It was almost five years since the young Prussian Queen had died so unexpectedly. On Sunday, June 18th, 1815, the battle of Waterloo had been raging since eleven o'clock in the morning. It was after 6 pm when Napoleon's General Ney had found an opening in Wellington's last line. An English officer asked the Duke for re-inforcements. The Duke answered that he had none. The officer's reply was, "Very well, my Lord, we stand till the last man falls." The English officer, Colonel Gould concluded, "I'm afraid it's all over." At this point a regiment from Hanover deserted and fled to Brussels, shouting, "The battle is lost, the French are coming." But it was the Prussians who were coming! General Bluecher had sent 30000 of them under the command of General Frederick William von Buelow. They attacked the French viciously, spreading terror and disorder. And the cry could be heard over and over again, "For Queen Luise!"

The two victors met on the road near La Belle Alliance. They left behind them 25000 French dead or wounded and 8000 prisoners. Wellington had lost 15000, Bluecher had lost 7000. It was the end of Napoleon Bonaparte. Wellington and Bluecher embraced and the Duke saw tears in the eyes of the seventy-three year old soldier, tears Bluecher knew probably would not be understood. One day in 1815 Gebhart von Bluecher stood on the slopes of Montmartre. When he saw the white flag of surrender flying over Paris, he cried, "Now, at last our Luise can rest in peace."

If you enjoyed this story, visit for more.