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Lot Essay
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte (1768-1844), King of Naples (1806-1808) and King of Spain (1808-1813).
Elder brother of Napoléon Bonaparte, Joseph was a supporter of the French republican cause and sat as a member of the Council of Five Hundred under the Directoire and later on the Council of State and the Corps Législatif following the coup d'état of 18 Brumaire. A lawyer by profession, Joseph proved himself a skilled diplomat and represented France in negotiations that led to the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville with the Austrians and the 1802 Treaty of Amiens which briefly marked his brother's pacification of Europe. Following Napoléon assuming the position of Premier Consul in 1802 with the right to nominate his own successor, the question of succession caused friction between the two brothers. Whilst Napoléon favoured the son of their younger brother Louis, Joseph felt that he should succeed Napoléon as the elder brother. Napoléon offered Joseph the crown of Lombardy in return for his waiving all claims to Imperial throne, an offer which was refused. In 1804 Napoléon became Emperor and was crowned the King of Italy the following year. His Italian kingdom encompassed northern and central Italy but the Bourbon dynasty retained a weak foothold in the southern Kingdom of Naples. In February 1806 Joseph was dispatched to Naples to expel the Bourbons and was proclaimed King of Naples by Imperial decree on 30 March the same year extending French influence over the entirety of mainland Italy.
Spain had been allied with the French First Republic since 1796 and had suffered greatly as the result of wars with Great Britain. By 1808 King Charles IV and his son Ferdinand VII had both been forced to abdicate by Napoléon and together with Manuel de Godoy, the prime minister who had forged the alliance with France, were imprisoned in France. Spain was occupied by France and Joseph crowned King of Spain although control over the country was localised and only managed through the presence of military force. A reluctant Joseph found himself closely controlled by Paris in a hostile environment. Joseph's crowning in 1808 coincided with the beginning of The Peninsular War, a war of attrition that eventually led to a British army under the Duke of Wellington supported by Portuguese and Spanish regular and guerrilla forces to gradually weaken the French hold on Spain and push Joseph and his armies towards the Pyrenees.
The Battle of Vitoria (21 June 1813) was the final decisive battle of The Peninsular War and the action which ended Napoléon's power in Spain. The allied army under Wellington confronted the French army under Joseph in the basin of Vitoria. The French occupied defensive positions protected by mountains and the Zadorra River. Wellington advanced in four columns against the whole front eventually forcing the French into a rear-guard action followed by a near rout which led to the abandonment of much of the baggage and the capture of 151 cannon and nearly 3000 prisoners. Joseph himself narrowly evaded capture allegedly making his escape on a carriage horse unhitched from his barouche. Each side lost around 5000 men killed or wounded although French losses could have been greater if discipline in the allied army had held following the capture of Joseph's baggage train said to contain "the loot of a kingdom". The resulting plundering was blamed for the allied inability to organise a pursuit of the retreating French army.
Major-General the Honourable Sir William Ponsonby KCB (1772-1815).
Vitoria was largely fought by infantry, the hilly ground crossed by numerous ravines with rivers, streams and ditches being unsuitable for massed cavalry. As the allied army descended upon the French baggage train and the thousands of camp followers left behind by the retreating French army, Sir William arrived at the town of Vitoria at the head of his brigade in time to seize Joseph's baggage train and personally take possession of Joseph's dress sword, plate including a silver-gilt dinner and dessert service, a complete silver-gilt set of dessert cutlery and the present sabretache amongst other items. The sword was later presented to King George III and is now held at Windsor Castle by the Royal Collections Trust (RCIN 61170).
William Ponsonby, second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, First Baron Ponsonby, began his military career in the Independent Companies of Captain Bulwer and Captain Davis first as an Ensign and then a Lieutenant. In September 1794 he obtained a Company in the 83rd Foot and in December that year achieved his majority in the Loyal Irish Fencibles. He joined the 5th Dragoon Guards in March 1798, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1800, assumed the command of 5th Dragoons in 1803 and advanced to a full Colonel in 1810.
Ponsonby had taken his regiment to Spain in 1811 where they joined Le Marchant's Heavy Brigade. The 5th Dragoons saw action at Villagarcia in April 1812 and played a prominent part in the stunning victory at Salamanca in June the same year where as part of Le Marchant's brigade they gained the top of the Greater Arapile plateau in unbroken order just as the French squares faltered under volley fire from British infantry. During the routing of two French divisions on the plateau General Le Marchant was killed and Ponsonby was appointed to Wellington's staff as Colonel and given command of the late le Marchant's brigade, a position he retained for the remainder of the campaign which led to Napoléon's exile to Elba in 1814 and the restoration of the Bourbons to the throne of France.
