WELLINGTON, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of - GURWOOD, John (ed.).

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

The Dispatches during his various Campaigns in India, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, The Low Countries, and France. The first nine volumes "New Editions", the rest firsts, as often, complete with the index. This is an attractive and eminently usable set of a work that is indispensable for the study of Wellington's campaigns and perhaps the only source for an occasional glimpse of the man himself. The editor had served "in all the Peninsular engagements down to the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo on 19 January 1812, where he led the 'forlorn hope' … 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" (ODNB). Gurwood was wounded three times in the Peninsula, and severely so at Waterloo. In 1837 he became one of Wellington's secretaries "and was entrusted with the editing of the duke's general orders and selections from his dispatches. Gurwood and the duke were old friends, the duke taking care of Gurwood. He was made CB and in 1839 was appointed a deputy lieutenant of the Tower of London with a salary of £768 p.a., as well as a pension of £2000. However, Gurwood's closing years were clouded by ill health, partly as a result of his war wounds and partly because of the strain of

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