During the Napoleonic Wars, King George III Appoints the Duke of Wellington’s Military Secretary: Henry Torrens is named Assistant Adjutant General on the Staff, and soon after accompanied Wellington to Portugal during the Iberian Campaign

ex-Goodspeed

Henry Torrens was commissioned as an ensign in 1793 at the age of 14. In 1796 he served in the West Indies, where he displayed great bravery, was wounded, and rewarded with command of a company. He served in Portugal in 1798; in Holland under the Duke of York in 1799; and afterwards in Nova Scotia, Egypt, and India.

In 1799 Torrens went to the Netherlands where he was involved in battles at Hoorne and Egmond aan Zee: at the latter, he was wounded. In 1805 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After seeing service at Buenos Aires in 1807, he accompanied the Duke of Wellington to Portugal in 1808, and was present at the battles in that country. Torrens rose to be appointed Wellington’s Military Secretary in 1809. He attained the rank of major-general in 1814, and then Adjutant General to the Forces in 1820, one of the highest ranks in the British Army.

Staff memorandum signed, London, November 26, 1807, and headed “Most Humbly Submitted to His Majesty.” “That Lieut. Colonel Henry Torrens of the 89th Regiment of Foot be appointed an Assistant Adjutant General on the Staff in North Britain.” Below this, George has written “Approved, G.R.”

This is the most significant British military appointment we have ever carried.