Why did Napoleon call his most persistent enemy an old rascal who never quit?

Art · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, the Prussian field marshal nicknamed Marshal Forward, was a relentless force who defined a new way of war. Despite suffering crushing defeats and physical trauma, he repeatedly returned to the battlefield to challenge Napoleon, ultimately playing a decisive role in the final victory at Waterloo.

Born in 1742, Blücher began his military career as a Swedish hussar before being captured by Prussia in 1760. His career was marked by volatility; he was forced to resign in 1773 after a period of insubordination, only to be reinstated in 1786. By 1813, at age 71, he emerged as a central figure in the struggle against French domination. His leadership style, characterized by unrelenting energy and aggressive pursuit, earned him the moniker Marschall Vorwärts from his troops.

Blücher’s resilience was legendary. During the 1815 Waterloo campaign, he was severely injured at the Battle of Ligny, trapped under his dead horse for hours and repeatedly ridden over by cavalry. Despite his age and pain, he treated his wounds with a mixture of rhubarb and garlic, fortified himself with schnapps, and rejoined his army to join the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. His intervention was critical, as his forces pushed back the French Old Guard and secured the final allied victory.

Napoleon viewed Blücher with a mix of disdain and grudging respect, describing him as a bull that charged whenever it sensed danger. Blücher’s military philosophy mirrored Napoleon’s own: he prioritized decisive battles and rapid, total engagement to end conflicts quickly. This approach established a lasting influence on the Prussian way of war. Even after his death in 1819, his legacy remained complex; his mausoleum was later desecrated by Soviet soldiers in 1945, and his remains were only partially recovered and reinterred decades later.

Beyond the battlefield, Blücher was a man of contradictions. He was a Freemason and a landowner who, in his later years, supported local poor and established a health resort. His personality was fiery and occasionally crude, yet he was celebrated as a hero across Europe. Whether he was attempting to blow up the Jena Bridge in Paris or joking about his honorary doctorate from Oxford, Blücher remained a figure of immense, unyielding drive.

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