WATERLOO AND ANECDOTES OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

Evening Post, Issue 75, 6 May 1865, Page 2

WATERLOO AND ANECDOTES OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

There have been various contradictory accounts as to the person who brought the first intelligence to London of the battle of Waterloo. It has been generally supposed to have been a clerk belonging to the house of Kothschild, who, having accidentally heard the news, rode post to Ostend, and happening to find there a vessel just sailing for England, embarked in her, and arrived in that country before the English messenger, who came shortly afterwards It is also said that the Kothscliil 1 firm took advantage of this eaily intelligence, and purchased largely in the funds, which rose rapidly when the news was promulgated,

thus making an enormous profit on the Stock Exchange. However this might have been, it is certain that the Hon. Major Percy, brother of the Earl of Beverley, brought the Duke of Wellington's Despatches, giving an account of the Battle of Waterloo, and a list of the killed and wounded, and also two eagles which were taken from the French. From a diary now in my posses-ion, written by a gentleman of high consideration, and lemarkable for his wit and learning, it is stated that on the day on which the news of the battle of Waterloo arrived in London, he was invited to dine with Mrs. Hoehm in Grosvenor Square, to meet the Prince Ivegent, no one else being present. Mrs. Boehm was an elderly lady not remarable for beauty, but she was for her hospitalities, of which the Prince had partaken for many years. He preserved a great friendship for her, and was in the habit of dining with her when only one or two of his intimate friends were invited, as on the occasion in question. I will now give an extract from the diary I have referred to. •' I was dining with the Prince at Mrs. BoehnVs when Major Percy arrived with the eagles, and an account of the result of the battle of Waterloo. He was accompanied by Lord Liverpool, who had the Duke of Wellington's Despatch, and the list of the killed and wounded. It was- a scene I shall never forget, nor the feeling and almost hysterics of the Prince when Lord Liverpool read the long bill of carnage. When they bad withdrawn, the Prince said to me, ' I have disgraced myself by shedding tears like a woman..' It was no adulation on my part when I assured the Prince in reply that such feelings did him no dishonour." This account appears to be conclusive as to who brought the official despatches. The Morning Herald at that time said it was the late Lord Arthur Hill, but it was evidently a mistake. It has been often supposed that, unlike George IV., the Duke of Wellington did not evince much leplinw at the loss of his officers and men in a battle. The following anecdote, which I believe is not generally known, will prove that such was not the case. I received it from a staflf-surgeon-major, a great friend of Mr. Hume, the Duke's staff-surgeon. After the battle of Waterloo Mr. Hume was desired to call the Duke at six o'clock in tlv* morning, and bring him the list of the killed and wounded. On entering his room, he was desired to draw the curtain I*,1 *, and sit on the bed while he read the list. It was a small camp-bed on which the Duke had thrown himself after the battle, without washing his face, which was begrimed with dust, smoke, and gunpowder. As Mr. Hume went on reading the list, he perceived the tears running down the Duke's face, and forming two channels along it. Yet pcopl • think he was & heartless man. Sir Walter Scott also mentioned to Moore, the poet, that the Duke ot Wellington had once wept, in speaking to him about Waterloo, saying that "the next dreadful thing to a battle lost, was a bat I* won." The following anecdote will serve to show the kindness of heart as well as the forgiving disposition of the Duke ot Wellington. I received it from one of the party present on the occasion, and this is the first time of its being published. At a small dinner pany at Apsley House, consisting of the Duke and three intimate friends, the conversation turned on Sir Robert Wilson, whose name had been struck out of the Army List, in consequence of his conduct in encouraging the mob on the occasion of the funeral of Queen Caroline. " Well," said the Duke, " there are few things in my public life that have given, me more satisfaction than having been the means of restoring Sir Kobert Wilson to the service." The guests expressed their surprise at this, as it was well known that Sir Robert Wilson had not only attacked the Duke in Parliament, but had written pamphlets condemning his conduct in the Peninsular War. "L_ am aware' of all this," replied the Duke, " and perhaps fe .v persons have more reasons to complain of the treatment I have i received. But as lam a great sinner myself, and as I hope for pardon from a mericful God, it surely became me to show that I forgave Sir Robert Wilson." Let me give one more anecdote of the Duke of Wellington's kindly feelings. I knew Colonel Gurwood when he resided at Windsor. On speaking to him about the Duke's Despatches, which he had then published, I told him that he would have contributed much to their interest if he had added to them anecuotical footnotes. He replied that he was prepared to do this, and had aslud the Duke's consent for the purpose. His answer was, " i gave you these despatches to be published for the benefit of yourself and family, but I will not allow any additions. Publish them as 1 wrote them, sometimes on a drum head, but no alteration, except that I wish you to leave out anythiug which may give pain to, or hurt the feelings of, any one mentioned in them." It may be mentioned in conclusion, that

in the Duke's bedroom in Walmer Castle, his small bed was so placed near a book case that he cuuld take a book from it by merely extending his hand. The booka which had evident}' been most used by him were the Bible, Prayer-book, Caw's •* Commentaries," and Jeremy Taylor's '* Holy Living and Dying." Edward Jesse.