The battle of Waterloo is one of the most famed and widely recognized engagements in European history, and this book offers a unique collection of authentic, contemporary material from the battle, bringing it to life. Balancing a broad, strategic perspective of the fighting with minute detail only possible from personal observation, the book begins with a narrative description of the campaign, followed by interpretations of the battle on the ground including letters from such notables as the Duke of Wellington. The study is packed with reports of the battle from all sides: orders of the day issued to the different armies, the official gazette sent by Wellington, the first-hand accounts of French marshals such as Ney and Grouchy and even sobering lists of those killed and obituaries of key figures - all these documents are included to present the battle as it appeared to the people who actually fought in it. Two beautifully detailed concertina-fold maps and a detailed panorama of the battlefield complete this unprecedentedly realistic view of the battle of Waterloo.