Hougoumont: The Key to Victory at Waterloo

If asked to name the most famous battle ever fought, most people would almost certainly say "Waterloo." But very few would mention, or even know of, Hougoumont; yet Wellington himself declared that "the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo rested upon the closing of the gates at Hougoumont."The defence of the chateau and farm of Hougoumont against heavy odds in fighting that continued all day was indeed the key to victory at Waterloo. Had Hougoumont not held out, Blucher's Prussians might well have arrived too late to save the day. Yet the dramatic story of this 'battle within a battle' has never been told until now. Julian Paget combines his skills as a military historian and a battlefield guide to provide a vivid account of the bitter fighting at Hougoumont on 18th June 1815. The book is written in collaboration with Derek Saunders, who has made a lifetime study of Hougoumont; it contains 7 maps and 17 illustrations, and appendices giving useful background information. There is also a chapter on what to look for and look at when visiting Hougoumont today, making it a valuable guide book as well as an authoritative account of events.