▁stop ▁him ▁from ▁tra pping ▁the ▁French ▁forces . ▁ ▁Water lo o ▁campaign ▁After ▁the ▁first ▁ab dic ation ▁of ▁Nap ol éon ▁( 1 8 1 4 ), ▁he ▁declared ▁himself ▁a ▁Royal ist , ▁received ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁and ▁acted ▁as ▁minister ▁of ▁war ▁from ▁ 3 ▁December ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁to ▁ 1 1 ▁March ▁ 1 8 1 5 . ▁When ▁Nap ol éon ▁returned ▁from ▁El ba , ▁Sou lt ▁at ▁once ▁declared ▁himself ▁a ▁Bon ap art ist , ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁peer ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁acted ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁to ▁the ▁Emperor ▁during ▁the ▁Water lo o ▁campaign , ▁in ▁which ▁role ▁he ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁far ▁less ▁than ▁he ▁had ▁done ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁an ▁over - match ed ▁army . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁book , ▁Water lo o : ▁The ▁History ▁of ▁Four ▁Days , ▁Three ▁Arm ies ▁and ▁Three ▁Batt les , ▁Bernard ▁Corn well ▁summar izes ▁the ▁opinions ▁of ▁several ▁histor ians ▁that ▁Sou lt ' s ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁factors ▁contrib uting ▁to ▁Napoleon ' s ▁defeat , ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁anim os ity ▁between ▁him ▁and ▁Marsh al ▁N ey , ▁the ▁other ▁senior ▁commander , ▁and ▁because , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁his ▁experience ▁as ▁a ▁soldier , ▁Sou lt ▁lack ed ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁Marsh al ▁Ber th ier ' s ▁administrative ▁skills . ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁gl aring ▁instance ▁of ▁this ▁was