This is my first TL, I hope you guys like it. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.
P.O.D.: Napoleon Bonaparte never develops hemorrhoids Britain stations a large fleet in Ostend harbor, and it does not rain on June 18, 1815
June 18, 1815; Near Waterloo, Belgium:
Napoleon Bonaparte awoke in his tent around 4:00 in the morning. He commenced with some stretching and soon thereafter a cup of tea. The 43 year old general met with his cohorts in a military tent and began planning. When Napoleon and his generals were finally finished working out the details of their attack they went to have breakfast. As they strolled out of the tents, about an hour after they awoke, they saw that most of the soldiers had already begun to eat. When they reached the dining tent they had the entrance to the tent lifted up so that they may observe their men.
Emperor Napoleon looked over his army with pride, as he sipped on another cup of tea and finished off his freshly made ham and eggs. When finished eating the generals ordered their men to prepare for battle, nearly all of the men had already donned their uniforms and all they had to do was smooth things out and grab their packs and muskets. The generals came to observe their horses being saddled, when seeing that his aide was struggling with the saddle Napoleon came and took the saddle from him. Napoleon patted his aide`s back and saddled the horse himself. The aide stared at him believing he had offended the emperor. He is famously reported to have said, “Lorsque la guerre se fait, nous serons égaux.” (When war is done we will be equal.) the aide was astonished and simply bowed to him and thanked him for his help.
The French launched their attack against the slightly larger of the two major coalition forces around 6:45 in the morning. Napoleon courageously led his forces, charging the British front side-by-side with his body guard and infantry. The British-led forces were overwhelmed and awestruck at the tenacity of the emperor himself who is said to have personally slain many men. As the battle ensued it became obvious the French were a superior fighting force. The thoroughly defeated British, hoping to retain the ability to fight, were in full retreat to Brussels by noon.
A Prussian army numbering about 50,000 that had come to reinforce Wellington was slow to advance, as the leaders were made timid by the lack of communication with the British. Finally, around 1:15, a sweaty and battered British messenger came riding over a hill towards the Prussian army. The general and his cohorts came to the front to meet him. He told of a great and impressive British defeat, saying that just over a third of the British forces were slain by the French and that nearly 1,000 had been scattered throughout the countryside. Hundreds of men had surrendered to the French. The remaining forces under Wellington had retreated to Brussels; they were currently conducting a head count. The Prussian general was thoroughly shaken by the news and believed the only way another Napoleonic war could be avoided would be to quickly crush the little corporal while he had the chance.
Little did the Prussians know that Napoleon had camped his force in and around Waterloo, he began recruiting enthusiastic Walloons and armed them as a sort of militia force to assist only if the Prussians forced their way into the town. Napoleon sent a message to Paris telling of his victory over Wellington and demanding the conscription of men to guard the border with Spain and fortify the Alsace-Lorraine. Napoleon sent a personal letter to Louis-Nicolaus Davout requesting his participation in the invasion of northern Spain if it joined the coalition.
The Prussians approached Waterloo cautiously after their scouts reported signs of makeshift fortifications and heavy cannons. The Prussian general reasoned that the only way he could have a sure victory would be to attack at the darkest hour of the night. The Prussian army settled just over one mile from Waterloo, though they would not be settled for long.