The Duke of Wellington

Introduction:
The Most Noble Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. 1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Irish born British soldier and statesman, widely considered one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. Commissioned an Ensign in the British Army, he would rise to prominence in the Napoleonic Wars, eventually reaching the rank of Field Marshal.
Wellington commanded the Allied forces during the Peninsular War, pushing the French Army out of Portugal and Spain and reaching southern France. Victorious and hailed as a hero in England, he was obliged to return to Europe to command the Anglo-Allied forces at Waterloo, after which Napoleon was permanently exiled at St. Helena. Wellington was victorious over Napoleon and the French at each of six major battles, confirming his place as one of history's greatest generals and strategists.
Wellington is often compared to the 1st Duke of Marlborough, with whom he shared many characteristics, chiefly a transition to politics after a highly successful military career. He served as a Tory Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on two separate occasions, and was one of the leading figures in the House of Lords until his retirement in 1846.
Early Life:
Born The Honourable Arthur Wesley at either his family's social season Dublin residence, Mornington House, or at his family seat, Dangan Castle near Trim in County Meath, Ireland. He was the third son of Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington. His exact date of birth is a matter of some contention. All that exists is a church registry of the event marked a few days after it must have occurred. The most likely date is 1 May 1769, but any day for a few days before or after is possible. He legally changed his surname (with other members of his family) to Wellesley in March 1798.
He came from a titled family long settled in Ireland; his father was the 1st Earl of Mornington, his eldest brother, who would inherit his father's Earldom, would be created Marquess Wellesley, and two of his other brothers would be raised to the peerage as Baron Maryborough and Baron Cowley.
Wesley was educated at Eton from 1781 to 1785, but a lack of success there, combined with a shortage of family funds, led to a move to Brussels in Belgium to receive further education. In 1787, his mother and brother Richard purchased for Wesley a commission as an Ensign in the 73rd Regiment of Foot; he attended the Military Academy of Angers in France, after having received earlier training in England. His first assignment was as aide-de-camp to two successive Lords Lieutenant of Ireland (1787–1793). He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1788; two years later, he was elected as an independent Member of Parliament for Trim in the Irish House of Commons (in 1790), a position he held until 1797. He rose rapidly in rank (largely through the purchase system, which at that time allowed, and, indeed, generally required, officers in the British Army to purchase their rank) becoming Lieutenant-Colonel in the 33rd Regiment of Foot in 1793. He participated in the unsuccessful campaign against the French in the Netherlands between 1794 and 1795, and was present at the Battle of Boxtel.
In 1796, after a promotion to Colonel, he accompanied his division to India. The next year, his elder brother, Richard Wesley, 2nd Earl of Mornington, was appointed Governor-General of India, and when the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War broke out from 1798 against the Sultan of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, Arthur Wellesley commanded a division of his own. While serving in that capacity, he was appointed Governor of Seringapatam and Mysore, positions he held until 1805. He fought at Assaye, Argaum, and stormed the fortress at Gawilghur. Following the successful conclusion of that campaign, he was appointed to the supreme military and political command in the Deccan; while in that position he defeated the robber chieftain Dhundia Wagh (who had ironically escaped from prison in Seringapatam during the last battle of the Mysore war) and also the Marathas (in 1803). In 1804, he was created a Knight of the Bath, which would be the first of numerous honours throughout his life. When his brother's term as Governor-General of India ended in 1805, the brothers returned together to England, where they were forced to defend their imperialistic (and expensive) employment of the British forces in India.
Wellesley was elected MP for Rye (in the British House of Commons) for six months in 1806; a year later, he was elected MP for Newport on the Isle of Wight, a constituency he would represent for two years. During this time, he was an established Tory, and in April 1807 (while representing St Michael), he was invested a Privy Counsellor. Additionally, he served as Chief Secretary for Ireland for some time. However, his political life would soon come to an abrupt end, and he would sail to Europe to participate in the Napoleonic Wars.
Napoleonic Wars:
Portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Francisco de Goya, 1812-14.It was in the following years that Wellesley undertook the events that made his place in history. Since 1789, France had been embroiled in the French Revolution, and after seizing the government in 1799, Napoleon had reached the heights of power in Europe. The British government was casting about for ways to end Napoleon's threat; and Wellesley helped to supply them.
