Factors Leading to Napoleon's Defeat

Reasons For Victory 1. The battles of Ligny and Quatre-Bras were not decisive

Napoleon had intended to defeat the Allied armies separately, but though the Prussians were defeated at

Ligny, with some 25 - 30000 killed, wounded or missing, some 50000 escaped.

This was in part, due to the failure of Marshal Ney to defeat Wellington at Quatre-Bras.

Had Ney done so, his men under Drouet would have joined Napoleon at Ligny to complete the

rout of the Prussians. 2. Wellington makes use of Mont-Saint-Jean Wellington retreated

from Quatre Bras to Waterloo, selecting the excellent defensive area around Mont Sainte Jean.

By using the slope, behind which many of his men could be deployed, Wellington had a