ARTHUR WELLESLEY, 1ST DUKE OF WELLINGTON - Kouroo

140 Pages·1994·3.93 MB·English

ARTHUR WELLESLEY, 1ST DUKE OF WELLINGTON
“[The railroad will] only encourage the common people
to move about needlessly.”
— Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
1769
May 1, Monday: Birth of Arthur Wellesley, who would become the 1st Duke of Wellington, at 6 Merrion Street in
Dublin, Ireland: that family had changed its name from the plebeian Wesley to the aristocratic Wellesley as
they were on their way up the social scale, in becoming the “Earls of Mornington.” As he would later comment
about his Irish origins, “Because a man is born in a stable, that does not make him a horse.” Hey, big guy, who
do you suppose is the most famous white dude ever born in a stable with livestock — John Wayne? How about
“If a dude is born in a manger, does it make him a messiah?” –Try that one on for size.
ESSENCE IS BLUR. SPECIFICITY,
THE OPPOSITE OF ESSENCE,
IS OF THE NATURE OF TRUTH.
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
1805
During this year Arthur Wellesley resigned in India.
ESSENCES ARE FUZZY, GENERIC, CONCEPTUAL;
ARISTOTLE WAS RIGHT WHEN HE INSISTED THAT ALL TRUTH IS
SPECIFIC AND PARTICULAR (AND WRONG WHEN HE CHARACTERIZED
TRUTH AS A GENERALIZATION).
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
June 20, Thursday: Major General Sir Arthur Wellesley stopped by St. Helena aboard the Trident after his victory at
Assaye, India. The conqueror commented favorably on the climate of the island. (This is a small island with
few amenities: the Duke of Wellington occupied the same small pavilion in the garden of “The Briars,” home
of the Balcombe family, that Napoléon Bonaparte would use until he relocated to “Longwood.”)
ST. HELENA THE HISTORIC
“THE BRIARS” OF ST. HELENA
“HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE” BEING A VIEW FROM A PARTICULAR
POINT IN TIME (JUST AS THE PERSPECTIVE IN A PAINTING IS A VIEW
FROM A PARTICULAR POINT IN SPACE), TO “LOOK AT THE COURSE OF
HISTORY MORE GENERALLY” WOULD BE TO SACRIFICE PERSPECTIVE
ALTOGETHER. THIS IS FANTASY-LAND, YOU’RE FOOLING YOURSELF.
THERE CANNOT BE ANY SUCH THINGIE, AS SUCH A PERSPECTIVE.
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
1809
July 28, Friday: French forces attacked the British and Spanish at Talavera southwest of Madrid. After a
furious seesaw battle the French would retreat toward the capital. Because of this victory, the British
commander, Arthur Wellesley, would be ennobled as Arthur Wellesley, Viscount Wellington of Talavera and
of Wellington.
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
6th day 28th of 7th Mo 1809// The mind most of the day in
somewhat of an unfeeling state, tho’ I tried to feel after the
best things -In the eveng from our window we had an opportunity
to hear some very harmonious Singers perform several pieces of
what is called sacred Music If I was ever attracted by musick
it was then, but I do not consider that my organic System is so
constructed as to be as much pleased with its sound as many
others - while setting attentive to the sounds of their voices
I endevor’d to turn my mind a little to examine what kind of
sensations it was that it excited & came to the conclusion that
it was the passionate part that was affected, & tho’ it
occasioned Solemn & tender sensations, I could not find that I
was affected with that devotion that I have felt many times when
no human voice was heard, & silence was felt thro’ out the whole
man - hence I conclude that if singing in that way is worship -
there is a worship that far exceeds it
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RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
YOUR GARDEN-VARIETY ACADEMIC HISTORIAN INVITES YOU TO CLIMB
ABOARD A HOVERING TIME MACHINE TO SKIM IN METATIME BACK
ACROSS THE GEOLOGY OF OUR PAST TIMESLICES, WHILE OFFERING UP
A GARDEN VARIETY OF COGENT ASSESSMENTS OF OUR PROGRESSION.
