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Often referred to solely as "The Duke of Wellington", he led a successful military career in the Indian subcontinent during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798–99) and the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), and in Europe during the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815).
Wellington's battle record is exemplary; he ultimately participated in some 60 battles during the course of his military career. Wellington is famous for his adaptive defensive style of warfare, resulting in several victories against numerically superior forces while minimising his own losses.
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- Overview
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"Wellington at Waterloo" by Robert Alexander Hillingford
Map of British Peninsular War battles, 1808–14
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, KP, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852), was one of the leading British military and political figures of the 19th century. Often referred to as "The Duke of Wellington", he led a successful military career during the Napoleonic Wars.
Starting his career in 1787 as a commissioned officer in the infantry, before seeing his first action in the Flanders Campaign, Wellesley rose in rank by purchasing his first four commissions, as was common practice in the British Army for wealthy officers.[1] His continued rise in status and fame thereafter was the result of his ability as a commander.
Main article: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
There is speculation as to how many battles Wellington actually participated in during his career, by historians and biographers. Military historian, Ian Fletcher, identifies twenty-four major battles and sieges involving the British Army between 1808 and 1815 with Wellington was in command of seventeen of those engagements.[3] Military historian, Mark Adkin, comments that "Wellington had fought in some twenty-four battles and sieges prior to Waterloo".[4] Although this is easily contested, the precise number of battles may never be known. It can be established from records, dispatches and reports dating back to the events that he was present in at least fifty separate military actions, including an assortment of meeting engagements, pitched battles, sieges, skirmishes and minor engagements, throughout his career. He also ordered countless other remote engagements mostly whilst serving in the Napoleonic Wars, during which Britain played a major role in securing Europe against French occupation, between 1805 and 1815.[5]
See also: British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and Anglo-Portuguese Army
Wellington's understanding of logistics was to prove valuable in leading an expeditionary force against the French invasion of Portugal and Spain.[37] He was adept at planning long marches through unknown territory, understanding that he not only had thousands of men to manage efficiently, but that a huge amount of supplies were required to adequately feed and sustain his army. Secure supply lines to the Portuguese coast were of vital importance if he was to maintain his ability to fight the French.[38]
In April 1809, Wellington returned to Portugal with 28,000 British and 16,000 Portuguese troops under his command – the French Army of Spain numbered 360,000.[39] Despite many French troops having been dispersed to garrisons across Spain or located to protect supply and communication lines,[39] even with the Portuguese Army and militia, and remnants of the Spanish Army and guerillas to support him, Wellington faced overwhelming odds. Throughout the Peninsular War the number of soldiers enlisted in Britain never exceeded 40,000, including the King's German Legion (KGL) and British-trained Portuguese Army.[38] At Waterloo, of his roughly 73,000 strong army, only around 26,000 (36 percent) were British.[40] Many British politicians were opposed to the war in Europe and favoured withdrawal,[41] which hampered its will to muster a larger force to defeat Napoleon. This served in sharpening Wellington's awareness that a defensive strategy was essential, initially, to ensure the British Army survived.[41]
Wellington faced armies formed from the disbanded French Grande Armée, once an overpowering force, which having conquered Europe and expanded the French Empire had been led by Napoleon and his marshals since 1804.[42] It had been reformed into smaller armies from October 1808, under the command of his brother Joseph Bonaparte and several marshals, in order to secure Portugal and Spain.[43] Wellington arrived in Lisbon in 1809 with an army composed mostly of volunteers, "the scum of the earth" as he termed them.[44][45] Unlike French troops, British troops were better trained and were required to repeatedly practice firing with live rounds before encountering combat.[46] Napoleon only personally visited Spain once, between October 1808 and January 1809,[47] taking most of his Guard and many élite troops with him when he left – the remaining troops became a second line in quality, experience and equipment – new recruits were often not French.[48]