First came junior command in an expedition to Denmark in 1807, which soon led to Wellesley's promotion to Lieutenant-General and a transfer to the theatre of the Peninsular War. Although that war was not going particularly well, it was the one place where the Portuguese and the British had managed to put up a fight on the European mainland against France and her allies. (The disastrous Walcheren expedition was typical of the misfired British expeditions of the time.) Wellesley had submitted a memorandum to Lord Castlereagh on the defense of Portugal and Castlereagh appointed him head of an expeditionary force. Wellesley defeated the French at the Battle of Roliça and the Battle of Vimeiro in 1808. The resulting Convention of Cintra, which stipulated that the British army would transport the French out of Lisbon with all their loot, was controversial, and Wellesley was briefly recalled to Britain. In the meantime, however, Napoleon himself had come to Spain with his veteran troops, and when the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Moore, died during the Battle of Corunna, Wellesley was appointed Commander-in-Chief of all British forces in Portugal.
Returning to Iberia in April 1809, he defeated one of the armies of King Joseph of Spain (Napoleon's eldest brother) at the Battle of Talavera de la Reina in 1809. For this, he was raised to the Peerage as Viscount Wellington, of Talavera and of Wellington in the County of Somerset. When the French invaded Portugal again in 1810, he slowed them down at the Busaco, then blocked them from taking the Lisbon peninsula by his magnificently constructed earthwork Lines of Torres Vedras coupled with the waterborne protection of the British Royal Navy (the bloodless Battle of Lisbon). The baffled and starving French invasion forces retreated after six months. He proceeded to drive them out of Portugal entirely in 1811, fighting at Fuentes de Oñoro and Albuera. In May 1811, he was promoted to General for his services in Portugal.
Driving into Spain, he defeated the French again at Salamanca, then took Madrid in 1812. Around this time, he was created Earl of Wellington. A French counter-attack that year put British forces in a precarious position, but Lord Wellington was given command of all Allied armies in Spain and created Marquess of Wellington on 3 October. Taking advantage of the withdrawal of many French troops to Napoleon's doomed invasion of Russia, Wellington led a new offensive in 1813, culminating in the Battle of Vitoria, which pushed the enemy back into France and for which he was Promoted to Field Marshal. He invaded France, and finally defeated the French forces at Toulouse; after this battle, Napoleon was exiled to Elba in 1814.
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Hailed as the conquering hero, Wellington was created Duke of Wellington, a title still held by his descendants. He was soon appointed Ambassador to France, then took Lord Castlereagh's place as First Plenipotentiary to the Congress of Vienna, where he strongly advocated allowing France to keep its place in the European balance of power. On 2 January 1815, the title of his Knighthood of the Bath was converted to Knight Grand Cross upon the expansion of that order.
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On 26 February 1815, Napoleon left his exile on Elba and returned to France. Regaining control of the country by May, he then faced a reformation of the alliance against him. Wellington left Vienna to command the Anglo-Allied forces during the Waterloo Campaign. He ended up in Belgium, along with Prussian forces under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, and the Anglo-Allied forces fought the French in the inconclusive Battle of Quatre Bras. Two days later, on 18 June, Wellington and von Blücher finally defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. The French Emperor abdicated once again on 22 June, and was spirited away by the British to distant St Helena.
Wellington as Soldier:
Despite oft cited similarities between Napoleon Bonaparte and Wellington, the strategies and tactics employed by both were diametically opposed. Perhaps the main reason that Napoleon stands in many history texts above Wellington is that Napoleon offered radical changes in warfare in every respect, whereas Wellington's contribution to warfare lies more in the resurrection of the old.
Napoleonic tactics were typified by massive conscript armies who advanced in tight columns to rout opposing forces. This was soon adopted by nearly every major participant in the war, with the chief exception of Britain and Wellington's Peninsular army. In almost every engagement, Wellington depended upon British regulars who stood in line and fired three to four rounds per minute. Wellington relied on defensive firepower as opposed to mass attacks in his engagements, and is thus often compared tactically to Frederick the Great. However, as linear formations are restricted in mobility, they are at a disadvantage on the offensive. This has led to numerous accusations of Wellington being "a defensive general." This is partially justified, with the exception of Salamanca, all of his major battles (including Waterloo) were won by defensive tactics.
