THE Emperial Magazine; OR, COMPENDIUM OF RELIGIOUS, MORAL, & PHILOSOPHICAL KNOWLEDGE. JANUARY.] "PERIODICAL LITERATURE IS THE GERM OF NATIONAL LEARNING." [1830. Biographical Sketch of HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, K.G. K.G.C.B. &c. &c. Arma, virumque cano. (With a Portrait.) THE subject of this memoir has, by his great actions, associated himself so intimately with the history of our country, that his biography includes a series of the most interesting national events—and furnishes a proud memorial of British valour and independence, which will survive so long as the field of Waterloo remains unforgotten. The family of Wellesley is descended from the Colleys, who, in the reign of Henry the Eighth had been settled from time immemorial in the county of Rutland. In this king's reign, Walter and Robert Colley, two brothers of the family, established themselves in the county of Kilkenny, Ireland, when his Majesty granted them, for their lives, the office of clerks of the crown in chancery. Robert subsequently became Master of the Rolls; while Walter was appointed, first, Solicitor General, and afterwards, Surveyor General of that kingdom. Sir Henry Colley, eldest son of Walter Colley, took up the profession of arms, and held a commission under Queen Elizabeth. His able conduct procured him the favour of his sovereign, and he was appointed a member of the Privy Council. He married Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Cusack, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, by whom he had three sons. The second of these, Sir Henry Colley, of Castle Carbury, was the immediate ancestor of the present family of Wellesley. Another Sir Henry Colley, a descendant of the last mentioned, left a numerous issue; among whom was Richard Colley, who first assumed the name of Wellesley, in consequence of his succession to the estates of his cousin, Garret Wellesley of Dangan. This gentleman held several offices under the crown, and so highly were his public services esteemed by his Ma 133.-VOL. XI. jesty George the Second, that, in 1747, he created him a peer of Ireland, by the title of Baron Mornington. His eldest son, Garret, succeeded him in his barony, and was, in 1760, created Viscount Wellesley and Earl of Mornington. He married Anne, daughter of the right honourable Arthur Hill, Viscount Dungannon, by whom he had issue, the present Marquis Wellesley, William, now Wellesley Pole, and ARTHUR, the subject of our history. The Earl of Mornington dying while the greater part of his family were in their infancy, his lady was left, with a fortune impaired by unavoidable circumstances, to conduct them to maturity. Her ladyship's maternal virtues and energetic mind enabled her, however, to support the trying difficulties of her situation. Her eldest son nobly submitted the guidance of the family estates to her hands; and afterwards, from motives of filial respect, paid off the whole of his deceased father's debts. ARTHUR WELLESLEY was born May 1st, 1769. At an early age he was placed at Eton; from whence, having chosen the army for his profession, he was sent to Angiers in France, where he remained some time under the tuition of the celebrated Pignerol, to be instructed in the art of war. Having acquired a considerable knowledge of military tactics, he entered the army; and, receiving his first commission (in the 41st) during the time of peace, devoted his mind to the acquisition of the whole economy of war, and thus laid the basis of his future fame. At the age of twenty-three he obtained the rank of captain in the 18th regiment of light dragoons; and, in 1793, was appointed to the majority of the thirtythird, vacant by the resignation of Major Gore. Availing himself of his right of seniority to purchase in succession, he obtained the lieutenant-colonelcy of his regiment, in the latter part of the same year. At this time he served under Earl Moira, and, early in 1794, accompanied the late Duke of York in his unfortunate expedition into Flanders. B 19 Biographical Sketch of the Duke of Wellington. 20 The subsequent invasion of Holland | Tope, from whence they considerably was attended with fresh disasters, and, on the evacuation of that country by the British forces, Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley returned to England. Immediately after the arrival of the troops in this country, great expedition was used to prepare them for foreign service, and the thirty-third being under orders for the West Indies, their lieutenant-colonel embarked with them in the fleet commanded by Admiral Christian, and destined for that country. Heavy gales, however, frustrating their voyage, the troops were placed under fresh orders; the thirty-third being sent into Ireland to recruit, where they remained till once more called into active service. In 1797, Lieutenant-colonel Wellesley received an appointment to accompany his brother, Lord Mornington, then Governor-General, into India. In the battle of Mallavelly, which immediately preceded the siege of Seringapatam, the gallantry and skill of Colonel Wellesley contributed not a little to the success of our arms. On the 26th of March 1799, the British army encamped five miles eastward of Mallavelly; the forces of Tippoo Saib, the Sultan, lying, at the same time, near the banks of the Maddoor. Tippoo shewing a disposition to come to an engagement, Colonel Wellesley's division was ordered to move parallel to the left, but at some distance, so as to cover the baggage, and to be in readiness to act as occasion might require; while the main body marched on the great road leading to Mallavelly. The action having commenced, Colonel Wellesley taking advantage of a critical juncture, and supported by Major General Floyd, advanced an echellon of battalions; and the whole line thus moving slowly and steadily, time was given for the whole to act together; the enemy's cannonade being answered by as many of the field-pieces as could be brought up. The action thus became general along the whole front. At this moment a desperate attempt was made on the part of Tippoo, by moving forward a column, to the amount of two thousand men, in excellent order, towards the thirtythird, Colonel Wellesley's regiment. This gallant leader commanded his soldiers to reserve their fire, and advance directly upon the column, which immediately gave way, and fell into total disorder. annoyed the British camp, Colonel Wellesley received orders, on the evening before the attack on Seringapatam, to cooperate with Colonel Shaw in scouring this retreat of the enemy. A little after sun-set the detachments advanced, both at the same time, under the disadvantages of complete darkness. Colonel Wellesley, on entering the Tope, was assailed so violently, that he was unable to do more than make a diversion in favour of Colonel Shaw, who found means to seize upon a