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! YOU SHOULD REFUSE THIS HELICOPTERISH
OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL PAST, FOR IN THE REAL WORLD THINGS
HAPPEN ONLY AS THEY HAPPEN. WHAT THIS SORT WRITES AMOUNTS,
LIKE MERE “SCIENCE FICTION,” MERELY TO “HISTORY FICTION”:
IT’S NOT WORTH YOUR ATTENTION.
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
1812
August 12, Wednesday: British, Portuguese, and Spanish troops under Arthur Wellesley, Viscount Wellington
of Talavera and of Wellington entered Madrid.
Amos Perry was born in South Natick, Massachusetts. After graduating from Harvard College with Henry
Thoreau in 1837 (he was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club, which Thoreau was not) he would teach in
New London, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island. He would visit Europe several times and would be
from 1862 till 1867 the United States consul at Tunis. In 1873 he would become the secretary of the Rhode
Island historical society and in 1880 its librarian, and in 1885 he would be made the superintendent of the state
census. In 1841 Brown University would award him the degree of A.M. He would publish, in 1869,
CARTILAGE AND TUNIS, in 1883, MEMORIAL OF ZACHARIAH ALLEN, 1795-1882, and in 1887, RHODE ISLAND
STATE CENSUS, 1885.
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
4th day 8M 12 / Our little boy is but poorly at best, but I hope
he will not be much worse. —
This evening I went to Tennys meeting house & heard John
Gloucester the man of colour mentioned yesterday preach & I
thought he misaplied Scripture exceedingly, yet he appread to
be a man of some ingenuity & readiness of utterance. —
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
THE TASK OF THE HISTORIAN IS TO CREATE HINDSIGHT WHILE
INTERCEPTING ANY ILLUSION OF FORESIGHT. NOTHING A HUMAN CAN
SEE CAN EVER BE SEEN AS IF THROUGH THE EYE OF GOD.
September 22, Tuesday: A Kyrie in C by Antonio Salieri was performed for the initial time, in Vienna.
The Spanish cortes offered the post of commander in chief of its armed forces to Arthur Wellesley, Viscount
Wellington.
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
3rd day 22 of 9 M / Aunt Molly Wanton was this eveng taken ill
with faintness & sickness of the stomach but got most renewed
before bed time.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
NEVER READ AHEAD! TO APPRECIATE SEPTEMBER 22D, 1812 AT ALL
ONE MUST APPRECIATE IT AS A TODAY (THE FOLLOWING DAY,
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
TOMORROW, IS BUT A PORTION OF THE UNREALIZED FUTURE AND IFFY
AT BEST).
October 4, Sunday: In London a spendthrift 19-year-old heir to a baronetcy, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was
just getting his bride Harriet Westbrook Shelley pregnant, met William Godwin, a liberally oriented man
whose defenseless daughter Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft had just turned 15. Hot damn!
WILLIAM GODWIN’S LIFE
US forces defeated British forces at Ogdensburgh, New York after a British raid out of Prescott, Ontario had
failed and their two gunboats had been forced to return.
The French garrison of the Spanish city of Burgos was besieged by British and Portuguese troops under Arthur
Wellesley, Viscount Wellington. The siege would fail when French forces would be relieved, but Wellington
would capture the city during June 1813 shortly before the battle of Vitoria.
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
1st day 3 [sic] of 10 M / C R was concern’d in testimony in the
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
forenoon & Afternoon Meetings — Visited the Work & Alms houses —
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
NEVER READ AHEAD! TO APPRECIATE OCTOBER 4TH, 1812 AT ALL
ONE MUST APPRECIATE IT AS A TODAY (THE FOLLOWING DAY,
TOMORROW, IS BUT A PORTION OF THE UNREALIZED FUTURE AND IFFY
AT BEST).
June 18, Thursday: Franz Schubert begins instruction in counterpoint with Antonio Salieri in Vienna.
