General Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d’Erlon was one of Napoleon’s most capable yet controversial corps commanders, remembered for being at the center of some of the most critical moments of the Napoleonic Wars. From early Revolutionary success to his fateful role at Waterloo, d’Erlon’s career shows how timing and command decisions could shape the fate of empires.

In this episode, special guest Graeme Callister will explore d’Erlon’s rise through the French Revolutionary armies, his service under Napoleon, and his important role in the Peninsular War, where he fought against Wellington in Spain and Portugal. We examine his leadership style, battlefield strengths, and the moments where hesitation—or conflicting orders—proved costly.

The story culminates at Waterloo, where d’Erlon’s corps launched one of the largest infantry attacks of the battle, only to be shattered by Allied fire and British heavy cavalry. We also revisit the dramatic confusion at Quatre Bras and Ligny, when d’Erlon’s corps marched back and forth between two battles—potentially altering the entire campaign.

Was d’Erlon unlucky, indecisive, or simply a victim of Napoleon’s increasingly complex command structure? This episode reassesses his reputation and explains why his career remains one of the great debates of Napoleonic military history.

If you’re interested in Napoleonic battles, French corps commanders, and the fine margins that decided Waterloo, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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X/Twitter: @graemecallister, @andnapoleon

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