"Le Marchant" Topic

"Guernsey born John Gaspard Le Marchant was an intellectual born before his time. He had a gift for languages, was a competent musician and a talented water colourist. Nevertheless, he chose a career as a soldier and cavalryman, perhaps unusually, since cavalry officers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries were not noted for their intellect. In common with many officers who were associated with the Duke of Wellington in the battles against Napoleon's First Empire, Le Marchant first saw action against the French Revolutionary armies in the Low Countries. The campaign was a debacle, but it caused Le Marchant to consider the formation, drill, equipment and tactical methods employed by the British army in the field, and resulted in his authorship of a number of important treatises on these subjects. These works were particularly well received by the Duke of York and this led to royal patronage and the adoption of several Le Marchant's ideas. His greatest achievement was certainly the creation of the Royal Military College, and his vision of a training school for military officers gave rise not only to Sandhurst, but also West Point and a number of other institutions created on his model internationally. His promotion to major-general excluded him from academic life and he was given command of a brigade of heavy cavalry in the Peninsular War, where he was, predictably, as effective in the field as he was in all his endeavours. Le Marchant fell, sabre in hand among enemy ranks, at the Battle of Salamanca having instituted a brilliant manoeuvre of cavalry which almost certainly sealed what is recognised as one of Wellington's greatest victories. This biography of by Le Marchant's son is accompanied in this special Leonaur edition by a short biography of Le Marchant's military career by historian, John William Cole."

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Amicalement
Armand

An unsung hero of the British Army.

Anthony

Best Cavalry leader ever.
Sad lost for the British Army.

Amicalement
Armand

There used to be an army barracks in Devizes, UK named after Le Marchant. I still recall doing some training there on the old George III computer language. It was sold off later and one part of it was taken over by Paul and Theresa Baily who ran (maybe still run) a wargames business called The Keep. They sold stuff from many manufacturers and at one point took over some of the rights to Wargames Research Group publications.

He is still remembered at Sandhurst-not surprisingly- where a Prestige Room is named after him. During Sandhurst's 200th anniversary year of 2012 a descendant of Le Marchant loaned the sword the great man used at Salamanca for our anniversary display. It was hard to give it back at the end of the year (but we did!).

Anthony

Tango01

Best Cavalry leader ever.
Sad lost for the British Army.

If circumstances had been different and his command had been higher, Sir Hussey Vivian may well have taken those laurels.

Paul :)

You are right my friend.

Amicalement
Armand