WELLINGTON, Arthur Wellesley, DUKE OF, British soldier and statesman: b. 1769; d. Walmer Castle, England, 14 Sept. 1852. He was the fourth son of the 1st Earl of Morning ton. His mother was the eldest daughter of the 1st Viscount Dungannan. He was edu cated at Eton, privately at Brussels, and finally at the Military College of Angers. On 7 Mardi 1787 he received a commission as ensign in the 73d Foot. He was gazetted under the name of Wesley, the family name till changed by his brother to Wellesley. After a rapid series of changes and promotions he attained by purchase in September 1793 the command as lieutenant-colonel of the 33d regiment in which he had attained his majority in April of the same year. In 1790 he was returned to the Irish Parliament for the family borough of Trim, in the county of Meath. In May 1794 he sailed with his regiment for Flanders to join the army of the Duke of York. In 17% he joined his regiment at the Cape, arrived at Calcutta in February 1797, and was attached to the Bengal service. Later the 33d regiment was attached to the Nizam's contingent in the Deccan with Wellesley in command. The army catered Mysore in March 1799. An en went took place at Mallavelly on the 27M, which Wellesley, who commanded the left wing, turned the right of the enemy. He was subsequently employed to dislodge the enemy from their posts in front of Seringapatam and after the capture of that capital was ap pointed July 1799, to its command. During his administration he was compelled to take up arms against Dbundiah Waugh, a robber chief, who styled himself 'King of the Two Worlds.' Wellesley overtook and routed him with a small body of cavalry 10 Sept. 1800. In April 1802 We1k:icy attained the rank of major-general. Early in 1803 he was appointed to the com mand of a force destined to restore the Peobwa of the Mahrattas, driven from his capital by Holkar. 'This operation successfully performed, the other Mahratta chiefs, Scindia and the Raja of Berar, showed hostile designs against the British and Wellesley was ap pointed to the chief military and political com mand in the operations against them. After an active campaign, in which be took Ahniednagar and Arungabad, he encountered a Mahratta army assisted by French at Assaye (23 September) and en tirely defeated it. The parallel successes of General Lake, and the defeat of the Raja of Berar by Wellesley at Argatun on 29 Novem ber. compelled the submission of the Mahrattas and peace was restored on conditions drawn up by the successful general. The fame of
Welk-sley's achievements had now spread over India. Before leaving Madras he received his appointment as K.C.B., and the thanks of both houses of Parliament. He sailed for England on 10 March 1805 and arrived in September.
On 10 April 1806 Wellesley married Lady Catherine Pakenham, third daughter of the Earl of Longford. He had previously been elected and distinguished himself in the House of Commons by the defense of his brother's administration in India. In April 1807 he was appointed chief secretary for Ireland and in August received the command of the reserve in the expedition to Copenhagen under Lord Cathcart and Admiral Gambier. He took Kioge 29 April, the only land operation of importance. On returning he resumed his duties as secretary and received the thanks of Parliament for his share in the expedition. On 25 April 1808 he attained the rank of henteriant -generaL In June, Wellesley received the command of a force destined to operate in the north of Spain and Portugal in aid of the revolt against Napoleon. On 30 July he anchored in Mondcgo Bay, and landed his troops at Figneira_ The English began their southward march on 8 August. Wellesley moved on the coast road to Torres Vedras. At Rolica he countered about 5,000 men under Delaborde, whom Junot had sent in advance to arrest his progress. This corps, after a spirited sistance, was driven hack and retired to Torres Vedras. Wellesley now drew nearer the coast, reaching Vimeiro on the 19th, where by two brigades from his force to 17,000. At the same army in the Peninsula. and had appointed Sir Hew Dalrymple to the chief command, with Sir Harry Burrard as second and Wellesley, Moore, Hope, Paget and Fraser as divisional commanders. Junot determined to attack the English on the land side while they were in the immediate neighborhood of the sea. The at tack was made on 21 August and Junot was beaten. After the battle Junot proposed an armistice, the result of which was the famous Convention of Cintra, by which the French agreed to evacuate Portugal on condition of being conveyed to France with their arms and baggage. Public feeling in England over the excessive liberality of the terms ran so high that the generals were recalled to be examined by a board of inquiry, but their conduct was approved of and commended. Wellesley pro ceeded to Ireland in December as chief secre tary, and early in 1809 received the thanks of both houses of Parliament for his conduct of the campaign.