Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica in 1769, and joined the French army in 1785 as an artillery officer. He supported the French Revolution, and rose through the ranks to eventually be crowned the Emperor of the French in 1804. He fought 60 major battles and was the victor in the majority of them, and he is now probably considered one of the greatest military commanders of all time. He was also a noted administrative and legal reformer in both France and the rest of Europe. After being forced to abdicate in 1814, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba, but he escaped after only a year in exile. After his escape, Napoleon commanded L'Armée du Nord (Army of the North) during the 100 Days campaign. Napoleon's plan was to divide and conquer the two Allied armies already assembled in Belgium, before taking on the Austrian and Russian armies. After invading Belgium on the 15th June, Napoleon's forces claimed victory against the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny, as well as a strategic victory at the Battle of Quatre Bras, but his campaign ended in famous defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th June. After his surrender to the British, he was banished to the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where he died in exile in 1821.

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After enlisting in 1785 as a private in the French army, Nicolas Soult rose through the ranks of the Revolutionary and Imperial Army to the rank of Marshal of France, which was granted in 1804. As an army commander he distinguished himself during the Peninsular War against Wellington. During the Waterloo campaign he acted as Napoleon's chief-of-staff; a role in which he did not excel. A number of missed opportunities at Waterloo are said to be laid at his door. After Waterloo and the 2nd Restoration, he tried to show himself as a fervent royalist and was rewarded by subsequently serving as a Minister of War and Prime Minister in the 1830s.

Françoise Étienne de Kellermann was Commander of 3,700 men of the French III Cavalry Corps and was present at the battles of Quatre Bras on the 16th June and Waterloo on the 18th June. At Waterloo, it was his corps, along with Milhaud's, that were ordered to charge the British squares by Marshal Ney in the mass attack of the late afternoon. He retired after Waterloo but in 1820 he took up his father's old seat in the Chamber of Peers.

Dominique-Joseph René Vandamme was commander of 16,800 men of the French III Corps, under the command of Marshal Grouchy. His corps were involved in the pursuit of the Prussians after the Battle of Ligny, and therefore were not actually present at Waterloo. They eventually caught up with the Prussians on the 18th June at Wavre, where they finally defeated them, although it was too late to make a difference. After Waterloo he went to America and lived in Philadelphia, returning to France in 1819.

Georges Mouton commanded 9,200 men of the French VI Corps at Waterloo. He had already fought bravely against the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny on the 16th June, but would face them a second time at Waterloo on the 18th June in the defence of Plancenoit village. Like many of the French generals present that day, he went into exile after the battle was lost. He returned to France in 1818 and later was involved in the July Revolution (1830), after which he was rewarded by becoming Marshal of France in 1831.

Emmanuel de Grouchy joined the French artillery in 1779, rising through the ranks of the Revolutionary and Imperial Army to reach the rank of Marshal of France in 1815. He was appointed as commander of the French army's right wing and one of Napoleon's two field commanders during the Waterloo campaign. He was dispatched with a force of 40,000 men to chase, harry, and defeat the retreating Prussians after the Battle of Ligny on the 16th June. Coming to Napoleon's aid at Waterloo on the 18th June may well have swung the battle in Napoleon's favour, but Grouchy failed to do so. After Waterloo, Grouchy went to America to avoid the criticism of his actions that day, but he returned to France in 1821, with plans for a quiet life. He was, however, reinstated as a Marshal of France in 1830 by King Louis Philippe.

Étienne Maurice Gérard was commander of 14,800 men of the French IV Corps, under the command of Marshal Grouchy. His corps were involved in the pursuit of the Prussians after the Battle of Ligny and therefore were not actually present at Waterloo. He was a strong advocate of abandoning the pursuit of the Prussians and going to Napoleon's aid, suggesting that they should 'march to the sound of the guns'. After Waterloo, he retired briefly to Brussels before returning to France, and later returned to Belgium to play a major part in the defeat of the Dutch in the Belgium-Dutch war of 1831-2 which resulted in the formation of the new state of Belgium.

