Letters from the peninsula, 1808-1812

by Sir William Warre

After the passage of the Douro, May 1809, Major Warre was sent forward by Beresford to raise the armed peasantry in the province of Minho, with a view to harassing the French forces under Marshal Soult, which were then in full retreat. He succeeded in getting the peasantry to dismantle the bridges of Ponte Nova and the Saltador, but could not get them to destroy their own means of communication. Had this been done the French army was lost. The delay, however, caused by the necessity of forcing and repairing the bridges, cost the French the loss of many men and horses,[1] and of most of the spoil they were carrying off from Oporto. Unfortunately the letters in which these operations were described are wanting. But for the rest of the long campaign up to the battle of Salamanca, with the exception of Talavera, when he was with Beresford in Portugal, and of Albuera, and Bussaco, from which he was absent through illness, his letters are fairly consecutive comments of an actor in the events which occurred during that period of heroic struggle.

On 30th May 1811 he was promoted by Brevet to the rank of Major in the English Army, and to that of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Portuguese Army. At the last siege of Badajos, he was the senior Staff Officer at the summons of Fort Christobal, and had the honour of taking prisoners the Generals Philippon and Weyland, who surrendered their swords to him.

In the battle of Salamanca, 1812, he was with his chief, Marshal Beresford, when the latter was severely wounded, and, as narrated in the letters, carried him into the town, nursed him through his illness, and went with him to Lisbon.

In 1813 Major Warre was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the English Army, and resigned his commission in the Portuguese Army. He received from the King of Portugal medals for his conduct at Vimeiro, at the siege and assault of Ciudad Rodrigo, and for the two sieges of Badajos, also a medal for the four campaigns. He was also made a Knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword, and of the Order of St Bento d’Avis.

In 1813 he was sent to the Cape of Good Hope, where he was appointed Q.M.G., a post which he held till 1819.

In November 1812 he had married Selina, youngest daughter of Christopher Maling of West Herrington and Hillton, in the county of Durham. By her he had a family of three sons and two daughters. His youngest son, Henry, born 1819 at the Cape, was afterwards General Sir Henry Warre, K.C.B. His wife died 3rd February 1821.

In November 1820 he returned to England, and in 1821, by reason of ill-health, went on half-pay.

In May 1823 he was appointed A.Q.M.G. in Ireland, and in 1826 was transferred to a similar appointment in England. In 1826-1827 he served on the Staff of the Army sent to Lisbon under the command of Sir William Clinton, G.C.B.

On 22nd July 1830 he became a full Colonel. He served again on the Staff in Ireland till 1836, when he was appointed to the command at Chatham. He held this appointment till his promotion to the rank of Major-General 23rd November 1841. It was during his command that the Review took place which is immortalised by Dickens in Pickwick. He was made C.B., and was Knighted in 1839. In 1842 he was placed in command of the North-Western District. Subsequently he was transferred to the Northern District, with his Headquarters at York. Reference is made to him in the letters of Queen Victoria (vol. i., p. 150).