The government turned to Sir Arthur Wellesley for advice. Recognising that he had not been to blame for the humiliation of the Convention of Cintra and had, in fact, conducted the short campaign of August 1808 with remarkable success. On 7 March 1809 he submitted a memorandum to Viscount Castleragh, the secretary of state for […]
Battle of Waterloo 1815
Early on Sunday 1815 the 68,000 men of Wellington’s Anglo-Dutch army took up positions, after a wet and miserable night, along a crescent-shaped ridge to the south of Mont St Jean. Wellington had chosen the ground with care to ensure that he had the advantage of shelter from French artillery fire, although his line was […]
Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
Arthur Wesley (the family name was changed to Wellesley in 1798) was the fifth son of the 1st Earl of Mornington. He Joined the Army in 1787 as an ensign in the 73rd Foot, but saw little regimental service, acting as aide-de-camp to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland until 1793. By then ha had gained rapid […]
Mistresses of Prinny
Mrs Mary Robinson was lady of the day to the then 18-year-old Prince of Wales in 1780. A lovely, witty actress with dark hair the Prince first beheld as Predita in “The Winter’s Tale” at Drury Lane Theater Dec. 3, 1779. He lavished gifts on her including a splendid equipage that cost him 900 guineas. […]