General Orders. Spain and Portugal. April 27th To December 28th, 1809. Volume I [Signed]

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769 - 14 September 1852). Charles Stewart (as he then was) Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry KG, GCB, GCH, PC (18 May 1778 - 6 March 1854), named Charles William Stewart until 1822 and known by his courtesy title as The Lord Stewart from 1814 to 1822, was a British soldier, politician and nobleman.

Published by London. Printed by Authority, by T. Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall First Edition . 1811., 1811

About this Item

First edition hard back binding in contemporary full diced brown leather, raised bands to the spine with gilt titles on three faded labels, all page edges gilt, marble end leaves. 8vo. 8½'' x 5¼''. Contains [iv] 288 [including index] printed pages of text. Ink name and pencil numbers to the second front free end paper, very light foxing, from the private library of Thomas Godwin Campbell Reynolds with his coat of arms bookplate to the front paste down. In April 1809 Charles Stewart was made Adjutant General to Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) with the British forces fighting in the Peninsular War, a post in which he distinguished himself, particularly at the battles of Busaco and Talavera. He received the thanks of Parliament in 1810, and on 20 November 1813 was made Colonel of the 25th Light Dragoons, becoming a Knight of the Bath that same year. Until the end of the war he was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Berlin, and was also Military Commissioner with the allied armies, being wounded at the Battle of Kulm. Through his daughter Lady Frances, Lord Londonderry was the great-grandfather of Winston Churchill. SIGNED by Charles Stewart to the verso of the title page 'For the use of the Brigade Major attached to the 1st Brigade of Cavalry, Charles Stewart, August 1809.' Ron McGuigan: 'I have never come across the numbering of the cavalry brigades before, only by commanders's names. The following three officers were Brigade-Majors to the cavalry in 1809 including August: Captain John Mahony 14th Light Dragoons, B-M to S. Cotton (Challis lists as 2nd Brigade?), Captain George Holmes 3rd Dragoon Guards, B-M to H. Fane (Challis lists as 1st Brigade?), Captain William Serle 24th Foot, B-M to J. Erskine (no number)'. A special thank you to author Ron McGuigan, [co-author of 'Inside Wellington's Peninsular Army 1808-1814'], for supplying and helping with the above information. Member of the P.B.F.A. ENGLISH HISTORY. Seller Inventory # 84907

Bibliographic Details

Title: General Orders. Spain and Portugal. April ...

Publisher: London. Printed by Authority, by T. Egerton, Military Library, Whitehall First Edition . 1811.

Publication Date: 1811

Binding: Hardcover

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition