to accomplish this important object, that it was not until the Duchess had completed the seventh month of her pregnancy that they were enabled to proceed on their journey, being literally prevented from moving until then, through the want of means to meet the expenses of that journey. Providentially no injury arose to the Duchess from being obliged to travel at so late a period of her pregnancy, and the journey was accomplished in sufficient time to answer the proposed object; but, as may easily be imagined, a very considerable additional expense has been incurred upon the occasion; and as the door appears to be shut, for the present, against His Royal Highness's deriving any benefit from his well-established claims, he has, with the concurrence of the Committee of his friends, come to the painful, yet necessary resolution, of parting with his favourite villa of Castle Hill, the only personal property he has, upon the advantageous sale of which alone must rest the possibility of his continuing his residence in England, and his being able to bring up his Child amongst his Countrymen, both wishes nearest his heart, as well as that of the Duchess ; but neither of which can be accomplished if they have no other prospect before them than that of being obliged to live for the next six or seven years on an income barely amounting to a third of that which the Duke is known to receive from Parliament, and little more than a fourth of what it would be, if the advantages arising to him from his military situations (which he has similarly given up to his Committee) were added thereto.

III. Field MARSHAL His Grace ARTHUR DUKE OF WELLINGTON, K.G. G.C.B. PRINCE OF WATERLOO. THE Duke of Wellington is the third surviving son of Garret, the late Earl of Mornington, and was born at Dangan Castle, in the county of Meath, the 1st of May, 1769. After receiving the rudiments of education at Eton College, he was removed to a military academy at Angers, in France, where he remained for a short period, and was then appointed, 7th of March, 1787, to an ensigncy in the 73d foot. He was promoted the 25th of December following, to a lieutenancy in the 76th foot, from which he exchanged into the 41st foot, the 23d

of January, 1788: and the 25th of June 1789, removed into the 18th light dragoons. He obtained a company in the 58th foot, the 20th of September, 1791, and again exchanged into the 18th light dragoons, the 31st of October, 1792. He was next appointed Major to the 33d regiment, and Lieutenant-Colonel the 30th of April, 1793.

In 1794 he commanded a brigade of infantry, during the retreat of the forces under the Marquess of Hastings, then Earl of Moira, through Flanders; and soon after his return from the continent, he accompanied the 33d foot to India, and was ordered on the intended expedition against Manilla, which was abandoned, in consequence of the intrigues of France with Tippoo Saib. On the 3d of May, 1796, he received the brevet rank of colonel.

Lieutenant-General, now Lord, Harris had been appointed to command the Madras army, destined to act against Tippoo, and penetrate into the Mysore country; and Colonel Wellesley was given the command of a division stationed at Lall Pit; but after the French force in the Deccan was destroyed, the Nizam provided a large force to aid in the attack of Tippoo, consisting of 6000 of the Company's troops, 6000 of his own, and 3000 cavalry, the command of which was entrusted to Colonel Wellesley. At the taking of Seringapatam, the 4th of May, 1799, he was thanked, in public orders, by General Harris, for the gallant intrepidity of his conduct, in command of the reserve. He was next appointed one of the Commissioners to arrange the division of the Mysore territories, and also the distribution of the immense treasure found in Tippoo's capital, of which he for some time became the Commandant. He was afterwards entrusted with an expedition against Dhoudia Waugh, and, in September, 1800, took the field. On the 5th of that month he entered the Nizam's territories, and, after a series of rapid movements, intercepted Dhoudia Waugh's force at Conaghull, where it was strongly posted, having its rear and left flank covered by that rock and village. Colonel Wellesley, although only the cavalry of his army had come up, determined on an immediate attack; and, placing himself at the head of the 19th and 25th light dragoons, and 1st and 2d regi

ments of native cavalry, which he extended into one line, to prevent his being out-flanked, he advanced upon the enemy: the latter showed much firmness, but could not withstand the rapidity and fury of the charge; they gave way, and were pursued for several miles. Dhoudia, and a great number of his followers, were killed, and the whole body completely dispersed. The activity and intrepid conduct of Colonel Wellesley on this occasion obtained for him the thanks of the Commander of the Forces at Madras, and of the Governor-General.

