battle record 1st duke wellington field marshal 1st duke wellington september leading british military political figures 19th century referred duke wellington led successful military career napoleonic wars starting career commissioned officer infantry seeing action rose rank purchasing commissions common practice british_army wealthy officers continued rise status fame result ability commander participated number military campaigns achieved tactical strategic decisive victories india countries western europe faced defeated napoleon commander chief war best known battle led anglo allied force decisive victory battle military career speculation historians biographers battles wellington actually participated career military historian identifies major battles involving british_army wellington command seventeen military historian comments wellington fought battles prior easily contested precise number battles known established records dispatches reports dating events present separate military actions including assortment meeting engagements pitched battles skirmishes minor engagements career ordered countless remote engagements whilst serving napoleonic wars britain played major role securing europe french occupation commissions promotions wellington ensign march highland regiment foot aide camp october purchased commission lieutenant december regiment junior officer transferred 41st regiment soon avoid duty june transferred 12th prince wales cavalry regiment obtained commission captain june regiment having served regulation minimum years major april 33rd yorkshire west riding regiment having served years purchased final commission lieutenant colonel september age promotion attained september experienced battle french battle 33rd promotion colonel came june sent 33rd india fought fourth anglo war commanding victorious actions winning war serving governor promoted major general april receive news september whilst india wrote regiment commanded nearly years scarcely away found best behaved body men army gained success india second anglo war succeeded colonel 33rd held napoleon attempt prevent continental europe trading britain resulted sweden denmark portugal closing ports june napoleon pressured denmark resulting british naval bombardment copenhagen seizure danish fleet prevent falling french hands brief role danish land forces battle helped secure denmark later disapproved bombardment saying taken capital greater ease promoted lieutenant general april june given command men set invade revolutionary napoleon invaded portugal spain intent preventing continued trade britain replaced spanish royal family brother madrid spanish resisted french occupation leading portuguese british support august entered war men head british forces peninsula sir killed battle january british_army having driven peninsula disarray wellington sent secretary war memo insisting british force british troops sent defend rebuild portugal military strength proposal approved embarked lisbon april appointed head forces portugal motion supported government prince regent george wellington hold july promoted general applied peninsula final promotion field marshal came june following success battle broken remaining french hold spain wellington awarded marshal partially designed prince regent kind allied commander wellington appointed head british forces april following death sir second invasion portugal french remained continue war years engaging french armies portugal spain north france napoleon returned europe appointed overall commander anglo allied forces better known days following napoleon escape exile attempt retain power despite battles years duty shortly battle hearing approximately casualties dead dying saying hope god fought battle close victory great cost broke fighting spirit marked end long service overseas notable military career returned british politics leading statesman appointed master general ordnance commander chief forces wellington fight wellington understanding logistics prove valuable leading expeditionary force french invasion portugal spain adept planning long marches unknown territory understanding thousands men manage efficiently huge supplies required adequately feed sustain army secure supply lines portuguese coast vital importance maintain ability fight french april wellington returned portugal british portuguese troops command spain numbered despite french troops having dispersed garrisons spain located protect supply communication lines militia remnants support wellington faced overwhelming odds war number soldiers enlisted britain rarely exceeded wellington british soldiers command men king british trained command british politicians opposed war europe favoured withdrawal hampered muster larger force defeat napoleon served wellington awareness defensive strategy essential initially ensure british_army survived roughly strong army percent british relatively low number majority veterans shipped napoleon sent north_america serve final months war united_states wellington faced armies formed disbanded french force having conquered europe expanded led napoleon reformed multiple smaller mobile armies october peninsula french grouped multiple armies operating chiefly area order secure portugal spain forces commanded french senior generals chosen elevation napoleon armies command napoleon brother king commanded armies high degree independence wellington arrived lisbon army composed volunteers british troops better trained french counterparts required repeatedly practice firing live rounds encountering combat napoleon personally campaigned spain october january taking guard troops left disastrous failure invasion russia napoleon weakened forces spain early veteran troops peninsula germany shore losses subsequently remaining troops second line quality experience equipment new recruits french wellington army consisted combat arms infantry cavalry artillery engineers played valuable role peninsula building lines defensive line forts built protect lisbon making preparations war wellington main combat arm trained infantry cavalry cannons highly competent inferior french guns number quality force wellington aimed defend portugal took offensive strategy beating french advanced madrid arriving august abandoned capital defeat spanish government wellington commander chief allied armies providing extra spanish troops completely undefeated lost major battle greatest defeat came hoped prevent french forces concentrating losing men causing french casualties forced raise siege retreat calling worst retiring winter quarters received reinforcements brought regular army men wellington began final offensive june advanced north france french longer fighting spain defend border ultimately battles august april war french lasted years wellington finally managing drive french shortly april word reached wellington napoleon april war peninsula wellington army marched estimated miles fought engagements portugal spain consequences helped bring downfall napoleon resulting peace europe battle record large number battles attributed wellington leave impression present command actions case entrusted officers engage enemy remote locations attended person similarly wellington usually command rear guard actions advances despite army engaging engagements lack presence absolutely certain position unconfirmed records accounts included battle record key opponent flags key outcome indicates decisive victory
Battle record of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington