# Waterloo, Battle of a battle in Belgium in 1815 in which the British defeated the French under Napoleon Bonaparte. The battle was fought over three days (June 16th, 17th and 18th) and a rainstorm on the evening of the 17th created wet conditions of the already marshy ground which delayed the French attack. A cavalry commander in the French army ran his horsemen into a sunken road, losing them but allowing the infantry to then march across the top of it. Napoleon's troops were nevertheless defeated. Napoleon abdicated as emperor a few days later, and he was subsequently captured and sent into exile.