The Story of Wellington

The motto on Wellington’s escutcheon, Virtutis fortuna comes—“Fortune is the companion of valour”—was exemplified in his long and eventful career, and perhaps the following words, once used by him in a dispatch, suggest how keen was his sense of responsibility: “God help me if I fail, for no one else will.” With true British inconsistency the nation spent £100,000 on the funeral of him whose habits were of Spartan simplicity, but with more appropriateness the body of the Conqueror of Napoleon was placed next to that of the Hero of Trafalgar in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.

And so these two great Warriors sleep together. They were worthy of England; may England be worthy of them.

1

 Sir Herbert Maxwell in his “Life of Wellington” (p. 2) suggests that the confusion arose owing to the then comparatively recent alteration of the calendar. Supposing Arthur Wellesley was born on the 1st May (new style), that date would be the 18th April (old style), and the 30th April (old style) the 12th May according to the present way of reckoning.

2

 It must be remembered that Barrington wrote from the point of view of a “patriot,” and that Castlereagh had much to do with the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. Castlereagh entered the Irish Parliament in 1790, served in the Pitt, Addington, Perceval, and Portland ministries, was present at the Congress of Vienna, and died by his own hand in 1822.

3

 Dumouriez was in London from the 12th June until the 22nd, 1793. He lived in England from October 1803 until his death on the 14th March 1823.

4

 Similar incidents occurred during the Peninsular War.

5

 At Arnheim, on the Rhine, less than twenty-five miles distant. According to the de Ros MS., consulted by Sir Herbert Maxwell, Dundas paid a visit to Wellesley “about once a fortnight.”

6

 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, 1794–8.

7

 Letter to Sir Chichester Fortescue, dated 20th June 1796, cited by Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 19 n.

8

 Sir Herbert Maxwell, p. 35.

9

Gleig (p. 26) says £7000, Roberts (p. 11) £7000 in money and £1200 in jewels. Sir Herbert Maxwell (p. 39) calls attention to a letter, dated the 14th June 1799, in which Wellesley “gives it as 3000 pagodas in jewels, and 7000 in money; in all, 10,000 pagodas, equal to about £4000.”

10

 In later years Wellington offered to provide for the unfortunate Spanish general, Alava, and gave him a small house in the park of Strathfieldsaye.

11

 Created 20th December 1800.

12

 The Austrian general, Kray, had succeeded Archduke Charles as Commander-in-Chief of the army in Germany in the campaign of 1800, but owing to his ill-success he was superseded in a few months by Archduke John, hence Wellesley’s reference.

13

 “The Life of Wellington,” pp. 45–6.

14

 “Dispatches,” vol. ii. p. 312.

15

 “The Life of Arthur Duke of Wellington,” by G. R. Gleig, M.A., F.R.G.S. (London Ed. 1864), pp. 33–4.

16

79 officers and 1778 soldiers were killed and wounded.—Sir Herbert Maxwell, p. 58.

17

 Gleig, pp. 37–8.

18

 Envoy.

19

 Alison in his “Lives of Lord Castlereagh and Sir Charles Stewart” (vol. i. p. 175), says that it generally took six months to make the voyage. When Sir James Mackintosh sailed from Portsmouth for Bombay in 1804 his vessel only occupied three months and thirteen days (see his “Memoirs,” vol. i. p. 207).

20

 “His relationship to the Governor-General naturally lent much weight to his views with Lord Clive and General Harris, but,” Sir Herbert Maxwell adds (p. 24), “it is remarkable how freely and frequently the elder brother sought the younger’s advice.”

21

 “The Life and Correspondence of the Right Honble. Henry Addington, first Viscount Sidmouth,” by the Honble. George Pellew, D.D. (London, 1847), vol. ii. p. 242. In this connection see also “Wellington’s Dispatches,” vol. ii. pp. 335–36 n., and “Despatches, Minutes, and Correspondence of the Marquess Wellesley, K.G.,” vol. iii. p. 543.

