ARTHUR WELLESLEY WELLINGTON

English soldier and statesman.

Sir Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, belonged to an ancient noble family, also known as Collin, and only to the end of XVIII century, adopted a final name of Wellesley. More correctly the name of Sir Arthur, bestowed him with the title lord, sounds like Wellington, but we stick to writing, taken in Russian military history.

When King Henry VIII representatives of this genus migrated from England to Ireland. In 1728, Sir Garrett, childless, admitted his heir his cousin Richard Kolleya, and it was with him began a new branch in the history of the genus. Thus, in 1746, Richard Wellesley (name changed Collin) was an Irish peer with the title of Baron Mornington, and his son in 1760 was elevated to the Count′s dignity. Children of the first Earl of Mornington history of England left its mark. The eldest son, Richard, appointed in 1797 by the Governor General of India, managed to significantly expand the British possessions in that country due to local previously independent states, with whom he was active hostilities. In 1799 he was given the title of Marquis. After leaving India in 1805, Sir Richard was appointed to a new position, and from 1809 to 1812 he was ambassador in Spain. And from 1821 to 1834 (with a small break), he was in Ireland, occupying the post of Lord Lieutenant.

Middle brother, Henry, served in diplomatic affairs and was a member of the British embassy during a mission in Lille. Then he joined his older brother in India, becoming the commissioner in Mizoram and the Governor in Aude. Later appointed to the post of ambassador in Madrid, Vienna and Paris.

But the most famous was the third son of the first Earl Arthur Mornington Wellesley, who was born in Dublin on April 30, 1769. Arthur received his education at elite school at Eton, and then graduated from military school in Angers (France).

In 1787 he began his military service - he joined the British army with the rank of ensign. In 1793, Arthur Wellesley gained the patent for the head-officer rank (lieutenant colonel) in the 33 th Infantry Regiment, with whom in 1794 he participated in a hike in the Netherlands. Beginning in 1790 and in 1796 Sir Arthur was a member of the Irish Parliament.

Of fate, that all three brothers were associated with India. In 1796 the regiment Wellesley, by then a colonel, was sent to India. Here, in his spare time he studied military history, examining the life and daily life of ordinary soldiers, acquainted with the political history of India. Active hostilities Arthur Wellesley began to since 1799, when his brother, had been appointed governor-general, began the war with the Sultan of Mysore Tippu-Duchy Saeb. Unofficially, Sir Arthur became a military adviser to his brother, and after the death of the Sultan of Mysore and accession to the British possessions, he became a civil and military governor of the territory. In 1803, Wellesley first time declared itself as a talented military commander during the expedition against the Maratha tribes. He remained in India until 1805, then returned to England, rising by the time the rank of major general.

The following year he was elected to the House of Commons, and in 1807 he was appointed State Secretary for Ireland in the Ministry of Portland. But the cabinet work is not attracted to Arthur Wellesley, and after a few months he resigned to join the expedition against Denmark. The expedition commanded by Lord Katkart, Arthur Wellesley himself became a party to negotiations on the surrender of Copenhagen.

In July 1808 he was sent to Portugal. Here, at the head of the order of 10 thousand people, and began his fame commander. His expedition, which was destined to play such an important role, consisted of small forces committed major groups that have made fruitless attack on the river Scheldt. This expedition was equipped by the British Government primarily in the hope to save Portugal. Castlereagh, who undertook the difficult task of justification for this expedition was supported by Arthur Wellesley, who said that if the Portuguese army and the militia will be enhanced 20 thousand British soldiers, the French grip of Portugal will need 100 thousand people - the amount that France would not be able to distinguish if Spain will continue to fight. Some of these forces Napoleon had to be moved from Austria, where at that time was the main theater of war. From the standpoint of providing indirect assistance to the Austrian expedition had fallen short of expectations. As a barrier to cover Portugal, it also proved to be completely untenable. But as a means of exhaustion of Napoleon, she completely justified.

In 1808 Arthur Wellesley landed with his troops at Mendigo. After several successful battles with French troops on August 21 when he broke Vimeyero Marshal Junot, but then was forced to cede command newcomer Senior General Berrardu and went to England.

In April 1809 Wellesley was appointed commander of the combined Anglo-Portuguese forces. In the same month, he landed in Lisbon with an army of 26 thousand people. Because the Spanish insurrection, and partly due to the impact of Burgos D. Moore and his subsequent retreat to La Coruña French troops were scattered throughout the peninsula. French commander Ney unsuccessfully tried to conquer Galicia in north-western part of the peninsula.

