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Feb 26, 2021 · Many people accuse of Wellington of being a defensive general - a soldier who was only in his element when defending steep ridges. But how true is that opinion? For this week's "5 minute Friday" video, my friend and fellow military history geek Marcus Cribb (Twitter - @mcribbHistory ) tries his best to answer the…
- Assaye – September 23, 1803
- Second Battle of Porto – May 12, 1809
- Salamanca – July 22, 1812
- Vitoria – June 21, 1813
- Nivelle – November 10, 1813
- Conclusion
When asked in later life what his greatest victory was, Wellington would often answer with just one word: “Assaye.” Fought in India, the it saw the future Duke of Wellington, then known as General Arthur Wellesley, match 6,500 redcoats and East India Company sepoys against a 40,000-strong Maratha army (although some estimates go as high as 100,000 ...
The Crossing of the Douro at Portowas one of Wellington’s most ambitious and risky battles – a daring gambit featuring something quite rare in the age of horse and musket: an amphibious assault. It also resulted in the liberation of Portugal from the French. Lord Wellesley had returned to Portugal on April 22, 1809, having been cleared of all charg...
Undoubtedly one of the Allies’ greatest victories of the Napoleonic Wars and Wellesley’s “masterstroke” was the Battle of Salamanca. It’s here that the future Duke of Wellington saw and exploited a momentary advantage and turned it into a remarkable triumph. After capturing the fortress city of Badajoz in April, Wellesley set off to take the French...
Following his victory at Salamanca, Wellesley withdrew to Portugal to regroup for a fresh offensive in Spain in 1813. In May, he moved his army through mountain passes into northern Spain to outflank the French armies of Marshal Jourdan and Napoleon’s own brother, Joseph Bonaparte, which were scattered between the Douro and Tagus rivers. By June, J...
Attacking into France over the Pyrenees in late 1813, Wellesley fought a series of battles that drove Napoleon’s shattered forces into their own territory. By the time the snow was flying in 1813, the emperor’s army in the west found itself holed up in a string of mountain redoubts along the Spanish frontier By November, the line stretched 20 miles...
Arthur Wellesley, who was made the 1stDuke of Wellington in 1814, won more than 32 battles in his career; he was never defeated. After vanquishing the French for the last time at Waterloo, the Duke wept at the loss of life and swore he’d never fight again. His final victory against Napoleon remains an important milestone, not only for Wellington an...
A leading political and military figure of the 19th century, the Duke of Wellington is best remembered for his defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815. As a general, he was renowned for his stunning defensive skills. His battle plans are still studied in military academies today.
Jun 16, 2015 · On a horrible day 200 years ago, two great commanders, Napoleon and Wellington, fought a decisive battle and the world turned upside down. By Simon Worrall June 16, 2015
A master of the tactical defensive posture, the Duke of Wellington, later known as the “Iron Duke” for his military prowess, chose his ground well at Waterloo. Wellington recognized the potential strength of his deployment along the Mont-Saint-Jean Ridge and planned to use the escarpment as an impediment to any frontal assault undertaken by Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Army.
Sep 14, 2023 · Wellington now had a choice of two opponents: an army led by Marshal Auguste de Marmont in the north, and one under Soult to the south. His decision to go northwards led to one of his most brilliant victories, at Salamanca in late July. Although sometimes seen primarily as a defensive general, in this case Wellington actively sought battle.
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6. General Sir Colin Campbell. Entering the army at the tender age of 16, Colin Campbell saw action under Wellington in the Peninsula War, as well as commanding a regiment in the First Opium War and a brigade during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. However, it was his actions during the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny that cemented his reputation.