ruined village, which sheltered his troops from the musketry of the enemy. next morning, however, Wellesley advanced with a strong force to the Tope, and eventually succeeded, in conjunction with Shaw, in driving the enemy from the strong hold. The After the capture of Seringapatam, Colonel Wellesley was made Governor of this place, and one of the commissioners to fix the divisions of the conquered provinces. In the execution of the duties connected with these offices, he displayed great ability and the strictest integrity. Having now attained the rank of Major General, he distinguished himself in the Mahratta war, more particularly in the famous battle of Assye, where he had to contend with an army ten times superior in numbers to his own. This victory confirmed his character and reputation, and its consequences were of such im. portance to the British cause, that a monument was erected to his honour at Calcutta, he received the thanks of the parliament at home, and was made a Knight Companion of the Bath. In 1805, he returned to England, and shortly after became member of parliament for Newport. His military services not being immediately required, he was sent to Ireland, as Secretary to the Duke of Richmond; but was soon after called to accompany Lord Cathcart to Copenhagen; and for his conduct in that expedition he received the thanks of both houses of parliament. The time was now drawing on when the abilities of Sir Arthur Wellesley were to be called into a field of martial enterprise peculiarly his own. He sailed from Cork on the 12th of July, 1808, with a force of ten thousand men, for the Spanish Peninsula, and arrived, on the twentieth, at Corunna. When Sir Arthur first arrived in Spain, A body of the Sultan's infantry and the aspect of affairs was far from encourocket men having possessed themselves of raging. The activity of the enemy, and a large grove, called the Sultaunpettah | the divisions which prevailed among the 21 Biographical Sketch of the Duke of Wellington. natives, seemed likely to paralyze any attempt he could make for the promotion of the cause in which he had embarked. Satisfied that the principal things required by Spain at this time, were arms and money, he proceeded at once to Oporto, where agents had been provided by the English ministers to negotiate the necessary supplies. 22 On his arrival in Portugal, Sir Arthur was immediately appointed by the Portuguese, Marshal-general of their armies, and thus invested with unrestricted power. But the difficulties with which he had to contend, were of so obstinate a nature, that nothing less than the energetic perseverance and determined conduct which he brought to the execution of his mighty enterprises, could have rendered them successful. It is impossible for us to give a detailed account of the Peninsular war, or of the subsequent achievements of our hero; we can only touch, and that briefly, upon the great incidents which, involving the fate of Europe, have encircled his Grace with a splendid halo, that will illumine the annals of succeeding ages. "No words," says an eye-witness, "would be adequate to convey the faintest idea of the delight exhibited by all classes of persons, so soon as the arrival of Sir Arthur Wellesley at Lisbon became The indeterminate measures of the Spaniards continued to threaten the neutralization of his plans; and his difficulties were increased by the still existing want of necessary provision and equipment for his own forces. When a court of inquiry had been instituted, to examine into the state of the commissariat, the observations of Sir Arthur Wellesley gave rise to a minute investigation, which produced changes of the first consequence to the British army. "The fact is," said he, "that I wished to draw the attention of the Government to this important branch of the service, which is but little under-known. All day long the streets were crowded stood in this country. The evils of which I complained are probably to be attributed to the nature of our political situation, which prevents us from undertaking great military operations, in which the subsistence of armies becomes a subject of serious consideration and difficulty, and these evils consist in the inexperience of almost every individual belonging to the commissariat, in the mode of procuring, conveying, and distributing supplies." Sir Arthur was joined at Vimiero by Generals Ackland and Anstruther, when an engagement took place, in which Junot's army was defeated with great loss. After this, an armistice was concluded, and in a short time the convention of Cintra put a stop to further hostilities; when Sir Arthur Wellesley returned to England. The Junta of Oporto, headed by the bishop, an intriguing prelate, began to direct their aim at the supreme power; and considerable clamours were raised against the convention, both in England and Portugal. Sir John Moore was appointed to the command of an army sent into the Peninsula; and, after a long series of military operations, for the most part unsuccessful, the alarming crisis at which our affairs had arrived in that country, on the death of this general, determined the ministry to invest Sir Arthur Wellesley with the chief command. He accordingly set sail from Portsmouth on the 16th of April, 1809, and, after encountering much boisterous weather on his passage, arrived in the Tagus on the 22d of the same month. with men and women, congratulating one another on the happy event; and at night the city was illuminated, even in the meanest and most obscure of its lanes and alleys. In the theatres, pieces were hastily got up, somewhat after the fashion of the masks anciently exhibited among ourselves, in which Victory was made to crown the representative of the hero with laurels, and to address him in language, as far removed from the terms of ordinary conversation, as might be expected from an allegorical personage." The battle of Talavera was, perhaps, the first engagement that gave a decisive advantage to the allied army of England and Portugal; and for this victory, Sir Arthur was raised to the peerage, by the title of Lord Wellington. His Lordship then invested the city and fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo, but deemed it prudent to raise the siege, in consequence of the great accession of strength that had been obtained by Massena. On the 16th of March, 1812, about two months after his first attempt, he again appeared before the city, and entered it in twenty days after. Massena had been succeeded in the command of the French army by Marmont. "On the evening of the twentyfirst of July, Wellington and Marmont lay in full view of each other, on two opposite rising grounds near Salamanca; when a great storm of thunder and rain came on, and, during the whole night, the sky was bright with lightning. Wellington was at table when he received intelligence that his |