Such vivid paintings as are here exhibited must, it is to be hoped, make the most reckless politician and the most ambitious soldier aware of the deep responsibility incurred by all who encourage the passion for military glory, except when war becomes absolutely necessary for the defence of our country, its liberties, and institutions, and for the preservation of the independence of Europe.
It was for these objects that the two great wars in which the Duke of Wellington was so pre-eminent were carried on, and the results—the recovery of their national independence by Spain and Portugal, and a peace of thirty-eight years’ duration—fully warranted the sacrifices made by Great Britain, exalted her national character, and justified her admiration of the Commander, who, under Providence, was the great instrument of her success.
George Larpent.
London, December, 1852.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Departure from England—Exercises on Ship-board—Off the Coast—Arrival at Lisbon—Residence there—Journey to head-quarters commenced—Abrantes—General features of the march—Salamanca | [1] |
CHAPTER II. | |
| Arrival at head-quarters—Ciudad Rodrigo—The Retreat—Its disasters—Capture of General Paget—Personal Anecdotes—Scarcity of Provisions—Courts-martial in the army—Business of a Judge-Advocate—Wellington | [21] |
CHAPTER III. | |
| Arrival of the Gazette—More Courts-martial—The Mad Commissary—Intentions of Lord Wellington—Social Amusements—Sporting—Wellington’s fox-hounds—His stud—A dinner at the Commander-in-Chief’s—Number of Courts-martial—Anecdotes of Wellington | [37] |
CHAPTER IV. | |
| More Courts-martial—Bal Masqué—Anecdotes of Wellington—Songs in his praise—Spanish banditti—Excesses of the Army—Carnival—More Anecdotes of the Duke—The staff—Grand entertainment at head-quarters—Wellington’s opinion of affairs at home—Murder of an officer—General Craufurd | [54] |
CHAPTER V. | |
| News of the French—Castilian costume—Equipment of the army—Melancholy Court-martial case—Wellington in the battle of Fuentes d’Onore—The chances of war—Anecdotes of Wellington—His opinions of the war—The new Mutiny Act—Wellington on “Vetus”—General Murray—Advance of the French | [87] |
CHAPTER VI. | |
| Newspaper complaints—Wellington’s comments—Review of the Portuguese—Gatherings at head-quarters—Reviews—Recommencement of the march—The route | [106] |
CHAPTER VII. | |
| The march commenced—Scenes on the road—Villa Dalla—Toro—Castro Monte—Palencia—Prospects of a general action—Skirmishing—Massa | [121] |
CHAPTER VIII. | |
| March continued—Quintana—Anecdote of Wellington—Morillas—Vittoria—The battle—Its results—Plunder—Kindness to the enemy—Madame de Gazan—The hospital—Sufferings of the wounded—Estimated loss | [150] |
CHAPTER IX. | |
| Pamplona—Pursuit of Clausel—Wellington on the march—Prospects of more Fighting—Effects of the war—The French position turned—Anecdote of Wellington—Ernani—St. Sebastian—Wellington’s movements | [166] |
CHAPTER X. | |
| Movements of the army—Wellington on the Portuguese—His personal habits—St. Sebastian—The siege—Miseries of war—Wounded officers—The Prince of Orange—Vestiges of the retreat—English papers—False accounts of the campaign—Incidents of the war | [195] |
CHAPTER XI. | |
| Rejoicings for the victory—Sufferings of Cole’s division—Complaints of the French—Statements of a French prisoner—Decay of Spain—Characteristics of Wellington—His opinion of Bonaparte—Prospects of a renewal of the attack—Exchange of Prisoners—Wellington’s Spanish estate—His opinion of Picton—Disposition of the army | [220] |
CHAPTER XII. | |
| Reported renewal of operations against St. Sebastian—Effects of the war on Spain and Portugal—Wellington’s account of recent proceedings—Courts-martial—Prisoners shot—Discussions on war between Wellington and a French deserter—The siege resumed—Work of the heavy batteries—Trial of General O’Halloran—Volunteers for the storming parties | [238] |
CHAPTER XIII. | |
| The Author taken prisoner—Kind treatment by the French General—Life of a prisoner—Release—Details of the Author’s captivity—Curious scene at General Pakenham’s—A Basque squire | [250] |
CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Picturesque quarters—Spanish reverses—A strange adventure—Spanish jealousy—Distribution of the army—A pleasant companion—News from the North—Morale of the French army—The artillery | [276] |
CHAPTER XV. | |
| Fall of Pamplona—Deterioration of the army—Duke of York’s orders—Orders of merit—Church service—Capture of French redoubts—March of the army—Incidents of foreign service—Frequency of desertion—Wellington and the lawyers | [289] |
CHAPTER XVI. | |
| News from France—Lord Fitzroy Somerset—Departure of the Prince of Orange—Exchange of prisoners—Proximity of the two armies—Wellington’s cooks—Warlike movements—French attack—The Guards—Deserters—More fighting | [308] |
CHAPTER XVII. | |
| French attack—Plan of desertion—Excesses of the French—A Basque witness—Sir John Hope—Movements of the army—Sale of effects—Wellington’s simplicity of character—A French emigré—Return of Soult to Bayonne | [323] |
CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Reports from France—More desertion—Anecdote of General Stewart—Wellington and his casualty returns—The courtesies of war—Scarcity of transports—Wellington and the trial-papers—Sir G. Collier | [339] |
CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Rumours of war—The rival dinner tables—“Slender Billy”—Bonaparte’s trickery—Spanish violence—Wellington with the hounds—French and English aspects—The outsides of the nations | [352] |
CHAPTER XX. | |
| State of feeling in France—Rocket practice—The Prince Regent’s hobby—The Mayor’s ball—The flag-of-truce | [362] |
CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Army supplies—Offending villages—Symptoms of work—Arrival of the Duke d’Angoulême—The bridge across the Adour—Wellington and his Chief Engineer—His activity | [377] |
CHAPTER XXII. | |
| Movements of the army—Narrow escape of Wellington—Anecdote of Wellington at Rodrigo—Novel scaling ladders—Sir Alexander Dickson—Wellington’s vanity—Operations resumed—Spanish officers—The passage of the Adour—The road to Bayonne—Death of Captain Pitts | [400] |
CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| Passage of the river—Start for Orthes—Effect of the battle—Feelings of the French—Wellington wounded—St. Sever—Church and School—Aire—Wellington on the conduct of the Allies—Indurating effects of War | [417] |
CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| Reports from the seat of war—The Duke d’Angoulême—The German cavalry—Misconduct of the Spaniards—Attacks on our grazing parties—Movement of head-quarters—Death of Colonel Sturgeon—Visit to the hospital—New quarters—Skirmishes—Wellington and the mayor | [436] |
CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Difficulties of the march—Failure of the bridge of boats—The Garonne—Excesses of Murillo’s corps—Bad news—Exchange of prisoners—Arrival before Toulouse—A prisoner of war—Anecdote of Wellington | [452] |
CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| Uncertain intelligence—Capture of Toulouse—Wellington at the theatre—The “Liberator”—Ball at the Prefecture—The feelings of the French—Soult and Suchet—Ball at the Capitole | [478] |
CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| Toulouse—Its churches—Protestant service—Libraries—Reception of the Duke d’Angoulême—The French Generals—Popularity of Wellington | [501] |
CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| Toulouse—Mr. Macarthy’s Library—The Marquess of Buckingham—General Hope—Wellington’s dukedom—The theatre—A romantic story—Feeling towards the English—The Duke on the Russian cavalry | [523] |
CHAPTER XXIX. | |
| Preparations for departure—Bordeaux—Imposition on the English—Greetings from the Women—Mausoleum of Louis XVI. | [541] |
CHAPTER XXX. | |
| The opera-house—The cathedral—The synagogue—A Jewish wedding—Strange show-house—Wellington and King Ferdinand | [553] |
CHAPTER XXXI. | |
| Country Fêtes—Brawls with the French—The Duke d’Angoulême—Mademoiselle Georges—The Actress and the Emperor—French acting and French audiences—Presentation of a sword to Lord Dalhousie—Georges’ benefit—Departure | [566] |
Appendix | [579] |
PRIVATE JOURNAL,
&c. &c.