The private journal of Judge-Advocate Larpent

Arrival of the Gazette—More Courts-martial—The Mad Commissary—Intentions of Lord Wellington—Social Amusements—Sporting—Wellington’s fox-hounds—His stud—A dinner at the Commander...

More Courts-martial—Bal Masqué—Anecdotes of Wellington—Songs in his praise—Spanish banditti—Excesses of the Army—Carnival—More Anecdotes of the Duke—The staff—Grand entertainmen...

News of the French—Castilian costume—Equipment of the army—Melancholy Court-martial case—Wellington in the battle of Fuentes d’Onore—The chances of war—Anecdotes of Wellington—H...

Movements of the army—Wellington on the Portuguese—His personal habits—St. Sebastian—The siege—Miseries of war—Wounded officers—The Prince of Orange—Vestiges of the retreat—Engl...

Rejoicings for the victory—Sufferings of Cole’s division—Complaints of the French—Statements of a French prisoner—Decay of Spain—Characteristics of Wellington—His opinion of Bon...

Reported renewal of operations against St. Sebastian—Effects of the war on Spain and Portugal—Wellington’s account of recent proceedings—Courts-martial—Prisoners shot—Discussion...

Fall of Pamplona—Deterioration of the army—Duke of York’s orders—Orders of merit—Church service—Capture of French redoubts—March of the army—Incidents of foreign service—Frequen...

News from France—Lord Fitzroy Somerset—Departure of the Prince of Orange—Exchange of prisoners—Proximity of the two armies—Wellington’s cooks—Warlike movements—French attack—The...

French attack—Plan of desertion—Excesses of the French—A Basque witness—Sir John Hope—Movements of the army—Sale of effects—Wellington’s simplicity of character—A French emigré—...

Movements of the army—Narrow escape of Wellington—Anecdote of Wellington at Rodrigo—Novel scaling ladders—Sir Alexander Dickson—Wellington’s vanity—Operations resumed—Spanish of...

Passage of the river—Start for Orthes—Effect of the battle—Feelings of the French—Wellington wounded—St. Sever—Church and School—Aire—Wellington on the conduct of the Allies—Ind...

Reports from the seat of war—The Duke d’Angoulême—The German cavalry—Misconduct of the Spaniards—Attacks on our grazing parties—Movement of head-quarters—Death of Colonel Sturge...

Difficulties of the march—Failure of the bridge of boats—The Garonne—Excesses of Murillo’s corps—Bad news—Exchange of prisoners—Arrival before Toulouse—A prisoner of war—Anecdot...

Country Fêtes—Brawls with the French—The Duke d’Angoulême—Mademoiselle Georges—The Actress and the Emperor—French acting and French audiences—Presentation of a sword to Lord Dal...

It was very fortunate that I kept to my post at the George Inn, at Portsmouth; for at seven in the morning of Saturday the 5th I was called from my bed by the Admiral, who told...

At last I have arrived safely at head-quarters, as they have been kind enough to come half-way to meet me. From Salamanca, we proceeded on the first day to Alba de Tormes, a tow...

Arrival of the Gazette—More Courts-martial—The Mad Commissary—Intentions of Lord Wellington—Social Amusements—Sporting—Wellington’s Fox-hounds—His Stud—A Dinner at the Commander...

More Courts-martial—Bal Masqué—Anecdotes of Wellington—Songs in his praise—Spanish Banditti—Excesses of the Army—Carnival—More Anecdotes of the Duke—The Staff—Grand Entertainmen...

News of the French—Castilian Costume—Equipment of the Army—Melancholy Court-martial Case—Wellington in the Battle of Fuentes d’Onore—The Chances of War—Anecdotes of Wellington—H...

I have first to thank you for your letter and paper of the 21st, which was most acceptable, as it happened to be, once more, the only paper of that date at head-quarters, and of...

We here halt a-day; on the 22nd, about twelve, I arrived at Almeida—that heap of ruins—and turned out, by the authority of the Governor, two Portuguese officers, to get one mise...

My last left me at Massa, on the other side of the Douro, in a miserable quarter. On the following morning (the 15th) we marched for Quintana, on the same side. For about four l...

