WELLINGTON (Arthur Wellesley, 1er duc de)
(1769-1852), aristocrate anglo-irlandais, militaire et homme d'État britannique.
Exceptionnel ensemble d'environ 100 lettres, principalement adressés à Sir Charles Stuart, durant les guerres napoléoniennes du Portugal et d'Espagne.
Viseu, Celorico, Almeida, Cartaxo, Oliveira do Hospital, Villa Formosa, Cadix, Lisbonne, Casano, Quinta de St Joao, Portalegre, Sabugal, Fuenteguinaldo, Quadrasayes, Fresneda, Castello Branco, Madrid, Meda, Salamanca, Ciudad Rodrigo, Preneda, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, etc., 1810 et 1813. Quelques courriers plus tardifs.
Environ 220 p., papiers divers, nombreux bords dorés.

Important ensemble d'environ 100 lettres signées " Wellington ", ou " Arthur Wellesley ", certaines entièrement autographes, adressées à Charles Stuart (1779-1845), alors ambassadeur du Royaume-Uni au Portugal. Environ 190 p. majoritairement in-folio ou in-4 (environ 6 L.S. ou L.A.S. incomplètes, quelques courriers imprimés).

Exceptionnelle relation de guerre durant les batailles de Busaco, Gebora, Barrosa, Pombal, Redinha, Bodón, Salamanca, etc, et les Siège d'Almeida, de Cádiz, de Ciudad Rodrigo, etc.

Exceptional correspondence from Wellington to Charles Stuart during the Peninsular War.

Riche ensemble dont on ne donnera ici qu'un aperçu : défaites et victoires des troupes de Wellington, tactiques militaires et analyse du mouvement des troupes françaises, finances de la guerre, logistique (réparations des routes et ponts à Benavento, intendance des armées, dépenses pour aliments des différents régiments stationnés au Portugal ou en Espagne, etc.), diplomatie et relations avec le gouvernement portugais (Wellington alarmé par des fièvres contagieuses à Caldas demande des mesures et de l'aide médicale pour les habitants, meurtre commis par un soldat, etc.). Wellington évoque de nombreux interlocuteurs : Colonel Fletcher, M. Bell, Colonel Peacocke, Admiral George Berckeley, Colonel Fletcher, Miguel Forjaz, officiers portugais et espagnoles, etc.

[Cartaxo, 8 janvier 1811] : " […] Evora, Beja, Alcacer do Sal, and others great riches and means of subsistence for a considerable length of time. He will treat these towns as he has others in Spain: the inhabitants will first be plundered by the soldiery ; their provisions will then be taken from them for the use of the enemy's army; and then they will be obliged to pay a heavy contribution in money and other valuable goods. These will be the consequences of neglecting to warn the people of their danger, and to force them to provide against it, by concealing and removing their valuable property, and being prepared to remove their persons; of concealing their danger from the people, and of indulging them in their habits of ease and blind security. The success of the enemy's objects in Portugal will also be promoted, so far as that he will have been enabled to raise contributions in this countr ; and to subsist for some additional time in the Portuguese territory. […] I have always expressed & manifested a readiness to do every thing in my power to assist the Portuguese Gov[ernment], and Army; but when I see all the departments of the army in distress, when I know that the pay has not lately been regularly issued to the Troops, that those in garrison are living upon the magazines which ought to be kept in deposit for the period at which their communications with the country will be cut off, that the hospitals are unprovided with necessaries, & that the whole machine of the Army is falling to pieces for want of funds to keep it together, I must consider the subject well, before I can venture to give his Majesty's stores, and the funds destined for the support of his Majesty's troops, to be disposed of by the Portuguese Gov[ernment] […]. "

Cadix, 13 mars 1811 : lettre autographe signée inédite rédigée le lendemain de la bataille de Redinha, contre les troupes du maréchal Ney, grand victorieux. Welligton évoque les forces militaires présentes, Manuel la Peña, allié au combat, des officiers français, etc.

Fuente Guinaldo, 6 septembre 1811 : " […] When the Army pursued the enemy to the frontiers of Castille, there were no means on the roads of communicating by letter with Lisbon ; and M. Sodré wrote to M. JB Gomez to urge that mesures might be taken to have post horses placed at the stations at which they had formerly been […] and place mules upon the roads in order to provide the means of communication. I believe it will be admitted that it was the interest and the duty of the Portuguese Gov[ernment] to provide these means without loss of time ; and they accordingly made this advance, […] appears that not only the Government refuse to expense of the rations given to the men and animals […] ".
Etc.

À cet ensemble s'ajoutent 12 documents divers, lettres écrites en son nom, signatures non attribués, imprimés, une liste manuscrite de régiments d'infanterie, etc. Environ 30 p. de formats divers.

Documents en partie publiés in : The dispatches of Field Marshal the duke of Wellington, during his various campaigns in India, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, the Low Countries, and France… par le Colonel John Gurwood. Londres, Parker, Furnivall, Parker & Nouvelle édition Murray, [1830-1850]. Certains courriers restent inédits.

Bon état général. Quelques mouillures, taches ou déchirures du temps.