Waterloo, and the de Lancey Memorandum

Abstract

7 o'clock am., J u n e 161h," is well known to all students of t h e \Vaterloo campaign, a n d h a s formed a puzzling document to wry many.Several circumstances have contributed t o make it 50, such as t h e death of its compiler, mortally wounded at Waterloo two d a y s after it was written; t h e fact that we possess n o original of it hut only a copy; a n d lastly that until long after Waterloo n o allusion was made to it.Of recent years it has attracted more attention than otherwise ever would have been t h e case, because, both abrmd a n d in England, it has been assumed as probable by several writers that it misled Wellington in his important letter to Bliicher, written from the heights behind F r a m e , near Quatre Bras, at 10.30 a.m. o n 16th J u n e ; a n d also because it has been condemned-quite apart from t h e question of whether it misled IVellington or not-as a confusing, i n c o r r e t document, d i s creditable t o its compiler a n d to Wellington's Staff .I e Vaterloo, in 1815, a n d entitled " Disposition of t h e A r m y at