22

 “The Rise of Wellington,” by Earl Roberts, V.C., p. 26.

23

 “Personal interest was as much recognized in those days as the chief motor in military promotion, as seniority and merit are now.”—Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 67.

24

 Shortly after his return from India Wellesley had his only interview with Nelson, an account of which is given in the author’s companion work, “The Story of Nelson,” pp. 113–4.

25

 See ante, p. 23.

26

 “Personal Reminiscences of the first Duke of Wellington” (Edinburgh 1904), p. 274.

27

 Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

28

 At Copenhagen.

29

 Flat-bottomed boats, usually armed with small guns.

30

 Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 87.

31

 Wilson is wrong in some of his facts. The Danish troops numbered some 14,000, and 1100 prisoners were taken. See Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 87.

32

 “The Croker Papers,” vol. ii. pp. 120–21.

33

 H. W. Wilson, B.A., in “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 236.

34

 “The Life of Napoleon I,” vol. ii. p. 143.

35

 See Oman’s “Peninsular War,” vol i. pp. 1–11.

36

 Oman, vol. i. pp. 631–639. Returns of October-November 1808.

37

 Succeeded by Soult in November 1808.

38

 Oman, vol. i. pp. 640–45.

39

 “The Autobiography of Sir Harry Smith,” 1787–1819. Edited by G. C. Moore Smith, M.A. (London Ed. 1910).

40

 “A Boy in the Peninsular War,” edited by Julian Sturgis (London, 1899), p. 313.

41

 Ibid. p. 311.

42

 Vol. i. p. 235 n.

43

 The total loss of the regiment was 190, by far the heaviest of those engaged.

44

 The case of Peter Findlater at Dargai is almost an exact parallel.

45

 See also some remarks in “The Croker Papers,” vol. ii. pp. 121–22.

46

 As to the merits and demerits of national resistance, see some wise remarks in Arnold’s “Introductory Lectures on Modern History,” pp. 158–64.

47

 See also some pregnant remarks in Wellesley’s dispatch dated Badajoz, 21st November 1809. It will be remembered that at the time of the Russian-Japanese war, newspaper men were wisely precluded from publishing particulars of proposed movements and similar intelligence likely to be of service to the enemy. During the recent conflict between Italy and Turkey the most rigid censorship was exercised by the former Power.

48

 “I rather think that Mortier had removed from Zaragoza; but some time elapsed before he arrived in Old Castile.”—Note by Wellesley.

49

 “The Adventures of a Soldier,” by Edward Costello.

50

 Oman, vol. ii. p. 334. This disposes of the often-repeated story that Waters discovered the little craft in the reeds. Brailmont, for instance, says that the Colonel “suddenly darted off from the throng,” and half an hour later the skiff “shot out into the deep” with six men on board.

51

 At the approach of the enemy no fewer than 6000 Spaniards took to their heels and played no part in the battle.

52

 Napoleon made a similar error of judgment at Waterloo by keeping the Imperial Guard in reserve until after 7 p.m. (See post, p. 222).

53

 Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 165, says 6268; Professor Oman (“Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 452) gives 5300, the Spanish casualties “trifling.” The latter authority states that 7200 Frenchmen were killed or wounded.

54

 “Passages in the Early Military Life of General Sir George T. Napier, K.C.B.” (London, 1884), pp. 111–12.

55

 See post, p. 130.

56

 “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 455. This authority gives the date of the battle of Tamames as the 18th October, but Wellington states that it occurred on the 19th.—See “Dispatches,” vol. v. pp. 261 and 350.

57

 Its object was to destroy the ships and dockyards at Antwerp.

58

 General Sir George T. Napier, pp. 120–21.

59

 Really his two reserve divisions, consisting of some 8000 men. See Oman, vol. iii. p. 432, and post, p. 139.

60

 September 1810.