Peace in Europe was shattered with Napoléon's return to France in March 1815 in what has become known as the 100 Days. Now holding the rank of Major-General, Sir William commanded the Union Brigade of heavy cavalry comprised of the Royals, the Scots Greys and the Inniskillings at Waterloo. Mustering around 1,000 sabres on the morning of 18 June 1815, the charge of the Union Brigade proved to be a crucial episode that turned the tide of battle in Wellington’s favour and has become one of the most famous cavalry charges in British history. Following an intense cannonade from Napoléon's Grande Batterie, the Comte d'Erlon's Corps advanced in four columns against the allied left front held by Picton’s division, this last weakened having fought two days earlier at Quatre Bras. D’Erlon’s Corps numbered around 14,000 infantry, fresh and at full strength as they had not fought at Ligny or Quatre Bras, with horse artillery in support and with their flanks protected by cavalry. With at least two of d’Erlon’s four divisions in a new formation, this advance was intended as the great blow that broke through Picton’s division and then rolled up the allied line forcing Wellington to disengage and retreat towards the Channel ports. Ponsonby reacted quickly to the threat, ordering his Brigade to be brought forward and made ready to engage. The original intention had been for the Scots Greys to be held in reserve to cover the Royals and the Inniskillings, but the scale of d’Erlons advance required the entire Union Brigade to commit if it was to have a chance of turning the advance. Crucially d’Erlon’s formation offered no protection from a frontal cavalry charge or had such an attack been anticipated as Ponsonby’s Union Brigade was hidden from view by the ridge where the allies had formed their lines. The Union Brigade charging the leading French regiments just in time to save the allied line, taking two regimental eagles in the ensuing fight and killing, wounding or capturing around 5,000 of d’Erlon’s men. With elements of the Brigade spread out over field of battle, and without direct support from a reserve of fresh cavalry, it was essential that the advance was halted, the troops rallied and then withdrawn to the relative safety of the allied lines. The Royals, the most experienced of the regiments under Sir William’s command and mostly congregated on the left flank, were attempting to do this under heavy fire whilst driving prisoners before them but with the benefit of support from Picton’s infantry. Elements of d’Erlon’s infantry were retreating in disorder which proved too tempting a target for some of the less experienced British cavalry leaving many of them on the right flank of the attack scattered in small groups and exposed to a counter-attack. One group numbering around 50 men mostly comprising Scots Greys and led by Colonel Hamilton made an impetuous and ultimately futile charge towards the Grande Batterie. It was at this point that the French cavalry counter-attacked including regiments from Jacquinot’s 1st Light Cavalry Division which included the 3e Régiment de Chasseurs-à-Cheval and the 4e Régiment de Chevaux-légers (Lanciers) that were to cause many casualties amongst the Inniskillings and the Scots Greys including the party that had rashly attacked the Grande Batterie. Some regiments of d’Erlon’s infantry were still in good order and had formed squares to resist the rampaging British cavalry. Sir William had ridden across the field of battle to the left of his Brigade and was stationed with the bulk of the surviving Scots Greys. Having failed to stop Hamilton’s charge to the Grande Batterie he led his Scots Greys into an attack on the well-formed square of the 85e de ligne and it has been suggested he suffered a gunshot wound at this time. Sir William reformed his men into three ranks to face the new threat from the rapidly advancing Chasseurs and Lancers and although giving a good account of themselves they were overwhelmed and suffered terrible casualties. It was during this melee that Sir William was captured by Le Marechal de logis Orban of the 4th Lancers. Having handed his sword to Orban in a gesture of surrender it believed a group of Ponsonby’s men seeing their commander’s plight had ridden to attempt his rescue at which point Orban, allegedly with great regret, stabbed Sir William with his lance rather than see his high value prisoner released. His body was found stripped apart from his shirt the following morning and he was interred at St. Mary’s, Kensington in the family vault on the 10 July.
“… I have received a report that Major General the Hon. Sir William Ponsonby is killed; and in announcing this intelligence to your Lordship, I have to add the expression of my grief for the fate of an officer who has already rendered very brilliant and important services and who was an ornament to his profession”. Extract from The Duke of Wellington’s dispatch to the Secretary of State for War following victory at Waterloo.
Joseph Bonaparte played no significant part in the 100 Days and following Napoléon's surrender and exile to St. Helena made his way to the United States and settled in New Jersey. He visited England three times during the 1830s, on one visit meeting his former foe the Duke of Wellington. Following a stroke in 1840 he moved to Italy, passing away in Florence in 1844 at the age of 77.
For further reading on Sir William Ponsonby please see John Morewood, Waterloo General (2016).
Elder brother of Napoléon Bonaparte, Joseph was a supporter of the French republican cause and sat as a member of the Council of Five Hundred under the Directoire and later on the Council of State and the Corps Législatif following the coup d'état of 18 Brumaire. A lawyer by profession, Joseph proved himself a skilled diplomat and represented France in negotiations that led to the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville with the Austrians and the 1802 Treaty of Amiens which briefly marked his brother's pacification of Europe. Following Napoléon assuming the position of Premier Consul in 1802 with the right to nominate his own successor, the question of succession caused friction between the two brothers. Whilst Napoléon favoured the son of their younger brother Louis, Joseph felt that he should succeed Napoléon as the elder brother. Napoléon offered Joseph the crown of Lombardy in return for his waiving all claims to Imperial throne, an offer which was refused. In 1804 Napoléon became Emperor and was crowned the King of Italy the following year. His Italian kingdom encompassed northern and central Italy but the Bourbon dynasty retained a weak foothold in the southern Kingdom of Naples. In February 1806 Joseph was dispatched to Naples to expel the Bourbons and was proclaimed King of Naples by Imperial decree on 30 March the same year extending French influence over the entirety of mainland Italy.
Spain had been allied with the French First Republic since 1796 and had suffered greatly as the result of wars with Great Britain. By 1808 King Charles IV and his son Ferdinand VII had both been forced to abdicate by Napoléon and together with Manuel de Godoy, the prime minister who had forged the alliance with France, were imprisoned in France. Spain was occupied by France and Joseph crowned King of Spain although control over the country was localised and only managed through the presence of military force. A reluctant Joseph found himself closely controlled by Paris in a hostile environment. Joseph's crowning in 1808 coincided with the beginning of The Peninsular War, a war of attrition that eventually led to a British army under the Duke of Wellington supported by Portuguese and Spanish regular and guerrilla forces to gradually weaken the French hold on Spain and push Joseph and his armies towards the Pyrenees.
The Battle of Vitoria (21 June 1813) was the final decisive battle of The Peninsular War and the action which ended Napoléon's power in Spain. The allied army under Wellington confronted the French army under Joseph in the basin of Vitoria. The French occupied defensive positions protected by mountains and the Zadorra River. Wellington advanced in four columns against the whole front eventually forcing the French into a rear-guard action followed by a near rout which led to the abandonment of much of the baggage and the capture of 151 cannon and nearly 3000 prisoners. Joseph himself narrowly evaded capture allegedly making his escape on a carriage horse unhitched from his barouche. Each side lost around 5000 men killed or wounded although French losses could have been greater if discipline in the allied army had held following the capture of Joseph's baggage train said to contain "the loot of a kingdom". The resulting plundering was blamed for the allied inability to organise a pursuit of the retreating French army.
Major-General the Honourable Sir William Ponsonby KCB (1772-1815).
Vitoria was largely fought by infantry, the hilly ground crossed by numerous ravines with rivers, streams and ditches being unsuitable for massed cavalry. As the allied army descended upon the French baggage train and the thousands of camp followers left behind by the retreating French army, Sir William arrived at the town of Vitoria at the head of his brigade in time to seize Joseph's baggage train and personally take possession of Joseph's dress sword, plate including a silver-gilt dinner and dessert service, a complete silver-gilt set of dessert cutlery and the present sabretache amongst other items. The sword was later presented to King George III and is now held at Windsor Castle by the Royal Collections Trust (RCIN 61170).
William Ponsonby, second son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, First Baron Ponsonby, began his military career in the Independent Companies of Captain Bulwer and Captain Davis first as an Ensign and then a Lieutenant. In September 1794 he obtained a Company in the 83rd Foot and in December that year achieved his majority in the Loyal Irish Fencibles. He joined the 5th Dragoon Guards in March 1798, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1800, assumed the command of 5th Dragoons in 1803 and advanced to a full Colonel in 1810.
Ponsonby had taken his regiment to Spain in 1811 where they joined Le Marchant's Heavy Brigade. The 5th Dragoons saw action at Villagarcia in April 1812 and played a prominent part in the stunning victory at Salamanca in June the same year where as part of Le Marchant's brigade they gained the top of the Greater Arapile plateau in unbroken order just as the French squares faltered under volley fire from British infantry. During the routing of two French divisions on the plateau General Le Marchant was killed and Ponsonby was appointed to Wellington's staff as Colonel and given command of the late le Marchant's brigade, a position he retained for the remainder of the campaign which led to Napoléon's exile to Elba in 1814 and the restoration of the Bourbons to the throne of France.
