Duchess of Richmond's ball

Leaving the Duchess of Richmond's ball to fight at Quatre Bras, 1815

From the wiki

 Elizabeth Longford described it as "the most famous ball in history".^[1] "The ball was certainly a brilliant affair",^[2] at which "with the exception of three generals, every officer high in Wellington's army was there to be seen".^[3]

David Miller's book is a detailed monograph on a famous historical event, the remarkable 'Duchess of Richmond's ball' which took place the night before Waterloo. His wish list of questions in the introduction is admirable: Why did it take place and where? Who actually attended and what happened? Indeed, who were the Duke and Duchess of Richmond? As ever with events of the Napoleonic period, there is much that is myth that surrounds this ball. Mr Miller picks with skill through the material and gives a clear account of the events. The biographical sketches of many of those present at the ball are of particular, as are the maps showing Belgium, Brussels and the Richmonds' chateau respectively. Also included are six appendices (three detailed guest lists, statistics regarding the numbers of military men invited and the percentages of them who died the following day, a discussion of Wellington's affair with Lady Frances (Wedderburn-Webster) and Major General Maitland's elopement. The book ends with a bibliography and index.
 
David Miller is author of Lady De Lancey at Waterloo: a story of duty and devotion (Spellmount 2000)