61

 On the 27th September 1910, the centenary of the battle, an anniversary banquet was given at Busaco, which was attended by Wellington’s grandson. King Manoel—now dethroned—signed a decree reaffirming the duke’s Portuguese titles of Duke of Vittoria, Marquis of Torres Vedras, and Count of Vimiero. Celebrations were also held on the site of the battle.

62

 The writer is speaking literally.

63

 The usual French mode of attack.

64

 Not Marshal Soult, but his nephew.

65

 The Proclamation is printed in full in Gurwood’s edition of “Wellington’s Dispatches,” vol. vii. pp. 455–7.

66

 Lady Butler’s picture, “Steady, the Drums and Fifes,” represents this regiment drawn up on the ridge.

67

 He had recently received reinforcements from England.

68

 Napoleon dominated practically the whole of Northern Europe. He was then planning a confederacy which was to consist of Sweden, Denmark, and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.

69

 Wellington’s instructions to Hill will be found in “Dispatches,” vol. viii. pp. 180–82.

70

 “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 469.

71

 i.e. The province of Leon, in which Ciudad Rodrigo is situated.

72

 “Autobiography,” pp. 64–5.

73

 Sir Herbert Maxwell, vol. i. p. 280.

74

 A monument to the memory of Major-General Gaspard Le Marchant is in St Paul’s Cathedral.

75

 It is given in Gurwood, vol. x. pp. 61–66.

76

 Lützen was fought on the 3rd May 1813, and Bautzen on the 20th and 21st May. In both battles the Prussians and Russians, who at the opening of the Leipzig campaign bore all the fighting for the Allies, were defeated. The only result of the armistice was that Austria threw in her lot with Russia, Prussia, and Sweden.—See the author’s “Story of Napoleon,” pp. 296–299.

77

 “Personal Reminiscences of the Duke of Wellington by Francis, the first Earl of Ellesmere,” p. 129. (London, 1903.)

78

 General Sir George T. Napier, pp. 255–260.

79

 Lady Burghersh.

80

 Parliament also granted to him the sum of £400,000.

81

 See the author’s “Story of Nelson,” p. 195.

82

 The complete Memorandum will be found in Gurwood, vol. xii., pp. 125–9.

83

 “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 619.

84

 “The Campaign of 1815, chiefly in Flanders,” by Lieut.-Colonel W. H. James, P.S.C., pp. 14–15.

85

 “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 625. See also “The Life of Napoleon I” by J. Holland Rose, Litt.D., vol. ii. p. 455.

86

 James, p. 27.

87

 James, p. 100.

88

 Croker, vol. iii. p. 173.

89

 This interesting relic still exists.

90

 Rye.

91

 Disbanded in 1816.

92

 Rose’s “Napoleon,” vol. ii. p. 487–8.

93

 Rose’s “Napoleon,” vol. ii. p. 488.

94

 Comte Charles van der Burch is the present owner of Hougoumont.

95

 Now the Grenadier Guards.

96

 Rose, vol. ii. p. 496.

97

 “Some of this brigade, particularly the 5th Military, had behaved with great gallantry on the 16th, at Quatre Bras.”—Cotton’s, “A Voice from Waterloo,” p. 56.

98

 General Gascoigne in the House of Commons, the 29th June 1815.

99

 “Some one asked whether the French Cuirassiers had not come up very well at Waterloo? ‘Yes,’ he (Wellington) said, ‘and they went down very well too.’”—Croker, vol. i. p. 330.

100

 I.e. the guns were not removed, the artillerymen working them till the last moment and then seeking refuge in the nearest square, to resume their former position when the enemy began to retire.

101

 “Cambridge Modern History,” vol. ix. p. 639.

102

 See the author’s “Story of Napoleon,” p. 135.

103

 Not at Wimbledon, as Mr Asquith said in a speech at the Guildhall in 1911.

104

 See Foreword.

105

 The point is somewhat obscure owing to conflicting evidence.—See “The Boyhood of a Great King,” by A. M. Broadley, pp. 99–100.