I have repented staying two days at Vittoria. The consequence has been that I fell in with all the fagged division of the army, and found every hole full of troops, and nothing...

Movements of the Army—Wellington on the Portuguese—His Personal Habits—St. Sebastian—The Siege—Miseries of War—Wounded Officers—The Prince of Orange—Vestiges of the Retreat—Engl...

Rejoicings for the Victory—Sufferings of Cole’s Division—Complaints of the French—Statements of a French Prisoner—Decay of Spain—Characteristics of Wellington—His Opinion of Bon...

Reported renewal of Operations against St. Sebastian—Effects of the War on Spain and Portugal—Wellington’s Account of recent Proceedings—Courts-martial—Prisoners Shot—Discussion...

When you told me, some time since, that you expected to hear from me from this place, I never expected to have realized in this way your prediction. But as the French all tell m...

I have now a quarter with a most rural exterior, and a balcony all along the upper story, hung with vines. The picturesque and the comfortable, however, are not always combined,...

Fall of Pamplona—Deterioration of the Army—Duke of York’s Orders—Orders of Merit—Church Service—Capture of French Redoubts—March of the Army—Incidents of Foreign Service—Frequen...

News from France—Lord Fitzroy Somerset—Departure of the Prince of Orange—Exchange of Prisoners—Proximity of the two Armies—Wellington’s Cooks—Warlike Movements—French Attack—The...

French Attack—Plan of Desertion—Excesses of the French—A Basque Witness—Sir John Hope—Movements of the Army—Sale of Effects—Wellington’s Simplicity of Character—A French Emigré—...

Many happy new years to you and all your party! We are now quite quiet here, and have no news to communicate. We have repeatedly received reports of the arrival of an English ma...

Fine weather is now returned, and no doubt before we have been quiet another week, should it last, we shall be stirred up a little by the French. At present, all our usual avoca...

parts almost up to a horse’s belly. Lord Wellington rode there in the rain in two hours and ten minutes, and back in two hours and a half, up and down hills and through the clay...

In the midst of a terrible storm the day before yesterday a little cockle shell of a sloop arrived in the open bay here, with the Count de Grammont on board and Colonel Abercrom...

Here we remain absolutely tied by the leg by the horrible state of the roads, and weather, and without any regular news from England. Nothing but reports on the side of France w...

Movements of the Army—-Narrow Escape of Wellington—Anecdote of Wellington at Rodrigo—Novel Scaling Ladders—Sir Alexander Dickson—Wellington’s Vanity—Operations resumed—Spanish O...

Passage of the River—Start for Orthes—Effect of the Battle—Feelings of the French—Wellington wounded—St. Sever—Church and School—Aire—Wellington on the Conduct of the Allies—Ind...

Reports from the Seat of War—The Duke d’Angoulême—The German Cavalry—Misconduct of the Spaniards—Attacks on our Grazing Parties—Movement of Head-Quarters—Death of Colonel Sturge...

Difficulties of the March—Failure of the Bridge of Boats—The Garonne—Excesses of Murillo’s Corps—Bad News—Exchange of Prisoners—Arrival before Toulouse—A Prisoner of War—Anecdot...

Here we are still, away from all that is going on, but expecting every moment an order to enter Toulouse. The day before yesterday the bridge was re-established (the 8th), and b...

Though I have nothing now to amuse you with, but the result of my morning walks and inquiries in this town, I shall proceed as usual, more with a wish to preserve my own crude o...

The very small number of sights which this town affords being exhausted, and Lord Wellington being still absent, we are in truth more dull than we should be in a country town in...

Here we are still, but on the point of moving. The orders are actually out, and our route fixed. We start on Saturday, the 4th of June, I suspect on purpose to avoid festivities...

As I have no news to communicate, you must be satisfied with the best account of Bordeaux which the excessive heat permits me to give you. The Duke is gone for good, and we are...

Country Fêtes—Brawls with the French—The Duke d’Angoulême—Mademoiselle Georges—The Actress and the Emperor—French Acting and French Audiences—Presentation of a Sword to Lord Dal...