Duke of Wellington : Arthur Wellesley : British : General : Career : Napoleonic Battles : Napoleon  Bonaparte :
Duke                of Wellington, General and British                Prime Minister,
1769-1852
Perhaps                the most famous soldier, other than Napoleon                Bonaparte , to come out of the era was Arthur Wellesley.
Wellesley                learnt his military trade in India applying his study of the art                of war, brought on by the ineptitude of his fellow officers, to                practical matters in India.
In                1799 he led a division at Seringapatum, made mistakes, but went                on to win the battles of Argaum (1803) and Assaye (1803) when in command.
A careful                leader, he tried to limit casualties and became a master of the                reverse-slope tactic - keeping his forces screened from artillery                fire behind the brow of a hill.
After                his Indian service he became the Member of Parliament for Rye, then                Mitchell, then Newport.
Between                1807 and 1809 he was Chief Secretary for Ireland, where his Anglo-Irish                family had estates, but again led a division in the campaign for                Copenhagen.
Made                a Lieutenant-General in 1808, he went to Portugal to support that country's fight against Bonaparte.
His                first contact with the French was at Obidos, then the battle of Rolica ended with his enemy retreating                to Vimiero where, despite being                reinforced by the main French army of General                Junot , it was defeated.
Wellesley's                newly appointed commanders - Sir Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple - shamed the British                army by negotiating the Convention of Cintra ,                which allowed repatriation of Junot's army, with equipment - and                on British ships - to the safety of France.
Wellesley                emerged unscathed from the inquiry that followed and celebrated                his return to the Peninsula with the audacious capture of Oporto ,                via a hazardous river crossing, from Marshal                Soult .
Invading                French-occupied Spain, Wellesley sought to assist Spanish forces                against the French but, despite their lack of backbone, managed                to win the Battle of Talavera for which he was given a viscountcy. He became an earl in February                1812, a marquess in October of the same year and the Duke of Wellington                in May 1814.
Winning                the battle of Bussaco , Wellington                withdrew behind a formidable defensive barrier known as the Lines                of Torres Vedras .
Rested                and eager for battle, the British then moved on to the offensive                winning the battle of Fuentes de Onoro .