Sir Walter Scott, (1771 - 1832) was a Scottish poet, playwright, politician, historian and historical novelist. He is best known for his many classics of English and Scottish literature, including Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Old Mortality, The Lady of the Lake, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride Of Lammermoor. Following the battle of Waterloo, on 18th June 1815, Scott decided to travel to Belgium to visit the battlefield. He was one of the first civilians to view the area. He used his own personal observation, and information from senior officers, including the Duke of Wellington to put together his account of the field of battle. Unfortunately, this poem was not well received at the time and was regarded poorly by the critics. However, today, it is considered an important poem and rightly claims its place among the great poems of Sir Walter Scott. The Field of Waterloo was written in 1815.