Unaware of course that Great Britain had already rescinded its offending actions two days before, President
James Madison signed the joint congressional Declaration of War. This 2d war of the United States of America
upon Great Britain, which would take place over a number of years, is now denominated in our history books
the “War of 1812” (evidently we spare ourselves embarrassment when we do not give this war an accurate
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name). –Not that any of this makes any difference (only a fool would suppose that nations go to war for the
reasons they proffer)!
Upstate New York was woefully unprepared. Fort Niagara had deteriorated during the decade after 1800 as its
garrison had become increasingly smaller. Many of the old buildings, some of them dating to the French
occupation, had disappeared. The walls on the land side remained in place, but there was never a large enough
workforce to keep them in good condition. At the outbreak of hostilities the Americans could muster only 150
soldiers to man this strongpoint. However, the British preparedness was not much better. The Napoleonic Wars
in Europe had been sucking up all of England’s attention, with Canada on the back burner at best, so there were
in this year only a couple of thousand of British regular soldiers in all of what is today the province of Ontario.
The United States Army although far larger was composed mostly newly organized units consisting of
untrained recruits. The Americans were confident, but without justification. Some of the bloodiest fighting
would occur along the Niagara River. Captain Nathaniel Leonard would do what he could to improve his
defensive readiness, while the corresponding enemy commander likewise concentrated on organizing a
defense. Much of the summer would be spent in preparation as units of the state militia were activated and
moved toward the Niagara Frontier. In order to keep the regular army and the militia well separate and
diminish friction, the militia camp was established at Lewiston, six miles away upriver.
At some point during this period of intermittent scattered hostilities, John Thoreau would become the
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commissary for Fort Independence on Castle Island in Boston Harbor. Thoreau would make a note of this in
his journal in 1850:
After October 31, 1850: ... My father was commissary at Fort Independence in the last war.
He says that the baker whom he engaged returned 18 ounces of bread for 16 of flour, and was glad of the job
on those terms. ...
HENRY’S
RELATIVES
1. Interestingly, the federal government of the USA stated that one of the reasons why it was declaring war on Britain was the British
embargo on hemp. After the Brits had lost this one, the analysis made by the Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington would be that
their forces had suffered from a lack of command discipline: “They wanted this iron fist to command them.”
CANNABIS
2. This is what we would consider similar to “running the PX” at a smallish current military base.
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ARTHUR WELLESLEY DUKE OF WELLINGTON
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
5th day 18 of 6th M 1812// Our Meeting was very large. Anne
Greene was concern’d in supplication, then Micajah Collins in
an acceptable testimony, then David Sands in a very extensive &
powerful testimony
In the last (Preparative) David had a few close remarks on the
subject of Rainess [?]
At 5 OClock a meeting was appointed for the people of colour,
many attended but not all of them by a very considerable - D
Sands was by far the greatet laborer amongst them, Anne Willis
Hannah Dennis & James Hazard had small testimnies to bear. —
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RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
“NARRATIVE HISTORY” AMOUNTS TO FABULATION,
THE REAL STUFF BEING MERE CHRONOLOGY
December 24, Thursday: Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, having been separated from Anhalt-
Bernburg in 1707, was rejoined to the Duchy.
Arthur Wellesley, Viscount Wellington arrived in Cádiz to accept command of the Spanish armies from the
cortes.
Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal:
5th day 24 of 12 M / Second third & fourth days passed with the
usual rounds -
Our Meeting today was rather small & silent & to me a dull season
tho’ I think there was not that hardness which I sometimes feel
- In the last (Preparative) A certificate was requested for O
Williams & family —
This Afternoon in company with the others of the committee
visited Sarah Stevens again & it proved a season of favor tho’
way does not open in her mind to make acknowledgement or request
a longer continuance of the subject under the care of the Moy
[Monthly] Meeting — When I first went my mind was under great
leaness & Poverty for sometime but by keeping down & attending
to the little & keeping close to the little life afforded, I
found it to increase & I became sweetly tendered & had much more
to offer than had any expectation of, & I believe the opportunity
will not soon be forgotten - as we left her much tenderer in
Duke of Wellington “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project