Photo — «Arthur Wellesley Wellington»

South of Ney′s troops in northern Portugal, near Oporto, acted Soult, whose army was scattered detachments. In the area of Merida was Victor, covering the approaches to Portugal in the south.

Using the opportunities the landing and taking into account the dispersion of the enemy, Arthur Wellesley immediately on arrival in Spain, moved northward against Soult. Although he failed to cut off, as he expected, to the south separate detachments Soult, he still was able to catch him unawares. Before Soult was able to concentrate their forces, the English commander had violated the disposition of his troops, crossed the River Duero in the top of its flow, and forced Soult to depart on a difficult path. As a result of the forced retreat of Soult through the mountains of his army suffered heavy losses not so much on the actions of the British, but from exhaustion.

After the defeat of Soult troops Victor, remain idle in Madrid, were deployed to cover the direct approaches to Madrid. A month later decided to move there, and Arthur Wellesley. Going this route, he offered his troops in jeopardy, which could inflict on him all the French army in Spain. But he nevertheless launched an attack with only 23 thousand people. He maintained the same number of Spanish troops under the command of Cuesta.

At this time, Victor, having made a departure in the direction of Madrid, to secure the support of two other French armies, stationed in the area, increasing the number of French troops and 100 thousand people.

Because indecisive action Cuesta and constraints to supply its troops Wellesley failed to draw Victor in battle. During this time Victor was strengthened by reinforcements from Madrid, sent by Joseph Bonaparte, Arthur Wellesley began to retreat, but the July 27-28, going into a counterattack, which successfully withstood the onslaught of the French at Talavera, and if Cuesta has not refused to support him, he would pass in counterattack. But at the same time, Soult began were arrayed at the rear of the British from the west. Being cut off from escape routes to the west, Wellesley still escaped defeat, as was able to slip in the south of the Tagus River. After sustaining heavy losses, demoralized and exhausted by the retreat, the British troops had taken refuge in the Portuguese border. Lack of food and prevented the French troops to prosecute Wellesley in Portuguese territory. That campaign ended in 1809, persuaded Sir Arthur Wellesley in the weakness of the regular Spanish troops.

As a reward for their efforts in the Spanish campaign in 1809 Wellesley was from England under the name of the dignity of peerage, Lord Wellington (hereinafter referred to and shall call him), Baron Douro and Viscount Talavera, and from the Portuguese government - the title of Marquis Vimeyery.

However, the victory at Talavera was for the allies as a negative strategic consequences that Wellington had to retreat, while the British government gave its discretion, the decision on the future presence of British troops in the Iberian Peninsula. "I will stay here," - replied firmly Wellington and continued fighting.

Prior to the main military campaigns of Wellington was supported by the regular Spanish troops, acting in his usual style. The Spanish troops were so badly crushed and dispersed during the winter campaign, that the French have not met with any resistance on their part, took over new areas of Spain, and penetrated well in the rich southern province of Andalusia.

At this time Napoleon took over leadership of the war in Spain and by the end of February 1810 are concentrated almost 300 thousand people, assuming in the future to further increase the number of troops. More than 65 thousand of them were allocated to the Massena, with the objective to oust the British out of Portugal.

Wellington, including in its army trained by the British the Portuguese troops, brought its population up to 50 thousand people.

People to begin the invasion of Portugal from the north of Spain, thereby giving Wellington time and space to achieve its strategic plans. Wellington was preventing the Massena, destroying food in areas through which moved Massena. 27-28 September 1810 in a bloody battle at Buzak Wellington was able to repel all attacks Massena, but he began to bypass its position and thereby forced Wellington to withdraw in haste toward Lisbon. Then Wellington went to the fortified lines of Torres - Vedrasa that for the masses was completely unexpected.

Line Torres - Vedras was built across the mountainous peninsula between the River Tagus and the sea coast to cover Lisbon. Unable to break through these lines, Massena about a month stood before them, while hunger is not caused him to withdraw to 50 kilometers to the river Tagus. Wellington did not pursue him, or throw the fight, but limited by the fact that bound the army Mass in a small area, preventing the supply of his troops with food.

Wellington continued to maintain its strategic plan, despite the possibility of policy changes in England and a direct threat created by the onset of Soult in the south of Badajoz in order to lift the blockade, which were AMIS forces. Wellington resisted all attempts to Massena, who wanted to force him to attack, but in March he was forced to withdraw. When the remnants of a hungry army masses again crossed the Portuguese border, he lost 25 thousand people, of whom only 2 thousand men in battle.

