Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-23
THE IRON DUKE.


The great Wellington, the Iron Duke,
was born May |, 1869, at Dangan Castle,
Ireland his father was Garrett, first Earl
of Mornington, and his brother was the
Marquis Wellesley. He completed his
military education in the military college
of Angers, France; entered the army In
1857 as an ensign, and in 1893 was Lieu
tenant Colonel. In brief service in the
Netherlands he distinguished himself in
several repulses of the French, and in 1896
went to India, where he rose rapidly, and
made his first grand success at Assaye,
with 4, 500 men defeating the combined
Mahratta forces, from 10000 to $4,000
strong; followed by the victories of Ar
gaum and the great fort OF Gawulghur
for these services he was made K. c. B.,
and received the thanks of Parliament and
the King. In 1905 he returned to Great
Britain, obtained seat in the House of
Commons, and in April, 1907, was ap-
pointed Chief Secretary of Ireland. In
the year following he went to Spain in COM
mand of an expedition to drive out from
that peninsula the French forces, and, after
several affairs, defeated Junot in the bat
tie of Vimieria, and was thanked by the
Commons. He was subsequently made
Marshal General of the Portuguese army :;
various combats ensued, and then came the
victory of Talavera, where a desperate
struggle took place he was again thanked
by Parliament, and was created peer and
given pension of f2, 900. His next feat
was to repulse the French attacks Septem.
Der 27, 1910, at Busaco, and the year after
he received the thanks of Parliament for
liberating Portugal. Spain had next to be
cleared of its invaders, and this duty also
fell to him. For his brilliant services at the
storming of the fortressiof Ciudad Rodrigo,
January 10, 1872, he was created grandee
of Spain, again thanked by Parliament,
f2, 900 of a further pension given him,
and he was advanced to the peerage with
the title of Earl of Wellington. In April
he took Badajoz and on July 22d took Sala-
maBca, one of his greatest military tri-
umphs; for these he received the Order of
the Golden Fleece, and was made General
issimo OF the Spanish armies, was once
more advanced in the British peerage by
the title of Marquis of Wellington. Par
lament thanked him again, and fl00, 600
were laid out in the purchase of lands to be
settled on him and his heirs. He met his
enemies, the French, at Victoria, under
Junot, and added another victory to his
list, was made Field Marshal of Great
Britain, and succeeded in driving the
French out of the peninsula by the time
Napoleon had been persuaded to sign his
abdication. The great soldier of the Brit.
ish forces was created Marquis of Douro
and Duke of Wellington in the British
peerage, and received an additional grant
of f400, 600 and took his seat in the House
of Lords. When Napoleon escaped from
Elba, Wellington was placed in command
of the British forces on the continent, and
the two great antagonists met at Waterloo,
with the result known to all the world.
Wellington had command of the army of
occupation, at the request Of the allied
sovereigns, from 1915 TO 1919, during
which time there were two attempts made
upon his life. The King of the Neither.
lands created him Prince Of Waterloo, Par.
lament voted him f200, 900 more, and after
various services he succeeded the Duke Of
York as commander. n.chief of the army,
which he resigned shortly after, on Mr..
Canning being called to form an admins
tration, to take it again, and once more re-
sign it when he was called to form an ad-
ministrstion. Space will not permit MS to
do more than name these few leading incl
dents in his remarkable career. He retired
from public civil life in 1916, and died at
Walmer Castle September IA, 1852