
- 5th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment;
- 24 guns;
- Total 3,516–7,600 men.
IV Corps of Observation – Army of the Pyrenees occidentales. Based at Bordeaux and commanded by General Bertrand Clauzel
Bertrand Clauzel
Bertrand, comte Clausel was a marshal of France.- Military career :Bertrand Clausel was born on 12 December 1772 at Mirepoix in the County of Foix, and served in the first campaign of the French Revolutionary Wars as one of the volunteers of 1791In June 1795, having distinguished himself...
. This army observed the western Spanish frontier. Its composition in June was:
- 27th Infantry Division
- 15th Chasseurs à Cheval Cavalry Regiment
- 24 guns
- Total 3,516–6,800 men
Army of the West - Armée de l'Ouest (also known as the Army of the Vendée and the Army of the Loire). Commanded by General Jean Maximilien Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque
Jean Maximilien Lamarque was a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament. As an opponent of the Ancien Régime, he is known for his active suppression of Royalist and Legitimist activity...
, the army was formed to suppress the Royalist insurrection in the Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
region of France which remained loyal to King Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
during the Hundred Days. The army contained a Young Guard Infantry brigade consisting of the 2nd Tirailleur and 2nd Voltigeur regiments and some line units detached from the other armies as well as gendarmes and volunteers. Its composition in June was:
- One Un-numbered Infantry Division under General Brayer;
- One Un-numbered Infantry Division under General Travot
- 24 guns;
- Total 10,000–27,000 men.
Overview
The forces at the disposal of the Seventh Coalition for an invasion of France amounted to the better part of a million men. According to the returns laid out in secret sittings at the Congress of ViennaCongress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
the military resources of the European states that joined the coalition, the number of troops which they could field for active operations—without unduly diminishing the garrison and other services in their respective interiors—amounted to 986,000 men. The size of the principal invasion armies (those designated to proceed to Paris) was as follows:
| I | Army of Upper Rhine—(Schwartzenberg), viz.: | |||
| Austrians | 150,000 | |||
| Bavarians | 65,000 | |||
| Württemberg | 25,000 | |||
| Baden | 16,000 | |||
| Hessians, etc., | 8,000 | |||
| Total | 264,000 | |||
| II | Army of Lower Rhine—(Blücher) Prussians, Saxons, etc. | 155,000 | ||
| III | Army of Flanders—(Wellington) British, Dutch, Hanoverians, Brunswickers | 155,000 | ||
| IV | First Russian Army—(Barclay de Tolly) | 168,000 | ||
| Total | 742,000 |
Wellington's Allied Army (Army of Flanders)
Cantoned in the southern part of the Kingdom of the NetherlandsKingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
, in what is now Belgium, Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
commanded a coalition army, made up of troops from the duchies of Brunswick
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
, and Nassau and the kingdoms of Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
, the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
and the United Kingdom.
In June 1815 Wellington's army of 93,000 with headquarters at Brussels were cantoned:
- I Corps (Prince of OrangeWilliam II of the NetherlandsWilliam II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
), 30,200, headquarters Braine-le-ComteBraine-le-ComteBraine-le-Comte is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut.On January 1, 2006, Braine-le-Comte had a total population of 20,305...
, disposed in the area EnghienEnghienEnghien is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
–GenappeGenappeGenappe is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On 1 January 2006 Genappe had a total population of 14,136...
–MonsMonsMons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
. - II Corps (Lord HillRowland Hill, 1st Viscount HillGeneral Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill of Almaraz GCB, GCH served in the Napoleonic Wars as a trusted brigade, division and corps commander under the command of the Duke of Wellington. He became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1829.-Early career:Educated at a school in Chester, Hill was...
), 27,300, headquarters AthAthAth is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
, distributed in the area Ath-Oudenarde–GhentGhentGhent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. - Reserve (under Wellington himself) 25,500, lay around Brussels.
