Manuscript material from the pamphlet collection of the first Duke of Wellington

This material is held atUniversity of Southampton Special Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 738 MS 233
  • Dates of Creation
    • c.1780, c.1815
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • French, and Spanish or Castilian.
  • Physical Description
    • 2 volumes

Scope and Content

A military survey, written in French, from the point of view of a French army, probably in the 1770s or 1780s, of camps that can be occupied in the Low Countries: `Avertissement: cet ouvrage contient tous les camps qui se peuvent occuper depuis Mastricht en suivant le Demre [Dendre] jusques a Anvers, et les canaux jusques a Ostende, compris le Brabant et le comtat de Namur, et les canaux jusques aux places de la Flandre qui bornent cette frontiere.' It is entitled `MS precieux' on the spine in Wellington's binding and lists in great detail probable strategic movements in the face of an enemy (p. 1: `Observations sur les camps que l'on peut occuper depuis Mastricht, Anvers de Ostende, jusques aux places de Flandre, et les demarches que l'on y peut faire pour s'opposer a cette de ennemis'), including notes about supplies. Reference is made to the campaigns of the French in the 1690s in the Low Countries, but not to any subsequent military movement in the territory. A paper booklet of 66 numbered pages, preceded by 2 unnumbered folios. (Formerly Wellington Pamphlet 800)

A manuscript of programme music, for the pianoforte, commemorating the battle of Waterloo, composed by Juan Ferro: `La terrible batalla de la Bella Alianza en los dias 16 y 18 del mes de Junio de 1815 puesta en musica para pianoforte dedicada al Exmo. senor D. Pedro Ceballos Ministro de Estado de S.M.C. ofrece humilde este reverente obsequio Juan Ferro'. `El dia 16 manda el Duque de Weligton reunir su ex[erci]to en el punto llamado Quatro Brazos ... y el en persona se dirige a dicho punto. A su llegada encuentra al Principe de Orange que con una division entretiene al enemigo. Llega la division del General Piton con la que mantiene el lor un combate desigua contra mas de 30 M enemigos...' etc. The manuscript is a fair copy probably made in the period 1815-30. A paper booklet of nine folios. (Formerly Wellington Pamphlet 820)

Administrative / Biographical History

The two items in MS 233 are the sole manuscript items from a collection of more than 3,000 pamphlets sent to the first Duke of Wellington.

Access Information

Open for consultation

Note

Compiled by Gwennyth Anderson

Other Finding Aids

Lists