Michel Ney was commander of the French Army's left wing and Napoleon's field commander at the Battle of Waterloo. An impetuous commander, but also one of the most colourful, he continued to order attacks against Hougoumont Farm all day, at considerable expense in casualties and time. In the late afternoon, in the belief that the allies were retreating, he ordered mass cavalry charges against Wellington's infantry squares, again at great expense in casualties. It is said he had 5 horses killed from under him during the battle and that it seemed he had a death wish. After the French retreat Ney was arrested, tried and executed by firing squad in Paris in December 1815.

Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud was Commander of 3,000 men of the French IV Cavalry Corps, and was present at the battles of Ligny on the 16th June, and Waterloo on the 18th June. At Waterloo, it was his corps, along with Kellermann's, that were ordered to charge the British squares by Marshal Ney in the mass attack in the late afternoon. After Waterloo he was one of the first generals to suggest peace talks with the Allies, which unfortunately did not prevent his exile. On his return to France in 1830 he retired to a quiet life in the country.

Despite originally being second in command, Antoine Drouot actually commanded the Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo, as a result of Marshal Mortier's illness. Unusually, he was present at both the Battle of Trafalgar (as an officer of marines) and the Battle of Waterloo (as the commander of the Imperial Guard). In 1814 he accompanied Napoleon into exile on Elba and followed him back to Paris for the 100 Days campaign. He also accompanied Napoleon during the retreat to Paris and was subsequently tried for treason. He was acquitted, and retired to spend the rest of his life caring for the welfare of soldiers from Napoleon's old Imperial Guard.

Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans commanded 2,800 men of the French II Cavalry Corps under Marshal Grouchy. After victory at the Battle of Ligny, Exelmans was involved with the pursuit of the retreating Prussians, and the subsequent defeat of the Prussian rear guard at Wavre on the evening of the 18th June. Consequently, Exelmans and his men were not actually present at the Battle of Waterloo.  After the retreat to Paris he was involved in a final battle at Rocquencourt, outside Paris, in which the Prussians were briefly defeated. Like many other generals of the defeated French army, who had chosen to fight for Napoleon,  he was forced in to exile, in his case fleeing to the Netherlands. Once an amnesty was granted in 1819, Exelmans returned to France and went on to be a supporter of Louis Napoleon in the revolution of 1848, being rewarded with a Marshal's baton in 1851.

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Honoré Charles Reille commanded 22,700 men of the French II Corps at Waterloo.  At the age of 40 he was one of the youngest generals on the field of battle and was responsible for the assaults on Hougoumont Farm, although direct responsibility was under Napoleon's younger brother Jérôme. After Waterloo, Reille retired to live quietly but was made a Marshal of France in 1852.

Claude-Pierre Pajol was commander of 2,600 men of the French I Cavalry Corps under Marshal Grouchy, and was involved with the pursuit of the Prussians after the Battle of Ligny, and the defeat of the Prussian rear guard at Wavre on the evening of the 18th June. He skilfully disengaged and retreated to Paris after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. Like other French Generals he was involved in the overthrowing of Charles X in the July Revolution of 1830.

Édouard Mortier was commander of 20,000 men of the Imperial Guard, who were present at Waterloo. The Guard was in fact a small army within an army, consisting of infantry, artillery and cavalry. He was unable to take up his command for the Battle of Waterloo due to severe sciatica, and had to pass command to his deputy, General Drouot. After Waterloo, and a period of disgrace, he again served France by being appointed Ambassador to Russia in 1831, Minister of War in 1834, and later Prime Minister. He was assassinated in Paris in 1835, along with 11 others, by an 'infernal machine' - an apparatus of 25 musket barrels firing simultaneously.

Jean-Baptiste Drouet d'Erlon commanded 19,300 men of the French I Corps at Waterloo. It was his infantrymen who attacked Wellington's centre around La Haye Sainte in the afternoon, and who were subsequently devastated by the relieving charges of the British cavalry. After Waterloo, Drouet d'Erlon retreated with the rest of the French forces, fighting in the final exchanges around Paris. After Napoleon's abdication he went into exile in Munich, but returned to France in 1825. He was appointed Governor General of Algeria in 1834 and was finally promoted to Marshal of France in 1843.

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