Strategically, Wellington also appears somewhat anachronistic, with the Peninsular War revolving partly upon the possession and besieging of fortified strongholds. Conventional military wisdom of the era, especially under Napoleon, dictated that the opposing field army was to be eliminated at any price necessary. In pursuit of this aim, desperate measures would be taken, such as winter battles, forced marches, and privation allievated only by foraging. Wellington's campaign displayed carefully planned offensives, tempered by subsequent consolidation of gains. Hence, after the Battle of Talavera, Wellington received strong critcism within his army for not immediately marching on Madrid.
In other strategic areas however, Wellington seemed to forecast the tide of the future. The construction of the fortifications near Torres Vedras, and the subsequent attritional campaign which ensued, seems to typify the manner that warfare would evolve within the following century.
Wellington should be considered a model for multi-national leadership. He efficiently coordinated the efforts of Portuguese, Spanish, and a multitude of other foreign units, as well as negotiating with a home government not always empathetic to military concerns. It is a testament to Wellington's ability that he successfully intergrated and commanded British, Irish, Spanish, Portuguese, Hanoverian, Prussian, Swiss, Indian, Dutch, and Belgian troops; a retinue only Napoleon himself could probably match. In command of these forces, he was almost always outnumbered, and succeeded by the merits of his attention to detail, micro management, and tactical foresight.
Later Life:
The Duke of Wellington in later lifePolitics beckoned once again in 1819, when Wellington was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance in the Tory government of Lord Liverpool. In 1827, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, a position he would hold for the remainder of his life, except during his premiership. Along with Robert Peel, Wellington became one of the rising stars of the Tory party, and by 1828, had become Prime Minister.
As Prime Minister, Wellington was the picture of the arch-conservative, though oddly enough the highlight of his term was Catholic Emancipation, the granting of almost full civil rights to Catholics in the United Kingdom. The change was forced by the landslide by-election win of Daniel O'Connell, a Catholic proponent of emancipation, who was elected despite not being legally allowed to sit in Parliament. Lord Winchilsea accused the Duke of having "treacherously plotted the destruction of the Protestant constitution". Wellington responded by immediately challenging Winchilsea to a duel. The duel is also one of the reasons for the founding of King's College London. On 21 March 1829, Wellington and Winchilsea met on Battersea fields. When it came time to fire, the Duke deliberately aimed wide and Winchilsea fired into the air. He subsequently wrote Wellington a grovelling apology. In the House of Lords, facing stiff opposition, Wellington spoke for Catholic emancipation, giving one of the best speeches of his career [1]. The Catholic Emancipation Act was passed with a majority of 105.
Wellington's government fell in 1830. In the summer and autumn of that year, a wave of riots swept the country. The Whigs had been out of power for all but a few years since the 1770s, and saw political reform in response to the unrest as the key to their return. Wellington stuck to the Tory policy of no reform and no expansion of the franchise, and as a result lost a vote of no confidence on 15 November 1830. He was replaced as Prime Minister by Lord Grey.
The Whigs introduced the first Reform Act, but Wellington and the Tories worked to prevent its passage. The bill passed in the House of Commons, but was defeated in the House of Lords. An election followed in direct response, and the Whigs were returned with an even larger majority. A second Reform Act was introduced, and defeated in the same way, and another wave of near insurrection swept the country. During this time, Wellington was greeted by a hostile reaction from the crowds at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and eventually the bill was passed after the Whigs threatened to have the House of Lords packed with their own followers if it were not. Though passed, Wellington was never reconciled to the change; when Parliament first met after the first election under the widened franchise, Wellington is reported to have said "I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life". During this time, Wellington was gradually superseded as leader of the Tories by Robert Peel; when the Tories were brought back to power in 1834, Wellington declined to become Prime Minister, and Peel was selected instead. Unfortunately Peel was in Italy, and for three weeks in November and December 1834, Wellington acted as a caretaker, taking the responsibilities of Prime Minister and most of the other ministries. In Peel's first Cabinet (1834–1835), Wellington became Foreign Secretary, while in the second (1841–1846) he was a Minister without Portfolio and Leader of the House of Lords.
Wellington retired from political life in 1846, although he remained Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, and returned briefly to the spotlight in 1848 when he helped organize a military force to protect London during that year of European revolution. He died in 1852, and was buried in a sarcophagus of luxulyanite in St Paul's Cathedral.
In 1838 a proposal to build a statue of Wellington resulted in the building of a giant statue of him on his horse Copenhagen, placed above the Arch at Constitution Hill in London directly outside Apsley House, his former London home, in 1846. The enormous scale of the 40 ton, 30 feet high monument resulted in its removal in 1883 and the following year it was transported to Aldershot where it still stands near the Royal Garrison Church.
