The Battle of Waterloo: How A Farmhouse Ended An Empire (Documentary)

With 40 men at his back, a giant, axe-wielding Frenchman charged at this gate. His name was Sous-Lieutenant Legros but his soldiers called him l’Enfonceur - the Smasher! And that’s exactly what he was about to do. Just after midday on the 18th of June 1815 Legros led an assault on the main gate of Hougoumont farmhouse on the Battlefield of Waterloo, cutting down red-coated guardsmen and hacking into the large oak gate desperately being pushed closed from within. What followed was one of the bloodiest and most brutal episodes of the battle that day, with the Duke of Wellington himself later declaring that “the success of the battle turned upon the closing of the gates at Hougoumont.” But why exactly was it a defining moment? What was at stake? and how did that fight unfold? In this video, using the latest technology, veteran testimony, a previously unseen 3D reconstruction of the battleground and the latest archeological evidence, we’ll explore the story of the Battle for Hougoumont. Creating these videos is a lot of work, and it would not be possible without your support. If you like our work, you can help us with a regular or one time payment: • Support us via Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/BattleGuide • One Time Support: https://battleguide.co.uk/support Newsletter: If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what the team at Battle Guide have been getting up to, why not sign up to our monthly newsletter: ⁠https://battleguide.co.uk/newsletter Links: • Podcast: https://battleguide.co.uk/podcast • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattleGuide • Twitter: https://twitter.com/BattleguideVT • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@battleguide • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battleguide.vt General Sources: • Google Earth Pro & Web Versions • Maptiler Pro (Desktop Version) • Waterloo Uncovered: https://waterloouncovered.com/ Credits: • Research & Script: Dan Hill • Narration: Dan Hill • Editing: Shane Greer • Thumbnail Design: Linus Klassen • Music & Sound Effects: Shane Greer