The Emperor Napoleon having been pleased to communicate to me his opinion on the principal events of the Campaign of MDCCCXV, I have, in writing the following Narrative, availed myself of that favorable circumstance, and also of my own recollections of the great catastrophe, of which I was an eyewitness. "I have read a great number of publications on the same subject, since I returned to Europe; but most of the authors appear to have been governed by anger or animosity, and others to have been blinded by overweening national partialities: few have studied to give a true picture of the events as they occurred. "Error often repeated assumes at last the appearance of reality; but being in this instance possessed of the means of removing it, I feel that a longer silence on my part would be inexcusable. No other reason could have overcome my repugnance to expose myself to literary criticism. "Writing as a military man, I have only alluded to political events in order to explain how it happened, that a single battle sufficed to subjugate the French nation, governed by the first Captain of modern times. It is not for me to attempt to discuss these great questions:-Has the battle of Waterloo consolidated or shaken every throne?-Has it secured the tranquility of Europe or undermined all its foundations? Time will determine. "The Public will find in this Work a simple but faithful recital of facts; the military reader, the information necessary to enable him to estimate the faults which were committed, and the talents which were unfolded; the French, a new proof, that, notwithstanding their misfortunes, their warlike reputation was not tarnished in the field of Waterloo." (Gaspard Gourgaud)Illustrated with a Map of the principal Theatre of War.
