a battle in Belgium in 1815 in which the British defeated the
French under
Napoleon Bonaparte. The battle was fought over three days (June 16th, 17th and 18th) and a rainstorm on the evening of the 17th created wet
conditions of the already marshy
ground which delayed the
French attack. A
cavalry commander in the
French army ran his horsemen into a sunken road, losing them but allowing the
infantry to then march across the top of it.
Napoleon's troops were nevertheless defeated.
Napoleon abdicated as emperor a few days later, and he was subsequently captured and
sent into exile.