Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Collection, 1807-1850

Contents and Arrangement

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Collection Overview

Creator:

Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852

Collector:

Princeton University. Library. Special Collections

Title:

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Collection

Repository:

Manuscripts Division

Permanent URL:

http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/d791sg259

Dates:

1807-1850

Size:

1 box and 0.2 linear feet

Storage Note:

ReCAP (scarcpxm): Box 1

Language:

English

Abstract: Consists primarily of selected correspondence of the Duke of Wellington, chiefly with Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville. Wellington is best known as the British general who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of selected correspondence, a manuscript (copy), and five engravings of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The bulk of the correspondence is between Wellington and Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville. The two men discuss matters in India, strategy for the British Army and cavalry stationed in the subcontinent, and the forming of a commission to inquire into the special modes of promotion and retirement. In an 1846 letter to Lord John Russell, Wellington writes about troops in Ireland and the promotion or appointment of three generals as field marshals. There are also two letters from the French engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel. In his first letter (1821), Brunel asks to be considered for the post of engineer to the Ramsgate Pier; in the second (1830), he asks Wellington for a position for his nephew in the Customs House. A letter to a "Mr. Dillon" dated December 11, 1828, and another, dated 1827, to "Dear Sir" regarding the settling of some accounts are included in the collection.

Also included is a manuscript (copy) titled "Details of the Military Supply in Use with all the Armies which Major General Wellesley has Commanded in the Dekan, and Which has succeeded in Enabling him to go to a very great distance from the source of the supplies." Dated March 17, 1809, it describes Wellington's plan for providing food and supplies for the European soldiers, the native troops, the horses of the cavalry, and for the cattle and the servants of the officers.

In addition, there are five printed engravings of Wellington. One engraving depicts Wellington and the military heroes of the battle of Waterloo; three portray him at different stages of his life, and one shows him standing in profile.

Arrangement

Arranged in accession number order.

Collection Creator Biography:

Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman. He rose to prominence during the Peninsula War and became a national hero in England after the Napoleonic Wars, during which he led the victorious Anglo-Allied forces at the Battle of Waterloo (1815). He was later elected prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1828 to1830 and again in 1834.

Collection History

Acquisition:

The autograph document and Dundas' correspondence was purchased on April 26, 1937. .

Letter to "Dear Sir" was transferred from the Office of President of Princeton University on April 30, 1963 .

The engravings of Wellesley were a gift of James Duncan Pitney, Princeton Class of 1943, on May 26, 1965 .

Letter to Mr. Dillon was purchased on January 2, 1975 .

The three letters of Brunel were a gift of Gerald J. Levy on December 12, 1933. . Various AM.

Custodial History

The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Dina Britain on September 12, 2008. Finding aid written by Dina Britain on January 14, 2009. Folder Inventory added by Hilde Creager (2015) in 2012.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

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