Table 4: Was Wellington a Defensive Commander?

John Salmon, UK

Table 4
Showing Wellington's types of campaigns, by year with result
Year of Campaign Type of Campaign Result of Campaign
1803 Offensive Destruction of Mahratta Confederation
1808 Offensive Capture Lisbon andfree Portugal from French
1809 Offensive Failed attempt to take Madrid
1810 Defensive Hold French at lines of Torres Vedras
1811 Offensive Take Almeida, keep French out of Portugal
1812 Offensive Take border fortresses, victory at Salamanca,
reverse at Burgos, but clears southern Spain
1813 Offensive Victory at Vitoria, take San Sebastion and Pamplona,
start maneuvers against Bayonne
1814 Offensive Invest Bayonne, victory at Toulouse
1815 Defensive Victory at Waterloo


Total: 9 campaigns (7 offensive, 2 defensive

All achieve objectives; one exception is Burgos, which is captured the following year.


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