After the above enterprize, an expedition to Batavia, under the orders of General, now Sir David, Baird, being determined on, Colonel Wellesley was recalled from his government and command in the Mysore territory, to execute an enterprize against the Mauritius and Isle of Bourbon, which was to be attempted by a part of the forces of General Baird, if that officer was successful in his operations against Batavia this expedition was, however, abandoned. The Mahratta war having commenced in 1802, Lord Clive, then at the head of the Madras government, assembled an army of 19,000 men, the command of which was entrusted to Lieut. General Stuart. It became necessary to detach a part of this force towards Poonah, the capital of the Peishwa, our ally, which was menaced by Schindia and Holkar. Major-General Wellesley, which rank he had obtained the 29th of April, 1802, was selected for this command, having under him Colonel Stevenson, and a body of 35,000 men, with a proportionable train of artillery. Of this army, two-thirds were furnished as a subsidy by the Nizam, and about 9000 were cavalry. The Nizam's force being placed under the command of Colonel Stevenson, MajorGeneral Wellesley, with his army of 12,000 men, deemed it expedient to advance with the greatest rapidity towards Poonah, as it was known that Holkar was in possession of that capital, and the person of the Peishwa. On the night of the 19th of April, 1803, information being received that Holkar determined to plunder and burn Poonah, on the approach of the British, Major-General Wellesley pushed forward, over a rugged and difficult country, and through a dangerous pass, and after a forced march of sixty miles, reached the Peishwa's capital, in

the short period of thirty-two hours. The astonishing celerity of this movement saved Poonah from the fate then awaiting it, and in a few days the Major-General had the satisfaction of restoring this city to its lawful sovereign. He next proceeded against Ameduagen, which speedily fell into his hands; and, continuing those rapid and masterly movements, which had already proved so successful, he arrived at Nauluair, on the 23d of September. Here he was informed that the combined Mahratta army was posted within six miles of the ground he intended to occupy, but that the enemy had indicated an intention of breaking up his camp, and retreating, on the approach of the British. Major-General Wellesley instantly perceiving not a moment was to be lost, determined to move forward, and force the enemy to a general engagement, although Colonel Stevenson's division, which had marched by a different route, had not joined him, as was expected. Having adopted this resolution, he halted, and refreshed his army, which had already that morning marched fourteen miles. He then moved forward, and, after a further march of six miles, performed under the rays of a vertical sun, came in sight of the enemy, who was posted with his right on the village of Bokerdun, and his left on that of Assaye, on the northern bank of the river Kaitreah, near to the Adjuntea pass. Schindia's army consisted of 38,500 cavalry, 10,500 regular infantry, 500 matchlocks, 500 rocket men, and 190 pieces of ordnance. Major-General Wellesley's army consisted of only 4,500 men, of whom about 2000 were Europeans; but this frightful inequality proved to be amply compensated by the superior discipline of the British army, and the abilities of its General.

Major-General Wellesley approached in front of the enemy's right; but finding that he had posted his infantry and guns on the left, he resolved to make his attack on that point. Having made the necessary movements for this object, he placed the British cavalry in the rear, to cover the infantry as they moved round; and on his right flank he stationed the cavalry of the Peishwa and Nizam. He then forded the Kaitreah beyond the left of the enemy; and having reached the opposite bank, formed his army in order of battle, extending his infantry in two

lines, the British cavalry in a third as a reserve, and posting the auxiliary native force so as to cover the left flank of the whole, now menaced by a large body of the enemy's cavalry, which had followed them from the right of its own position. The enemy had commenced a distant cannonade; but perceiving that an attack was threatened upon his left, Schindia changed his position with great steadiness. The British now advanced to the attack under a most tremendous fire of nearly 150 pieces of cannon. The English artillery, in their turn, opened upon the enemy at an interval of about 100 yards; but were soon rendered incapable of advancing, from the number of bullocks and men that had fallen. This induced Major-General Wellesley to abandon his guns, and try the event of a closer combat. Putting himself, therefore, at the head of his whole line, and placing the British cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, of the 19th dragoons, to cover his right, he advanced with an intrepidity and boldness which completely dismayed the Mahrattas. Notwithstanding his numerous artillery, the enemy found himself unequal to withstand this charge, and was quickly compelled to retire upon his second line, posted in front of the Juah river. Here the 74th regiment, which covered the right of the British line, having suffered severely by the enemy's cannon, was charged by a body of Mahratta cavalry; but the British cavalry posted on the right, having repulsed them, charged, in their turn, with such resistless impetuosity, that several of the enemy's battalions were driven into the Juah with immense slaughter. The enemy's line now gave way in all directions, and was pursued by Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell at the head of the British cavalry across the Juah river, beyond which they were cut down in great numbers. Several of the enemy's guns having been unavoidably left in the rear during the heat of the action, were, at this moment, turned upon the British troops in advance by the perfidious Mahrattas, who had thrown themselves on the ground, and were passed unmolested by the English soldiers. This circumstance encouraged some of the enemy's regular infantry battalions, that had retired in rather better order, to face about, and commence a second action; which, being maintained for a short time with great fury, made