- Reserve Cavalry (Lord UxbridgeHenry Paget, 1st Marquess of AngleseyField Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
) 9,900, in the valley of the Dendre river, between GeraardsbergenGeraardsbergenGeraardsbergen is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen proper and the following towns:...
and NinoveNinoveNinove is a city and municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. It is situated on the river Dender...
. - Dutch light cavalry observed the frontier in to the west of LeuzeLeuzeLeuze may refer to the following places:*Leuze-en-Hainaut, in the province of Hainaut, Belgium*Somme-Leuze, in the province of Namur, Belgium*Leuze, Aisne, in the department of Aisne, France...
and BincheBincheBinche is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Binche had a total population of 32,409. The total area is 60.66 km² which gives a population density of 534 inhabitants per km²...
The Netherlands Corps, commanded by Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau , was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia....
did not take part in early actions of the Waterloo Campaign (it was posted to a fall back position near Braine
Braine
Braine may refer to the following places:* Braine, Aisne, a commune in the department of Aisne, France* Braine-l'Alleud, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium* Braine-le-Château, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium...
), but did besiege some of the frontier fortresses in the rear of Wellington's advancing army.
A Danish contingent known as the Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps commanded by General Prince Frederick of Hessen-Kassel and a Hanseatic contingent (from the free cities of Bremen, Lübeck and Hamburg) commanded by the British Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, were also on their way to join this army, both however, joined the army in July having missed the conflict.
Wellington had very much hoped to obtain a Portuguese contingent of 12-14,000 men that might be boarded on ships and sent to this army. However, this contingent never materialised, as the Portuguese government were extremely uncooperative. They explained that they did not have the authority to send the Prince Regent of Portugal's forces to war without his consent (he was still in Brazil where he had been in exile during the Peninsular War and had yet to return to Portugal). They explained this even though they themselves had signed the Treaty of March 15 without his consent. Besides this, the state of the Portuguese army in 1815 left much to be desired and were a shadow of their former self with much of it being disbanded.
The Tsar of Russia offered Wellington his II Army Corps under general Wurttemberg
Eugen Duke of Württemberg (1788–1857)
Duke Eugen of Württemberg was a German nobleman and a General of Infantry in the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life and family:...
, but Wellington was far from keen on accepting this contingent.
Prussian Army (Army of the Lower Rhine)
This army was composed entirely of Prussians from the provinces of the Kingdom of PrussiaKingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, old and recently acquired alike. Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
commanded this army with General August Neidhardt von Gneisenau as his chief of staff and second in command.
Blücher's Prussian army of 116,000 men, with headquarters at Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, was distributed as follows:
- I Corps (Graf von Zieten), 30,800, cantoned along the SambreSambreThe Sambre is a river in northern France and Wallonia, southern Belgium, left tributary of the Meuse River. The ancient Romans called the river Sabis.-Course:...
, headquarters CharleroiCharleroiCharleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
, and covering the area Fontaine-l'ÉvêqueFontaine-l'EvêqueFontaine-l'Évêque is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Fontaine-l'Évêque had a total population of 16,687. The total area is 28.41 km² which gives a population density of 587 inhabitants per km²....
–FleurusFleurusFleurus is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Fleurus had a total population of 22,221. The total area is which gives a population density of 375 inhabitants per km²...
–Moustier. - II Corps (Pirch I), 31,000, headquarters at Namur, lay in the area Namur-HannutHannutHannut is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Hannut had a total population of 14,291...
–HuyHuyHuy is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the sillon industriel, the former industrial backbone of Wallonia, home to about two-thirds of the Walloon population...
. - III Corps (ThielemannJohann von ThielmannJohann Adolf Freiherr von Thielmann was a Saxon soldier who served with Saxony, Prussia and France during the Napoleonic Wars.-Biography:...
), 23,900, in the bend of the river MeuseMeuseMeuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, headquarters CineyCineyCiney is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On January 1, 2006 Ciney had a total population of 14,958. The total area is 147.56 km² which gives a population density of 101 inhabitants per km²....