Titles & Honours
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Baron Douro, of Wellington in the County of Somerset (4 September 1809) Viscount Wellington, of Talavera and of Wellington in the County of Somerset (4 September 1809) Earl of Wellington, in the County of Somerset (28 February 1812) Marquess of Wellington, in the County of Somerset (3 October 1812) Marquess Douro (11 May 1814) Duke of Wellington, in the County of Somerset (11 May 1814)
British & Irish Honours
Knight of the Bath (1804) Privy Councillor of Great Britain (8 April 1807) Privy Councillor of Ireland (28 April 1807) Knight of the Garter (1813) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (1815) Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (1829) Peninsular Cross medal with nine bars for all campaigns--the only one so issued. Displayed at Apsley House along with a Waterloo Medal. Fellow of the Royal Society (1847)
International Honours & Titles
Conde de Vimeiro (18 October 1811, Portugal) Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo (January 1812, Spain) Grandee of the First Class (January 1812, Spain) Marquês de Torres Vedras (August 1812, Portugal) Duque de Vittoria (18 December 1812, Portugal) Knight of the Golden Fleece (1812, Spain) Prins van Waterloo (18 July 1815, The Netherlands) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Hanover (1816, Hanover)
Field Marshal batons from 12 countries. These can be seen at Apsley House.
The Duke of Wellington stood as godfather to Queen Victoria's seventh child, Prince Arthur, in 1850. The Duke of Wellington and his godson shared the same birthdate, and as a toddler, young Arthur was encouraged to remind people that the Duke of Wellington was his godfather.
Nicknames
Apart from giving his name to "Wellington boots", the Duke of Wellington also had several nicknames.
The "Iron Duke", after an incident in 1830 in which he installed metal shutters to prevent rioters breaking windows at Apsley House Officers under his command called him "The Beau", thanks to him being a fine dresser or "The Peer" after he was created a Viscount. Regular soldiers under his command called him "Old Nosey" because of his long nose. Spanish and Portuguese troops called him "the Eagle" and "Douro" respectively.
Trivia
An interesting fact about Wellington is that he shaved twice a day due to rapid growth of facial hair. He was also insistent that he was not interrupted during shaving. This little tale is seen in Redcoats by Richard Holmes.
HMS Iron Duke, named for Wellington, was the flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe at the Battle of Jutland in World War I.
Wellington is a recurring character in the Richard Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell.
C. S. Forester invented a younger sister, "Lady Barbara Wellesley," as a character in his Horatio Hornblower novels.
The oft quoted phrase "Publish and be damned!" is attributed to Wellington, after the courtesan Harriette Wilson threatened to publish her memoirs and his letters.
Personality Traits
Wellington set a gruelling pace of work. He rose early -- he "couldn't bear to lie in" once awake -- and usually slept for six hours or less. Even when he returned to civilian life after 1815, he slept in a camp bed, reflecting his lack of regard for creature comforts. General Miguel de Álava complained that Wellington said so often that the army would march "at daybreak" and dine on "cold meat", that he began to dread the two phrases. While on campaign, he seldom ate anything between breakfast and dinner. During the retreat to Portugal in 1811, he subsisted (to the despair of his staff, who dined with him) entirely on "cold meat and bread". He was however renowned for the excellent quality of the wine he drank and served, often drinking a bottle with his dinner -- not a great quantity by the standards of his day.
Never much of a gourmet, he frequently drove his chef to frustration by his abstemious ways and general lack of interest in food, even eating a rotten egg on one occasion without realising it.
Although by no means ostentatious, the Duke was well-known for his fine sartorial taste (which, as mentioned above, helped earn him the nickname of "The Beau"). He was particularly fond of trousers - only just entering the gentleman's wardrobe during his life time. On one occasion the Duke was turned away from Almack's Assembly Rooms (a popular haunt of high society) for wearing trousers rather than the more conventional knee-breeches. Despite his luminary status, he quietly left without a word of protest.
He was very partial to high-technology and mechanical gadgets, being one of the first British soldiers to employ shrapnel shells and Congreve rockets (although he was disappointed with the latter, as they had very poor guidance devices). He also employed a full time officer to decrypt intercepted French messages. On the other hand, although meticulously organized, his supply trains comprised pack mules and ox carts (with ungreased axles) (plus cargo boats if rivers could be used).
