Description:

Thomas W. Brotherton
London, June 22, 1836
Discipline in the 14th Light Dragoons During the Peninsular War, 1836
ALS
An interesting autograph letter signed General T. W. Brotherton, former commander of Wellington's 14th Light Dragoons during the Peninsular War and a diarist of that regiment, 6pp. 7.25" x 9", "United Service Club" (London), June 22, 1836. Brotherton writes an editorial to the editor of the "United Service Journal," no doubt in reaction to an article about his former regiment. Brotherton strongly criticizes a request for punishment by Lieutenant Thomas Perronet Thompson of his men in the 14th Light Dragoons during the Peninsular War. Tipped at left edge to a manila sheet, boldly penned and very good.

In part: "...I find that Lieutenant-Colonel T. P. Thompson has thought proper, on his examination before the Commissioners for inquiry into military punishments, to impugn the discipline on service, of my old corps, the 14th Light Dragoons. He states that he was sent with a patrol; that the men composing it left him and returned to the camp without him; and that when he reported the circumstance to the officer in command of the regiment (who was Sir Felton Harvey [sic, Hervey]), the men were not punished but merely reprimanded. Supposing the facts to be exactly as represented by Lieut-Colonel T. P. Thompson, are there not circumstances under which men are justifiable in leaving their officer, and may this not have been one of them? Lieut-Colonel T. P. Thompson had but just joined the regiment as a Subaltern, at the very close of the last campaign of the Peninsular War, and I believe he had never before served in the Cavalry. The regiment was at that time chiefly composed of veteran dragoons, who had served constantly during the whole of the Peninsular War...Lieutenant Thompson must have been comparatively inexperienced in such matters...less fit to guide than be guided by such men...I believe it was not the first time that this officer had lost his way. Would it then have been judicious in that commanding officer to have inflicted any punishment on the men, less corporal punishment, as Colonel Thompson seems to have expected...? I deny that the system of discipline in the 14th Light Dragoons on service was ever such as might be inferred from Lieut-Colonel Thompson's statement, and I am surprised that any officer who served...under Sir Felton Harvey [sic, Hervey], should venture to represent it as such...I assert that no commanding officer ever exercised a more firm and consistent system of discipline than Sir Felton [Hervey], or more strenuously and effectively supported those under his command...".

General Sir T. W. Brotherton (d. 1868) led the 14th LD under Arthur Wellington during Peninsular War (1808-1814), and most notably assisted in the capture of one of the greatest French generals, Pierre-Louis-François Paultre de Lamotte. As a diarist of the 14th Light Dragoons as well as the author of the book "A Hawk at War" which offered eyewitness accounts and reminiscences of that regiment, Brotherton clearly felt he still had skin in the game in the history of the "The Fighting 14th" even 20 years after his actual service.

The bête noire of his letter, Thomas Perronet Thompson (1783-1869, was a radical reformer Parliamentarian active in the Anti-Corn Law League, who served in the British navy and as Governor of Sierra Leone before returning to serve in the Army in 1812. Interestingly, there is little evidence to suggest that Thompson ever served with the 14th: rather, research suggests that he was with the 17th Light Dragoons who were serving in India! Could the historian General Brotherton have the wrong man?...Further research may tell.

Sir Felton Hervey-Bathurst (1782-1819) was Major in the 14th Light Dragoons who fought throughout the Peninsular War. He lost an arm at the Battle of Duoro, and served on Wellington's staff at the Battle of Waterloo.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 9"
  • Medium: ALS

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