, and disposed in the area DinantDinantDinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...
–HuyHuyHuy is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the sillon industriel, the former industrial backbone of Wallonia, home to about two-thirds of the Walloon population...
–CineyCineyCiney is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. On January 1, 2006 Ciney had a total population of 14,958. The total area is 147.56 km² which gives a population density of 101 inhabitants per km²....
. - IV Corps (BülowFriedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von BülowFriedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow, Graf von Dennewitz was a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life:...
), 30,300, with headquarters at Liege and cantoned around it.
German Corps (North German Federal Army)
This army was part of the Prussian Army above, but was to act independently much further south. It was composed of contingents from the following nations of the German ConfederationGerman Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
: Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy and later grand duchy in northern Germany, consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district , and the western exclave of the former Bishopric of Ratzeburg in modern...
, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
, Duchy of Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg (state)
Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...
, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine of the Wettin dynasty in the former Landgraviate of Thuringia. The ducal residence was erected at Gotha....
, Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
, Duchy of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
, Duchy of Anhalt-Kothen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
, Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
, Principality of Waldeck (state)
Waldeck (state)
Waldeck was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and, until 1929, a constituent state of the Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day Hesse and Lower Saxony, ....
, Principality of Lippe
Principality of Lippe
Lippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...
and the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
.
Fearing that Napoleon was going to strike him first, Blücher ordered this army to march north to join the rest of his own army. The Prussian General Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf
Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf , born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist....
initially commanded this army before he fell ill on June 18 and was replaced by the Hessen-Kassel General Von Engelhardt. Its composition in June was:
- Hessen-Kassel Division (Three Hessian Brigades)- General Engelhardt
- Thuringian Brigade - Colonel Egloffstein
- Mecklenburg Brigade - General Prince of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Total 25,000
Russian Army (I Army)
Field Marshal Michael Andreas Barclay de TollyMichael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
commanded the First Russian Army. In June it consisted of the following:
- III Army Corps - General DokhturovDmitry DokhturovDmitry Sergeyevich Dokhturov was a Russian Infantry General and a prominent military leader during the Patriotic War of 1812....
- IV Army Corps - General RaevskyNikolay RaevskyNikolay Nikolayevich Raevsky was a Russian general and statesman who achieved fame for his feats of arms during the Napoleonic wars. His family left a lasting legacy in Russian society and culture.-Early life:Nikolay Raevsky was born in Saint Petersburg...
- V Army Corps - General Sacken
- VI Army Corps - General LangeronLouis Alexandre Andrault de LangeronCount Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langéron , born in Paris, was a French general in the service of the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars.-Early life:...
- VII Army Corps - General Sabaneev
- Reserve Grenadier Corps - General YermolovAleksey Petrovich YermolovAleksey Petrovich Yermolov , or Ermolov , was a Russian Imperial general of the 19th century who commanded Russian troops in the Caucasus War.-Early life:...
- II Reserve Cavalry Corps - General Winzingerode
- Artillery Reserve - Colonel Bogoslavsky
Total 200,000
Austro-German Army (Army of the Upper Rhine)
The Austrian military contingent was divided in to three armies. This was the largest of these armies, commanded by Field Marshal Karl Philipp, Prince of SchwarzenbergKarl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg (April 18, 1771 – October 15, 1820) was an Austrian field marshal.- Life :...
. Its target was Paris. This Austrian contingent was joined by those of the following nations of the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
: Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
, Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
, Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
, Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
(Hessen-Darmstadt), Free City of Frankfurt
Free City of Frankfurt
For almost five centuries, the German city of Frankfurt am Main was a city-state within two major Germanic states:*The Holy Roman Empire as the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt...