He was most insistent that he not be interrupted during shaving (possibly because his unusually rapid growth of facial hair required him to shave twice a day).
He was an accomplished yo-yo player. The yo-yo was then known as the bandalore.
He rarely showed emotion before his intellectual or social inferiors. However, Álava was a witness to the following scene. Just before the Battle of Salamanca, Wellington was eating a chicken leg while observing the manoeuvers of the French army though a spyglass. He spotted an overextension in the French left flank, and realizing that he could launch a successful attack there, threw the drumstick in the air and shouted "Les français sont perdus!" ("The French are lost!"). Also, after the Battle of Toulouse, when an aide brought him news of Napoleon's abdication, he spun around on his heels, clicking his fingers in a sort of impromptu flamenco dance.
The Duke of Wellington's Government, January 1828 - November 1830
The Duke of Wellington—First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Lords Lord Lyndhurst—Lord Chancellor Lord Bathurst—Lord President of the Council Lord Ellenborough—Lord Privy Seal Robert Peel—Secretary of State for the Home Department and Leader of the House of Commons Lord Dudley—Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Huskisson—Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Henry Goulburn—Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Grant—President of the Board of Trade and Treasurer of the Navy Lord Melville—President of the Board of Control John Charles Herries—Master of the Mint Lord Aberdeen—Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Lord Palmerston—Secretary at War
Changes
May, 1828—Sir George Murray became Colonial Secretary on the death of Huskisson. June, 1828—Lord Aberdeen succeeded Lord Dudley as Foreign Secretary. Aberdeen's successor at the Duchy of Lancaster was not in the Cabinet. William Vesey-FitzGerald succeeded Grant as President of the Board of Trade and Treasurer of the Navy. Lord Palmerston left the Cabinet. His successor as Secretary at War was not in the Cabinet. September, 1828—Lord Melville becomes First Lord of the Admiralty. He was succeeded as President of the Board of Control by Lord Ellenborough, who remained also Lord Privy Seal June, 1829—Lord Rosslyn succeeded Lord Ellenborough as Lord Privy Seal. Ellenborough remained at the Board of Control.
The Duke of Wellington's Caretaker Government November 1834 - December 1834
The Duke of Wellington—First Lord of the Treasury, Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies and Leader of the House of Lords Lord Lyndhurst—Lord Chancellor Lord Denham—Chancellor of the Exchequer Other offices were in commission.
Styles:
The Hon. Arthur Wesley (birth–7 March 1787)
Ensign The Hon. Arthur Wesley (7 March 1787–25 December 1787)
Lieutenant The Hon. Arthur Wesley (25 December 1787–30 June 1791)
Captain The Hon. Arthur Wesley (30 June 1791–30 April 1793)
Major The Hon. Arthur Wesley (30 April 1793–30 September 1793)
Lieutenant-Colonel The Hon. Arthur Wesley (30 September 1793–3 May 1796)
Colonel The Hon. Arthur Wesley (3 May 1796–19 May 1798)
Colonel The Hon. Arthur Wellesley (19 May 1798–29 April 1802)
Major-General The Hon. Arthur Wellesley (29 April 1802–1 September 1804)
Major-General The Hon. Sir Arthur Wellesley, KB (1 September 1804–8 April 1807)
Major-General The Rt Hon. Sir Arthur Wellesley, KB (8 April 1807–25 April 1808)
Lieutenant-General The Rt Hon. Sir Arthur Wellesley, KB (25 April 1808–4 September 1809)
Lieutenant-General The Rt Hon. The Viscount Wellington, KB, PC (4 September 1809–May 1811)
General The Rt Hon. The Viscount Wellington, KB, PC (May 1811–28 February 1812)
General The Rt Hon. The Earl of Wellington, KB, PC (28 February 1812–3 October 1812)
General The Most Hon. The Marquess of Wellington, KB, PC (3 October 1812–4 March 1813)
General The Most Hon. The Marquess of Wellington, KG, KB, PC (4 March 1813–21 June 1813)
Field Marshal The Most Hon. The Marquess of Wellington, KG, KB, PC (21 June 1813–11 May 1814)
Field Marshal His Grace The Duke of Wellington, KG, KB, PC (11 May 1814–2 January 1815)
Field Marshal His Grace The Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, PC (2 January 1815–14 September 1852)
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