Photo — «Arthur Wellesley Wellington»

Later Wellington have an impact on the enemy more threatening than force. In these cases, the French were forced to send their troops to a threatened point, and thus gave the Spanish guerrillas greater freedom of action in the areas vacated by the French troops.

But the actions of Wellington than that. Following the retreat to Salamanca Massena, he used part of his army to blockade the border fortress of Almeida in the north, while giving Beresford besiege Badajoz in the south. As a result, Wellington′s army had lost mobility and was divided into two almost equal parts.

At this time, Massena, reassembled his army and received a small reinforcements rushed to the aid of besieged Almeide. Under Fuente de Oñoro Wellington was surprised at disadvantageous position, was in a difficult situation and difficult to beat off the attack of the enemy.

Beresford also raised the siege of Badajoz and out to meet the army Soult, to the rescue of the besieged. He was defeated in Albuere as a result of poor organization of the battle, but the situation was saved, although excessively high price, thanks to the skilful conduct of the troops.

Now Wellington once again focused its efforts on the siege of Badajoz, although not had before the siege of funds. However, the siege had to be removed, as in the southern direction to a junction with Soult succeed AMIS Marmont. Both the French commander developed a plan for a general assault on Wellington. But differences have arisen between them. At the same time, Soult, alarmed by an outbreak of a new guerrilla war in Andalusia, returned there with part of his army, entrusting the command of the remaining troops at the Marmont. Due to excessive caution Marmont military campaign in 1811 gradually faded away.

Because of their limited forces Wellington could not use them as would like, although in absolute terms, its losses were less than the losses of the French, they were relatively more. But he withstood the onslaught of the French in the most critical period, and since September 1811 the best of the French troops were withdrawn from Spain to participate in the campaign against Russia. In comparison with 1810 year the number of French troops in Spain fell by 70 thousand people. Of the remaining forces in Spain at least 90 thousand were scattered from Tarragona (on the Mediterranean coast) to Oviedo (on the Atlantic coast) for the protection of communications with France from guerrilla attacks. Before we concentrate their forces against Portugal, Napoleon decided to first fully conquer Valencia and Andalusia.

In the presence of a weak resistance from the enemy Wellington used the freedom of action and, suddenly attacked the Ciudad Rodrigo by storm took it. Detachment under the command of Gill covered during the storming of a strategic flank and rear of Wellington. Marmont was unable to prevent either Gill or recapture the fortress, as his siege-train was also captured. He failed also to follow through the Wellington area devoid of food.

Advantage of this, Wellington slipped to the south and stormed Badajoz, although he had very little time to prepare for the assault. In Badajoz Wellington took pontoon park. Induced by the French destroyed the pontoon bridge across the Tagus River in an area Alumaratsa, he has made some strategic advantage, because now the army Marmont and Soult were cut off from each other and can cross the river just over the bridge in Toledo, a distance of about 500 kilometers from the river mouth of Salamanca.

Soult was firmly tied to Andalusia, as a pressing need for food and feared the Spanish guerrillas. This allowed Wellington to concentrate two-thirds of its troops for an attack on Marmont at Salamanca. But Marmont was able to unravel the plan of Wellington and went to their bases and sources of reinforcements. Then Marmont cut communication Wellington, not worrying about their communications, which he did not actually own.

Both the army moved in parallel, sometimes at a distance of several hundred meters from each other, trying to grasp the opportune moment to strike. July 22 Marmont made too big a gap between the left wing from the right, than do not hesitate to use them in Wellington, causing a quick blow to the flank formed the left wing. The French had been defeated before the reinforcements could come to them.

Wellington, however, has not made a decisive defeat of the French in the Battle of Salamanca, and his troops on the Iberian peninsula were still much weaker than the French. The persecution of the French troops would put Wellington in a dangerous position, because the King Joseph could at any moment withdraw from Madrid to the rear of Wellington and cut his communications. Therefore, Wellington decided to move to Madrid, hoping to moral and political significance of this step. As soon as 12 August 1812 he entered the capital, King Joseph fled ignominiously. But stay in Wellington in Madrid could not last long if the French had pulled its forces here, scattered throughout Spain.

Wellington without the pressure of the enemy left Madrid and went to Burgos, threatening the lines of communications with France. But the French system of power at the expense of local resources deprived the threat of real value. However, Wellington′s successes in the battle of Salamanca, and after it forced the French to abandon their plans in Spain to concentrate all its forces against Wellington.

