'Prince Blucher under his horse at the battle of Waterloo, at the time the French cavalry were making the charge over him'

Aquatint drawn by J A Atkinson, engraved by M Dubourg, published 20 August 1815. From 'Historic, Military and Naval anecdotes, of personal valour, bravery and particular incidents which occurred to the armies of Great Britain, 1803-15, and her allies', published by Edward Orme, 1819.

On 16 June 1815, Field Marshal Leberecht von Blücher's Prussians sustained a severe defeat to Napoleon's French army at Ligny. During the battle, Blücher was ridden over by cavalry and lay trapped under his dead horse for several hours, his life saved only by the devotion of his aide-de-camp, Count Nostitz. He was unable to resume command for some hours, and after General August von Gneisenau drew off the defeated army and rallied it, Blücher resumed command and marched two of his corps to Waterloo (18 June 1815) where their late intervention swung the battle in the Allies' favour.