Wellington's army consisted of four combat arms: Infantry, cavalry and artillery. Engineers also played a valuable role in the Peninsula, such as the building of the Lines of Torres Vedras – a defensive line of forts built to protect Lisbon[49] – and making preparations for any sieges throughout the war.[50] Wellington's main combat arm was his well-trained infantry. He never had more than 2,000 cavalry before 1812[51] and his cannons, although highly competent, were inferior to French guns in both number and quality.[51] It was with this force that Wellington aimed to defend Portugal until he took to an offensive strategy in 1812, beating the French at the Salamanca. He advanced on to Madrid, arriving on 12 August 1812 – Joseph Bonaparte had abandoned the capital after the defeat at Salamanca.[52]
The Spanish government made Wellington commander-in-chief of all allied armies, providing an extra 21,000 Spanish troops after Salamanca.[52] Although not completely undefeated he never lost a major battle.[53] His greatest defeat came at the Siege of Burgos in 1812, where he had hoped to prevent French forces concentrating.[54] After losing 2,000 men and causing only 600 French casualties he was forced to raise the siege and retreat, calling it "the worst scrape I was ever in."[55] Retiring to winter quarters, where he received reinforcements that brought his regular army up to 75,000 men,[52] Wellington began his final offensive in June 1813. He advanced north, through the Pyrenees, and into France itself. The French were no longer fighting to keep Spain but to defend their own border.[52]
There are a large number of battles attributed to Wellington. Although many leave the impression that he was present or in command at those actions, it was sometimes the case that he entrusted other officers to engage the enemy, such as at remote locations, and that he could not have attended them all in person. Similarly, Wellington was not usually in command of rear guard actions, during advances or retreats, despite his army engaging in them often. Engagements where the lack of his presence is absolutely certain, or where his position is unconfirmed by records and accounts, are not included in his battle record.
Key to opponent flags
Key to outcome
* Indicates a decisive victory
•Arms, titles, honours and styles of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
•Batons of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
•British Army during the Napoleonic Wars
•British soldiers in the eighteenth century
•Seringapatam medal
•Army Gold Medal
•Adkin, Mark (2001). The Waterloo Companion: The Complete Guide to History's Most Famous Land Battle. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1854107640.
•Ayrton, Michael; Taylor, John (2008). The Sharpest Fight: The 95th Rifles at Tarbes, 20th March 1814. London: Forbitou Books. ISBN 978-0955486005.
•Barnett, Correlli (1997) [First published 1978]. Bonaparte. Ware, UK: Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1853266782.
•Burton, Major R.G. (2009) [First published 1908]. Wellington's Campaigns in India. Uckfield, UK: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1845743307.
•Chandler, David (1999) [First published 1993]. Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. Ware, UK: Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1840222036.
•Chartrand, René (2001a). Vimeiro 1808. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841763095.
•Bluth, B.J. (2003). Marching With Sharpe. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0004145372.
•Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996) [First published 1987]. British Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars. London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1854093264.
•Holmes, Richard (2001). Redcoat. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0006531524.
•Lipscombe, Colonel Nick (2010). The Peninsular War Atlas. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1849083645.
•Reid, Stuart (2004). Wellington's Army in the Peninsula 1809–14. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841765174.
•Sutherland, Jonathan (2003). Napoleonic Battles. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife. ISBN 978-1840374230.
List of titles and honours of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS ( c. 1 May 1769 –14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century.
16 de fev. de 2024 · Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington, Irish-born commander of the British army during the Napoleonic Wars and later prime minister of Great Britain (1828–30). He gained military prominence in India, won successes in the Peninsular War in Spain, and triumphed over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
17 de fev. de 2011 · Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), was probably Britain's greatest military commander, but he was also perhaps one of her worst prime ministers.
Wellington's battle record is exemplary; he ultimately participated in some 60 battles during the course of his military career. Wellington is famous for his adaptive defensive style of warfare, resulting in several victories against numerically superior forces while minimising his own losses.