, Principality of Reuss Elder Line
Reuss Elder Line
The Principality of Reuss Elder Line was a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Greiz, Lower- and Upper Greiz , were elevated to princely status in 1778. Its members bore the title Prince Reuss, Elder Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz...
and the Principality of Reuss Junior Line
Reuss Junior Line
The Principality of Reuss Younger Line formed a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Gera, of Schleiz, of Lobenstein, of Köstritz and of Ebersdorf, each became princes in 1806, and they and their reigning successors bore the title Prince Reuss, Younger Line...
. Besides these there were contingents of Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
and Isenburg
Isenburg
Isenburg was a region of Germany located in southern present-day Hesse, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau , which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern...
. These were recruited by the Austrians from German territories that were in the process of losing their independence by being annexed to other countries at the Congress of Vienna. Finally, these were joined by the contingents of the Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was one of the Saxon Duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin Dynasty. Established in the 17th century, the Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield line lasted until the reshuffle of Ernestine territories that occurred following the extinction of the Saxe-Gotha line in...
, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
and the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen. It's composition in June was:
| Corps | Commander | Men | Battalions | Squadrons | Batteries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Corps | Master General of the Ordnance, Count Colloredo Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld was an Austrian corps commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-References and notes:... |
24,400 | 86 | 16 | 8 |
| II Corps | General Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen | 34,360 | 36 | 86 | 11 |
| III Corps | Field Marshal the Crown Prince of Württemberg William I of Württemberg William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:... |
43,814 | 44 | 32 | 9 |
| IV Corps (Bavarian Army) | Field Marshal Prince Wrede Karl Philipp von Wrede Karl Philipp Josef Wrede, Freiherr von Wrede, 1st Fürst von Wrede , Bavarian field-marshal, was born at Heidelberg, the youngest of three children of Ferdinand Josef Wrede , created in 1791 1st Freiherr von Wrede, and wife, married on 21 March 1746, Anna Katharina Jünger , by whom he had two more... |
67,040 | 46 | 66 | 16 |
| Austrian Reserve Corps | Lieutenant Field Marshal Stutterheim | 44,800 | 38 | 86 | 10 |
| Blockade Corps | 33,314 | 38 | 8 | 6 | |
| Saxon Corps | 16,774 | 18 | 10 | 6 | |
| Totals | 264,492 | 246 | 844 | 66 |
Swiss Army
This army was composed entirely of Swiss. The Swiss General Niklaus Franz von BachmannNiklaus Franz von Bachmann
Niklaus Leodegar Franz Ignaz von Bachmann , was a Swiss general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.- Family and early life :He was born in an aristocratic Swiss family of long-standing military traditions...
commanded this army. This force was to observe any French forces that operated near its borders. Its composition in July was:
- I Division - Colonel von Gady
- II Division - Colonel Fuessly
- III Division - Colonel d'Affry
- Reserve Division - Colonel-Quartermaster Finsler
Total 37,000
Austro-Sardinian Army (Army of Upper Italy)
This was the second largest of Austria's contingents. Its target was Lyons. General Johann Maria Philipp FrimontJohann Maria Philipp Frimont
Johann Maria Philipp Frimont, Count of Palota, Prince of Antrodoco was an Austrian general.Frimont was born at Fénétrange, in what is now French Lorraine...
commanded this army. Its composition in June was:
- I Corps - General Radivojevich
- II Corps - General Bubna
- Reserve Corps - General Meerville
- Sardinian Corps - General Latour
Total 50,000
Austrian Army (Army of Naples)
This was the smaller of Austria's military contingents. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon. General BianchiFrederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza
Frederick Bianchi, Duke of Casalanza , was an Austrian general and later field marshal.-Biography:...
commanded this army. This was the Austrian army that defeated Murat's army in the Neapolitan War
Neapolitan War
The Neapolitan War was a conflict between the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire. It started on 15 March 1815 when Joachim Murat declared war on Austria and ended on 20 May 1815 with the signing of the Treaty of Casalanza...
