Search results
Nov 13, 2014 · Wellington’s criticism of the cavalry is well known. But when I looked into it. The Duke of Wellington commanded one of Britain’s finest expeditionary forces between 1808 -1814 and defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. I found there was more to the story.
- It is very true that I have said that I considered Napoleon's presence in the field equal to forty thousand men in the balance. This is a very loose way of talking; but the idea is a very different one from that of his presence at a battle being equal to a reinforcement of forty thousand men.
- I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life. - Of the British Parliament.
- My rule always was to do the business of the day in the day.
- The only thing I am afraid of is fear.
- Younger Son
- A Politician as Well as A Soldier
- A Career Crafted in India
- Short on Sleep
- Giving Up His Bed
- A Front-Line Commander
- A Grey View of His Troops
- Visiting St Helena
- A Believer in Flogging
- Dreaming of Reformed Officers
Wellington was a younger son of Anglo-Irish nobility. He was born on May 1, 1769, in Dublin. His older brother Richard helped his early career. Richard was a gifted politician who supported Arthur in his rise through the military ranks. As Governor-General of Bengal, Richard acted as patron while they were both serving in India.
Although best remembered as a general, Wellington was also a politician. He sat in the Irish parliament in the 1790s and later became British Prime Minister, twice.
Wellington first came to prominence as a commander while serving in India in the late 1790s and early 1800s. He defeated a series of local leaders in battle, consolidating and expanding British territory in the subcontinent. He played an important role for Britain obtaining control of the whole region.
When necessary, Wellington could keep going for a long time on very little sleep. In the four days in the lead-up to the Battle of Waterloo and the battle itself, he had only nine hours sleep. He often stayed up until three in the morning organizing his army.
At Waterloo, one of his staff officers was severely injured. Having had his leg amputated, there was no certainty he would survive. Wellington gave him his bed and slept on a couch instead. He was woken during the night with the sad news that his colleague had died.
Like many commanders of the era, Wellington led from the front. He frequently came close to death due to artillery or small arms fire. He had several horses shot out from under him and bullets regularly left holes in his clothes and equipment. At Waterloo, a cannonball narrowly missed both Wellington and his horse and instead hit the unfortunate ma...
Wellington expressed views on his soldiers that appear confusing. On the one hand, he repeatedly referred to British infantry as scum. On the other, he talked in admiring terms of their achievements and emphasized they were the tools he needed to win battles. Those apparently contradictory views show a sophisticated understanding of his soldiers. H...
The victory at Waterloo led to Napoleon’s banishment to the Island of St Helena. Wellington understood well what life on the Island was like. On his journey home from India in 1805, he had stopped off at the isolated Atlantic island and stayed in the same building to which Napoleon was later exiled.
The love many of Wellington’s men showed him was not inspired by kindness. Wellington was a harsh disciplinarian who believed that strict punishments were needed to keep soldiers in line. He did not think imprisonment in barracks deterred men from serious failures of discipline. Instead, he advocated the regular use of flogging; the infamous cat o’...
Although a member of Britain’s traditional aristocratic officer class, Wellington saw deep flaws in the arrangement. Having obtained their commissions through wealth and family connections, many of the officers were as undisciplined and neglectful of their duties as their soldiers. It caused problems for the general, who wrote several times about t...
Apr 26, 2024 · When I see Lord Wellington, I'm going to speak to him about your conduct, Sharpe. Nairn: Is that you, Sir Augustus? Major Nairn, Lord Wellington's staff, sir. I take it you are Sir Augustus Farthingdale. Sir Augustus: I am he, Nairn. I should like to complain about the conduct of one of your officers. Nairn: Lord Wellington is waiting for you ...
Mar 27, 2024 · A feted commander during the Napoleonic Wars, Arthur Wellesley, aka the Duke of Wellington, ranks among Britain’s most famous historical figures. But the ‘Iron Duke’ was a multifaceted character – a career politician, a womaniser and an unlikely fashion icon.
- Ellie Cawthorne
Mar 8, 2019 · Wellington postponed his own planned offensive, due to this false intelligence, giving Masséna a vital 24-hour head-start in his retreat. When Wellesley finally got going, he found Ney waiting for him at Pombal.
People also ask
Why did Wellington hang his men?
How did Wellington view his soldiers?
Did Wellington know what he was talking about?
Why did Wellington love his men so much?
Did Duke of Wellington really defeat Napoleon at Waterloo?
How did Ney deceive Wellington?
Discover Duke of Wellington famous and rare quotes. Share Duke of Wellington quotations about war, army and soldiers. "I don't know what effect these men will..."
