GURWOOD, John.

The general orders of Field Marshall the duke of Wellington, K.G., . . . in Portugal, Spain, and France, from 1809 to 1814; in the Low Countries and France, in 1815; and in France, army of occupation, from 1816 to 1818; compiled alphabetically from the several printed volumes, which were originally issued to the general and staff officers and officers commanding regiments in the above campaigns.

London, printed by W. Clowes & Sons, 1837. 8vo (215 x 135 mm), pp. lxvii, [v], 592; contemporary red morocco, gilt; slightly rubbed; gilt edges. An enlarged edition of this compendium of the duke of Wellington’s general orders during the Napoleonic wars printing for the first time the orders for 1816 to 1818 when Wellington was in charge of the British occupation forces in France. As the duke’s private secretary, John Gurwood was entrusted with selecting and editing Wellington’s papers for publication. Gurwood had served the duke of Wellington throughout the Peninsular war and a mutual respect seems to have existed between the two men. Gurwood notes that ‘this volume of authority and reference is therefore now presented to the soldier and to the historical reader, as having formed the basis of the most brilliant period of our military glory – a period which confirmed the everlasting fame of that Chief by whom it was commenced, conducted, and concluded’ (preface). Wellington, in turn, looked after Gurwood for the rest of his career, making him a CB, appointing him a deputy lieutenant of the Tower of London with a salary of £768 p.a., and awarding him a pension of £2000.Gurwood, who was wounded three times in the Peninsula and severely so at Waterloo, was a distinguished army officer who was present at most of the important Napoleonic battles. At Ciudad Rodrigo, he led the ‘forlorn hope’ of twenty-five who headed the 300 stormers of the 52nd Light Brigade. ‘He was concussed in the breach from a head wound, but after regaining consciousness made his way to the citadel and took prisoner the governor, General Barrié, at dinner. The governor surrendered his sword, which Gurwood presented to Wellington. It was returned to him next day when Lord Fitzroy Somerset buckled it on Gurwood in the breach where he had been wounded. It was a light scimitar, which Gurwood was permitted to wear in place of the regulation pattern: it later passed to the museum of the Royal Green Jackets at Winchester’ (Oxford DNB).

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• nº de pedido: T2183

• librero: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)