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WELLINGTON'S DISPATCHES
PENINSULA AND WATERLOO: 1808 -
1815
These British Army dispatches give a fascinating
insight into the nature of operations in the Peninsular and Waterloo Campaigns
during the Napoleonic Wars. They also reveal a thoughtful yet stern Arthur
Wellesley, whose many concerns as commander-in-chief included the needs of his
officers, the feeding of his men and endless negotiations with British, Spanish
and Portuguese leaders. The ravages of politics however, did not leave these
dispatches unmarked. In at least one instance – the Battle of Albuera
– Wellington ordered his officers to re-write their combat reports in
order to present more optimistic impressions than those really existing in the
field. He sometimes attached detailed correction notes for leaders back in
England. The final result were two series of dispatches: those crafted for
public and political consumption, and those written to inform his superiors of
actual events.
The Peninsular campaigns of 1808 through 1814 were a
grueling series of struggles which strained the resources of all the major
participants. The resulting battles were not the easy victories that are often
imagined today, and on various occasions all of the major combatants suffered
defeats and lost opportunities. Certainly it was only after he arrived in Spain
that Wellington came to appreciate the full value of the many captured French
documents regularly passed on to headquarters by the Spanish. Much like later
eras when good intelligence made a difference, the details of British
Intelligence successes and the people responsible for them were only vaguely
alluded to in the text of these dispatches.
A number of contemporaries
criticized Wellington for treating his men's lives as "no more than mice in an
air pump," but he was also known to have agonized over losses suffered at
numerous battles, so the former accusation is unlikely. It should be remembered
that there commonly was a need to capture enemy fortresses by storm before
regional French forces could mobilize. This sometimes forced Wellington to make
bloody bids for success before his numerically superior enemies combined their
full strength against him. His apparent habit of giving preferential treatment
to high-born officers might have contributed to the varying opinions of his
motives. Ultimately most people understood that regardless of these other
issues, Wellington was a vital link in the string of successes enjoyed by the
multinational Allied armies that served in Spain and Belgium between 1808 and
1815.
- THE 1808 CAMPAIGN —
DEPARTURE FOR SPAIN
- June 14 - 23,
1808 -
- Wellington receives news of the
impending assignment.
14 June 1808 : C-in-C to Wellesley
21 June 1808 :
Castlereagh to Wellesley
23 June 1808 : Wellesley to Hill
-
- June 25 - 30,
1808
- 25 June 1808 : Wellesley to
Hill
25 June 1808 : Wellesley to Stuart
29 June 1808 : Wellesley to
Hill
30 June 1808 : Castlereagh to Wellesley
30 June 1808 : Castlereagh
to Wellesley
-
- July 7th - 15th,
1808
- 07 July 1808 : Wellesley to
Castlereagh
08 July 1808 : Wellesley to Castlereagh
08 July 1808 :
Wellesley to Floyd
10 July 1808 : Wellesley to Cheeseman
10 July 1808 :
Wellesley to Castlereagh
15 July 1808 : Castlereagh to Wellesley
15 July
1808 : Castlereagh to Wellesley
15 July 1808 : Castlereagh to
Dalrymple
-
- July 21st,
1808
- 21 July 1808 : C-in-C to
Dalrymple
21 July 1808 : Wellesley to Castlereagh
-
- July 21st - 25th,
1808 - The departure for Spain.
- 21 July 1808 : Wellesley to
Castlereagh
23 July 1808 : Wellesley to Stuart
25 July 1808 : Wellesley
to Pulteney
25 July 1808 : Wellesley to Castlereagh
-
- July 26th - 30th,
1808
- 26 July 1808 : Wellesley to
Spencer
26 July 1808 : Wellesley to Spencer
26 July 1808 : Wellesley to
Spencer
26 July 1808 : Wellesley to Castlereagh
26 July 1808 : Wellesley
to Spencer
29 July 1808 : Memorandum for Disembarkation
30 July 1808 :
Wellesley to Cotton
-
- THE 1809 CAMPAIGN —
TALAVERA
- July 1st - 2nd,
1809
- 01 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Craufurd
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to Roche
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Erskine
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to Sec. C-in-C
01 July 1809 : Wellesley
to C-in-C
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to Frere
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Castlereagh
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to Frere
01 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Castlereagh
02 July 1809 : Wellesley to Cox
02 July 1809 : Wellesley to
del Parque
02 July 1809 : Wellesley to de la Romana
- July 3rd - 6th,
1809
- 03 July 1809 : Wellesley to de
Garay
03 July 1809 : Wellesley to Murray
03 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Frere
04 July 1809 : Wellesley to Roche
04 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
05 July 1809 : Wellesley to Berkeley
06 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
06 July 1809 : Wellesley to Beresford
06 July 1809 : Wellesley
to Junta of Plasencia
06 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Berkeley
- July 8th - 9th,
1809
- 08 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Boys
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to Commissary General
08 July 1809 :
Wellesley to Castello Branco
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to Castello
Branco
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to Peacocke
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Frere
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to Roche
08 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
09 July 1809 : Wellesley to Beresford
09 July 1809 : Wellesley
to Villiers
- July 13th - 14th,
1809
- 13 July 1809 : Wellesley to
O'Donoju
13 July 1809 : Wellesley to Beresford
13 July 1809 : Wellesley
to Frere
13 July 1809 : Wellesley to Frere
13 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
14 July 1809 : Wellesley to Judge Advocate
14 July 1809 :
Wellesley to Cox
14 July 1809 : Wellesley to Beresford
14 July 1809 :
Wellesley to Berkeley
14 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
- July 15th - 16th,
1809
- 13 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Sherbrooke
13 July 1809 : Wellesley to Castlereagh
13 July 1809 :
Wellesley to Castlereagh
13 July 1809 : Wellesley to Mackenzie
13 July
1809 : Wellesley to O'Donoju
14 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Frere
- July 17th - 19th,
1809
- 17 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Flint
17 July 1809 : Wellesley to Villiers
17 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Beresford
17 July 1809 : Wellesley to Berkeley
18 July 1809 : Wellesley
to O'Donoju
18 July 1809 : Wellesley to Junta of Plasencia
19 July 1809 :
Wellesley to O'Donoju
19 July 1809 : Wellesley to
Villiers
- THE 1810 CAMPAIGN —
BUSACO
- September 18th - 20th,
1810
- 18 September 1810 : Wellington to
Stuart
18 September 1810 : Wellington to Pavetti
19 September 1810 :
Wellington to Leith
19 September 1810 : Wellington to Cotton
19 September
1810 : Wellington to Beresford
20 September 1810 : Wellington to
Waters
20 September 1810 : Wellington to Cotton
20 September 1810 :
Wellington to le Cor
20 September 1810 : Wellington to Earl of
Liverpool
- September 21st - 24th,
1810
- 21 September 1810 : Wellington to
Cotton
21 September 1810 : Wellington to Spencer
21 September 1810 :
Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
22 September 1810 : Massena to
Berthier
22 September 1810 : Wellington to Hill
22 September 1810 :
Wellington to Wellesley
24 September 1810 : Wellington to Massena
24
September 1810 : Wellington to Hill
24 September 1810 : Wellington to
Craufurd
24 September 1810 : Wellington to Stuart
- September 27th - 30th,
1810
- 27 September 1810 : Wellington to
Stuart
28 September 1810 : Wellington to Leith & Hill
28 September
1810 : Wellington to Hill
29 September 1810 : Massena to Hill
29
September 1810 : Wellington to Cotton
30 September 1810 : Wellington to
Berkeley
30 September 1810 : Wellington to Earl of
Liverpool
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- THE 1811 CAMPAIGN — FUENTES
DE ONORO
- April 30 - May 1st,
1811
- 30 April 1811 : Wellington to
Beresford
30 April 1811 : Wellington to Stuart
30 April 1811 : Wellington
to Stuart
01 May 1811 : Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
01 May 1811 :
Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
- May 6th - 7th,
1811
- 06 May 1811 : Wellington to
Beresford
06 May 1811 : Wellington to Stuart
07 May 1811 : Wellington to
Stuart
07 May 1811 : Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
- May 8th,
1811
- 08 May 1811 : Wellington to
Beresford
08 May 1811 : Wellington to Beresford
08 May 1811 : Wellington
to Stuart
08 May 1811 : Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
08 May 1811 :
Wellington to Earl of Liverpool
- THE 1812 CAMPAIGN —
SALAMANCA
- July 14th - 16th,
1812
- 14 July 1812 : Wellington to Earl
Bathurst
15 July 1812 : Wellington to Wellesley
15 July 1812 : Wellington
to Wellesley
15 July 1812 : Wellington to Stuart
16 July 1812 :
Wellington to Graham
16 July 1812 : Wellington to Hill
16 July 1812 :
Wellington to Clinton
16 July 1812 : Wellington to Clinton
16 July 1812 :
Wellington to Clinton
16 July 1812 : Wellington to Clinton
16 July 1812 :
Wellington to Clinton
- July 21st - 24th,
1812
- 21 July 1812 : Wellington to Earl
Bathurst
23 July 1812 : Wellington to Hill
24 July 1812 : Wellington to
Peacocke
- July 24th - 25th,
1812
- 24 July 1812 : Wellington to Earl
Bathurst
25 July 1812 : Wellington to Graham
- THE 1815 CAMPAIGN — QUATRE
BRAS, WATERLOO
- June 1st - 5th,
1815
- 01 June 1815 : Wellington to
Uxbridge
01 June 1815 : Wellington to Brunswick
01 June 1815 : Wellington
to Brunswick
01 June 1815 : Wellington to King of the Netherlands
01 June
1815 : Wellington to Judge Advocate
01 June 1815 : Wellington to
Bathurst
02 June 1815 : Wellington to Cole
02 June 1815 : Wellington to
Prince of Orange
02 June 1815 : Wellington to Duc de Feltre
02 June 1815
: Wellington to Schwarzenberg
02 June 1815 : Wellington to Wellesley
02
June 1815 : Wellington to Torrens
02 June 1815 : Wellington to Earl of
Mulgrave
04 June 1815 : Wellington to King of the Netherlands
04 June
1815 : Wellington to King of the Netherlands
04 June 1815 : Wellington to
(Unknown)
05 June 1815 : Wellington to Hardenberg
- June 6th - 7th,
1815
- 06 June 1815 : Wellington to du
Plat
06 June 1815 : Memorandum to the Commissary General
06 June 1815 :
Wellington to Washington
06 June 1815 : Wellington to Allen
06 June 1815
: Wellington to Duke of Cambridge
06 June 1815 : Wellington to Earl
Bathurst
06 June 1815 : Wellington to Duc d'Orleans
06 June 1815 :
Wellington to Hardinge
07 June 1815 : Wellington to Prince of Orange
07
June 1815 : General Defense Orders
07 June 1815 : Defense Orders for
Tournay
07 June 1815 : Defense Orders for Mons
07 June 1815 : Defense
Orders for Ghent
07 June 1815 : Wellington to Decken
07 June 1815 :
Wellington to Hardinge
- June 8th - 12th,
1815
- 08 June 1815 : Wellington to
Decken
08 June 1815 : Wellington to Castlereagh
08 June 1815 : Wellington
to Castlereagh
08 June 1815 : Wellington to Hügel
09 June 1815 :
Wellington to Stuart
09 June 1815 : Wellington to Bathurst
10 June 1815 :
Wellington to Hardinge
10 June 1815 : Wellington to Torrens
11 June 1815
: Wellington to Orange
11 June 1815 : Wellington to Bathurst
12 June 1815
: Wellington to Mulgrave
12 June 1815 : Wellington to (Unknown)
12 June
1815 : Wellington to Prince of Orange
- June 13th - 15th,
1815
- 13 June 1815 : Wellington to Prince
of Orange
13 June 1815 : Wellington to Duc de Berri
13 June 1815 :
Wellington to Lynedoch
13 June 1815 : Wellington to Bathurst
14 June 1815
: Wellington to Duc de Feltre
14 June 1815 : Wellington to Prince of
Orange
14 June 1815 : Wellington to Metternich
15 June 1815 : Wellington
to Clinton
- June 15th - 18th,
1815
- 15 June 1815 : Wellington to
Emperor —
15 June 1815 : Memorandum for the Deputy Quarter Master
15
June 1815 : Wellington to Duc de Berri
15 June 1815 : Wellington to Duc de
Feltre
15 June 1815 : Wellington : Movements of the Army
16 June 1815 :
Wellington : Movements of the Army
17 June 1815 : Wellington : Movements of
the Army
17 June 1815 : Wellington to Colville
18 June 1815 : Wellington
to Stuart
18 June 1815 : Wellington to Duc de Berri
18 June 1815 :
Wellington to Governor of Antwerp
- June 19th,
1815
- 19 June 1815 : Wellington to
Bathurst
19 June 1815 : Wellington to King of the Netherlands
19 June
1815 : Wellington to Earl of Aberdeen
19 June 1815 : Wellington to Duke of
Beaufort
19 June 1815 : Wellington to Bathurst
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