Peace in Europe was shattered with Napoléon's return to France in March 1815 in what has become known as the 100 Days. Now holding the rank of Major-General, Sir William commanded the Union Brigade of heavy cavalry comprised of the Royals, the Scots Greys and the Inniskillings at Waterloo. Mustering around 1,000 sabres on the morning of 18 June 1815, the charge of the Union Brigade proved to be a crucial episode that turned the tide of battle in Wellington’s favour and has become one of the most famous cavalry charges in British history. Following an intense cannonade from Napoléon's Grande Batterie, the Comte d'Erlon's Corps advanced in four columns against the allied left front held by Picton’s division, this last weakened having fought two days earlier at Quatre Bras. D’Erlon’s Corps numbered around 14,000 infantry, fresh and at full strength as they had not fought at Ligny or Quatre Bras, with horse artillery in support and with their flanks protected by cavalry. With at least two of d’Erlon’s four divisions in a new formation, this advance was intended as the great blow that broke through Picton’s division and then rolled up the allied line forcing Wellington to disengage and retreat towards the Channel ports. Ponsonby reacted quickly to the threat, ordering his Brigade to be brought forward and made ready to engage. The original intention had been for the Scots Greys to be held in reserve to cover the Royals and the Inniskillings, but the scale of d’Erlons advance required the entire Union Brigade to commit if it was to have a chance of turning the advance. Crucially d’Erlon’s formation offered no protection from a frontal cavalry charge or had such an attack been anticipated as Ponsonby’s Union Brigade was hidden from view by the ridge where the allies had formed their lines. The Union Brigade charging the leading French regiments just in time to save the allied line, taking two regimental eagles in the ensuing fight and killing, wounding or capturing around 5,000 of d’Erlon’s men. With elements of the Brigade spread out over field of battle, and without direct support from a reserve of fresh cavalry, it was essential that the advance was halted, the troops rallied and then withdrawn to the relative safety of the allied lines. The Royals, the most experienced of the regiments under Sir William’s command and mostly congregated on the left flank, were attempting to do this under heavy fire whilst driving prisoners before them but with the benefit of support from Picton’s infantry. Elements of d’Erlon’s infantry were retreating in disorder which proved too tempting a target for some of the less experienced British cavalry leaving many of them on the right flank of the attack scattered in small groups and exposed to a counter-attack. One group numbering around 50 men mostly comprising Scots Greys and led by Colonel Hamilton made an impetuous and ultimately futile charge towards the Grande Batterie. It was at this point that the French cavalry counter-attacked including regiments from Jacquinot’s 1st Light Cavalry Division which included the 3e Régiment de Chasseurs-à-Cheval and the 4e Régiment de Chevaux-légers (Lanciers) that were to cause many casualties amongst the Inniskillings and the Scots Greys including the party that had rashly attacked the Grande Batterie. Some regiments of d’Erlon’s infantry were still in good order and had formed squares to resist the rampaging British cavalry. Sir William had ridden across the field of battle to the left of his Brigade and was stationed with the bulk of the surviving Scots Greys. Having failed to stop Hamilton’s charge to the Grande Batterie he led his Scots Greys into an attack on the well-formed square of the 85e de ligne and it has been suggested he suffered a gunshot wound at this time. Sir William reformed his men into three ranks to face the new threat from the rapidly advancing Chasseurs and Lancers and although giving a good account of themselves they were overwhelmed and suffered terrible casualties. It was during this melee that Sir William was captured by Le Marechal de logis Orban of the 4th Lancers. Having handed his sword to Orban in a gesture of surrender it believed a group of Ponsonby’s men seeing their commander’s plight had ridden to attempt his rescue at which point Orban, allegedly with great regret, stabbed Sir William with his lance rather than see his high value prisoner released. His body was found stripped apart from his shirt the following morning and he was interred at St. Mary’s, Kensington in the family vault on the 10 July.
“… I have received a report that Major General the Hon. Sir William Ponsonby is killed; and in announcing this intelligence to your Lordship, I have to add the expression of my grief for the fate of an officer who has already rendered very brilliant and important services and who was an ornament to his profession”. Extract from The Duke of Wellington’s dispatch to the Secretary of State for War following victory at Waterloo.
Joseph Bonaparte played no significant part in the 100 Days and following Napoléon's surrender and exile to St. Helena made his way to the United States and settled in New Jersey. He visited England three times during the 1830s, on one visit meeting his former foe the Duke of Wellington. Following a stroke in 1840 he moved to Italy, passing away in Florence in 1844 at the age of 77.
For further reading on Sir William Ponsonby please see John Morewood, Waterloo General (2016).