Bolding: The War III – Battles Scenes II - A new source of inspiration X

“Just the other day, I saw part of a documentary on the Napoleonic-era wars. There were lots of great shots of men in tight leather breeches and cavalry boots going up over the front of the knees and elaborate uniforms and metal breastplates and big helmets. The narrator mentioned how all the wounded and dead soldiers were stripped of their uniforms and gear after a battle, or even during a battle. There were some quick scenes in this documentary of re-enactors being stripped of their tall boots and uniforms and some shots of cavalry troopers lying atop one another on the battlefield with their bare chests and bare feet exposed after they had been stripped of tunics and boots.

According to eyewitnesses, at Waterloo, there were tens of thousands of wounded and dead cavalry troopers lying atop one another on the ground in huge heaps, with their boots sticking up in the air. Immediately following the battle, the victorious soldiers began stripping the best equipment off the cavalry troopers, taking their boots and uniforms with gold braid. And then during the night, the camp followers and peasants came on to the battlefield to finish the job, taking everything and leaving the men naked on the ground. There are stories of arrogant generals in fine boots and uniforms trying to resist the plundering, but who were stabbed by a dirty barefoot peasant, who then stripped the general of his boots and uniform and left him to die naked in a heap of his own dead soldiers. For years after the battle, Belgian peasants were often seen wearing tall cavalry boots and portions of uniforms they had looted from the Waterloo battlefield.

I must admit that I would love to strip some struggling and arrogant cavalry officer of every article of his uniform, from big heavy cavalry boots to gauntlet gloves, tunics and breeches and leather belts and plumed helmet”
D.