Photo — «Arthur Wellesley Wellington»

He was able to step back in time and after connecting with Gill to give the French a new battle of Salamanca, on the ground chosen by himself. He then went to Ciudad Rodrigo, thus ending the campaign in 1812 in Spain.

Actions of Wellington in the campaign were marked first title of the graph, then the Marquis. Parliament twice appointed him a reward of 100 thousand pounds sterling, and the Spanish Cortes offered him the rank of nobleman, the Marquis Torres Vedrasskogo and the Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo.

Despite the fact that Wellington has returned to the Portuguese border, the outcome of a future campaign had already been resolved, since the French left most of the occupied territory of Spain in order to concentrate its forces against Wellington, and, leaving the rest of Spanish guerrillas lost their opportunity to destroy their forces.

In connection with the defeat of Napoleon in Russia, from Spain has been withdrawn even greater number of French troops. By the beginning of a new campaign in Spain, the situation changed completely.

Wellington became the commander in chief not only the British and Portuguese, and Spanish troops.

The French, more demoralized continuous guerrilla war than a military defeat, almost immediately were forced to withdraw across the river Ebro and tried only to keep the northern part of Spain. But even such a task they were unable to meet due to the continuous pressure on the guerrillas to the rear of the Bay of Biscay and the Pyrenees. This forced the French to organize resistance to withdraw from the front four divisions of its limited powers.

Taking advantage of this, Wellington 21 June 1813 won a brilliant victory at the King Joseph Vittoria, for which he earned the rank of Field Marshal of the British army, from the Spanish Cortes - estates, and the Prince Regent of Portugal - the title of Duke of Vittoria. Victory that allowed Wellington to begin a gradual movement towards the Pyrenees. Turning them in February 1814, he crossed the river Adur, taken Bordeaux, and, displacing Soult with Torbskoy positions, 10-12 April after a battle mastered Toulouse.

The abdication of Napoleon put an end to hostilities. English Prince Regent Wellington bestowed the Order of the Garter and the title of duke, and the parliament offered him 400 thousand pounds sterling for the purchase of the estate.

After that Wellington was sent to Paris ambassador extraordinary and in February 1815 was made by the authorized Congress of Vienna.

After the landing of Napoleon in Grenoble Wellington went to Brussels and there has supreme command over the allied British, Hanoverian, Dutch and Brunswick troops.

June 18, 1815, thanks to the energy and self-control, which never left the Iron Duke "Wellington repulsed, albeit with heavy losses, the desperate attacks of the French at Waterloo, and with the arrival of Blucher′s Prussian troops defeated Napoleon. Together with Blucher Wellington unceasingly pursued the French army to Paris, which came on July 5.

In Waterloo, Wellington was showered with awards. He was given the rank of Field Marshal Russian, Prussian, Austrian and Netherlands forces. Emperor Alexander I awarded the Order of St. George Wellington 1-st degree, the king of the Netherlands - the title of Prince of Waterloo, other sovereigns - a precious gift.

By alliance treaty on Nov. 20, 1815 Wellington was entrusted with command of all allied forces designated for the occupation of France. In this role, Wellington retained its inherent dispassionate mode of action and generally refrained from interfering in politics. Nevertheless, he opposed the proposal of Napoleon and Blucher shot in harmony with the Emperor Alexander I to prevent the dismemberment of France and the lengthy occupation of its territory, as sought by the Prussians. Despite this, the disposal of Wellington to return to their seats captured by the French during the Napoleonic wars, works of art provoked against him in Paris this dissatisfaction that his life was committed several attacks. At Aachen Congress 1818 Wellington raised the issue of withdrawal of occupation troops from France and contributed to its favorable resolution of an indemnity.

In 1826, Wellington led an extraordinary embassy to the congratulations of the Emperor Nicholas I′s ascension to the throne. The following year he became commander of British land forces.

In January 1828 Wellington was asked to draw up a ministry. In his political convictions, he belonged to the extreme Tories, and when in 1830, influenced by what happened in Paris July Revolution in England, having the desire to reform the electoral law, Wellington as a clear opponent of the bill was supposed to cede power to the Whigs. Public opinion was so strongly brought against Wellington that the London mob broke windows in his palace. However, this attitude lasted only a short time. Later he twice (1834-1835 and 1841-1846) was a member of the Ministry of the Bill. His political career ended only in 1846.

Since then and until his death in 1852, with the rank of commander in chief, he had only the army and was satisfied with his military reputation, which even today is the national pride of the British. During the life of Wellington was delivered several monuments.