Dashwood, Charles, 1787-1832, Journal in Portugal, Spain and France, 1812-1814
- Title(s):
- Journal in Portugal, Spain and France.
- Published/Created:
- 1812-1814.
- Physical Description:
- 1 v. (110 p.) ; 24 cm.
- Holdings:
- Rare Books and ManuscriptsDC232.D37 J68 1812+Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund[Request]
- Copyright Status:
- Copyright Information
- Full Orbis Record:
- http://hdl.handle.net/10079/bibid/8995426
- Classification:
- Archives & Manuscripts
- Notes:
- Charles Dashwood served as a British army officer in Spain, Portugal, and Flanders. He was an aide to Sir Edward Michael Pakenham, Henry Fane, and Sir John Hope. He died in 1832 at Devonport, England, from an illness obtained while serving as consul in Central America.
Diary in contemporary paper wrappers; tied with a pink ribbon at upper left-hand corner.
Manuscript diary, in pen and brown ink, kept by British army officer Charles Dashwood during his service as officer of the 3rd Foot Guards in the Peninsular War. The diary is entirely in Dashwood's hand, with dates and page numbers neatly and consistently recorded throughout. Pages of the diary are tied together with a pink ribbon in the upper left-hand corner. Leaves containing pages 25-28 have been excised.
The diary begins with Dashwood's departure for Lisbon on the Queen Charlotte packet on 4 November 1812 and ends with news of peace on 15 April 1814, when "the white flag was hoisted in acknowledgement of the new order of things". Dashwood's narrative includes descriptions of the Battle of Vitoria, the siege of Pamplona, Wellington's victory at Sorauren (which prevented Soult and Drouot from relieving the French forces in Pamplona and ended the French counter-offensive) and the actions in the Nive and Nivelle, the closing battles of the Peninsular War. Dashwood also describes a journey to Zaragoza (to deliver some private papers) soon after the French had been forced out of that area. In Zaragoza he was entertained by General Mina, the well-known guerrilla leader, who was "very civil to us, he appears about 45 years of age, with a fine eye and an open countenance". On his return to headquarters at St. Jean de Luz, Dashwood describes a meeting with Wellington, for whom he later carries out another mission by escorting a French family to Hendaye.
Four loose items, consisting of one letter, two maps, and one graphite sketch, accompany the diary. The letter, dated 25 December 1813, is an official (partially printed) notice of promotion, raising Dashwood from the rank of captain to lieutenant colonel. The two maps, both signed by Dashwood, depict territory near the Spanish city of Badajoz, on the river Guadiana. Both maps are executed in pen and black ink, with rivers, roads, and towns articulated in blue, brown, and pink watercolors. The graphite sketch depicts a musician (perhaps a Spanish lutenist) with another man, seated on the ground. - Subject Terms:
- Badajoz (Spain) -- History -- Siege, 1812.Dashwood, Charles, 1787–1832 -- Diaries.Espoz y Mina, Francisco, 1781–1836.Great Britain -- History, Military -- 19th century.Great Britain. Army -- Officers -- Diaries.Peninsular War, 1807–1814 -- Campaigns -- Spain.Peninsular War, 1807–1814 -- Personal narratives.Spain -- Description and travel.Spain -- History, Military -- 19th century.Vitoria, Battle of, Vitoria, Spain, 1813 -- Personal narratives.Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769–1852 -- Military leadership.
- Form/Genre:
- Diaries.
Manuscript maps -- Spain -- Badajoz.
Graphite drawings. - Export:
- XML
- IIIF Manifest:
- JSON