. It was not composed of Neapolitans as the army's name may suggest and as one author supposed. There was however a Sardinian force in this area forming the garrison of Nice under General d'Osasco which may have been where the other part of this misunderstanding had arisen. Its composition in June was:
- I Corps - General Neipperg
- II Corps - General Mohr
- Reserve Corps - General Nugent
Total 23,000
Anglo-Sicilian Army
This was the smaller military contingent of Great Britain. It was composed of Anglo-Sicilian troops under General Sir Hudson LoweHudson Lowe
Sir Hudson Lowe KCB, GCMG was an Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator who is best known for his time as Governor of St Helena where he was the "gaoler" of Napoleon Bonaparte.-Early life and career:...
transported and supported by the Mediterranean Fleet of Lord Viscount Exmouth
Viscount Exmouth
right|thumb|Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount ExmouthViscount Exmouth, of Canonteign in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1816 for the prominent naval commander Edward Pellew, 1st Baron Exmouth...
. Its targets were Marseilles and Toulon.
Spanish armies
It was planned that a Spanish army was to invade France via Perpignan and Toulouse. General Francisco Javier Castanos, 1st Duke of BailenFrancisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén
Francisco Javier Castaños Aragorri Urioste y Olavide, Count of Castaños y Aragones, 1st Duke of Baylen , was a Spanish general.Castaños was born at Madrid.He is remembered for his victory over the French under Dupont, whom he...
commanded this army.
It was planned that a second Spanish army was to invade France via Bayonne and Bordeaux. General Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
Henry Joseph O'Donnell, Count of La Bisbal
Don Henry Joseph O'Donnell y Mareschal , 1st Count of la Bisbal , Spanish soldier, was descended from Joseph O'Donnell y O´ Donnell, Colonel of the Spanish Regiment Irlanda, Lieu - Tenant General of the Spanish Army.O'Donnell was the brother of Carlos O´Donnell y...
commanded this army.
Both Wellington's Despatches and his Supplementary Despatches show that neither of the Spanish armies contained any Portuguese contingents nor were they likely too, (See the section Portuguese contingent below), however both Chandler and Barbero state that the Portuguese did send a contingent.
Prussian Reserve Army
Besides the four Army Corps that fought in the Waterloo Campaign listed above that Blücher took with him in to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Prussia also had a reserve army stationed at home in order to defend its borders.This consisted of:
- V Army Corps - Commanded by General Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg
- VI Army Corps - Commanded by General Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von TauentzienBogislav Friedrich Emanuel von TauentzienBogislav Friedrich Emanuel Graf Tauentzien von Wittenberg was a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars....
- Royal Guard (VIII Corps) - Commanded by General Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was ruler of the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1794 until his death. Originally ruling as duke he was raised to the title grand duke in 1815...
Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps and Hanseatic Contingent
A Danish contingent known as the Royal Danish Auxiliary Corps commanded by General Prince Frederick of Hessen-Kassel and a Hanseatic contingent (from the free cities of Bremen, Lübeck and Hamburg) commanded by the British Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, were also on their way to join Wellington's army, both however, joined the army in July having missed the conflict.Portuguese contingent
Wellington had very much hoped to obtain a Portuguese contingent of 12-14,000 men that might be boarded on ships and sent to this army. However, this contingent never materialised, as the Portuguese government were extremely uncooperative. They explained that they did not have the authority to send the Prince Regent of Portugal's forces to war without his consent (he was still in Brazil where he had been in exile during the Peninsular War and had yet to return to Portugal). They explained this even though they themselves had signed the Treaty of March 15 without his consent. Besides this, the state of the Portuguese army in 1815 left much to be desired and were a shadow of their former with much of it being disbanded.Russian 2nd (Reserve) Army
The Second Russian Army was behind the First Russian Army to support it if required.- Imperial Guard Corps
- I Army Corps
- II Army Corps, commanded by General Wurttemberg
- I Grenadier Division
- I Reserve Cavalry Corps