Manley Power

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This article is about the British general. For his great-grandson, the British admiral, see Manley Laurence Power.
Sir Manley Power
Sir Manley Power

Lieutenant General Sir Manley Power (1773 – July 7, 1826) was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He is chiefly remembered for leading a brigade of Portuguese troops under The Duke of Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War. He is also remembered for jointly causing the removal of Sir George Prevost, governor-in-chief of British North America, for Prevost's refusal to press the attack on Plattsburgh, New York, in 1814, during the War of 1812. After his active military service Sir Manley Power was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Malta.

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[edit] Early life

Manley Power was a career soldier, starting as an ensign in the 20th Regiment of Foot on August 27, 1783, when he was either 9 or 10 years old. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia (1795 - 1797), Holland (1799), and Minorca (1800).[1] He was part of the force under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Battle of Alexandria (1801), and later served with the Royal Horse Guards (1803 - 1805).[1] After rising to Colonel of the 32nd Regiment of Foot, he entered the Peninsular War and was attached to the Portuguese army under the command of Sir William Beresford and was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1813.[1]

[edit] Peninsular war

One of Portugal's strategies during the Peninsular War was to place troops under British command.[2] Portuguese troops were poorly trained, but under Manley Power's leadership, Power's Portuguese were eventually regarded as equivalent to hardened British units, and saw much action, including the Battle of Salamanca, the Battle of Vitoria, the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro,the Battle near Torres Vedras, and the Battle of Nivelle.[2] Power's Portuguese formed part of the 3rd Division when it was led by Pakenham at Salamanca and Torres Vedras, and when it was led by Sir Thomas Picton at Fuentes de Onoro and when the 3rd broke through at Vitoria.[2]

[edit] War of 1812

Later while serving in North America, Manley Power and at least two other Peninsular War veterans (Thomas Brisbane and Frederick Philipse Robinson) were deeply disappointed by Sir George Prevost's caution at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Prevost had placed Francis de Rottenburg in charge of infantry, with the brigades under his command (Power with 3500, Brisbane with 3500, and Robinson with 2500 troops). The brigade leaders were dismayed with the decision to withdraw from battle because they felt they could have easily captured Plattsburgh despite the unsuccessful British naval action.[3] Their opinions carried significant weight in Britain, which led to the removal of Prevost as Commander-in-Chief, North America. Another Peninsular War veteran and Manley Power's previous commanding officer, Sir Edward Pakenham, became the commander of the British North American army. Manley Power took part in the Battle of New Orleans,[4] where Pakenham was killed, which unbeknown to its participants occurred after the war had already been settled in Belgium. He was then reassigned to Europe in 1815 to rejoin the 3rd Division, which was then under the command of Charles Colville, to lead the 2nd Brigade, as part of the British army force occupying Flanders and France.[5]

[edit] Later life

Sir Manley Power later served as the Lieutenant Governor of Malta[6] for six years.

In addition to his battle honours, for his role in Peninsular War, Portugal conferred on him Knight Commander of the Order of the Tower and Sword.[6] The honour Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath was conferred on him[6] on January 2, 1815.[1]

When in England, Manley Power and his family lived in Hill Court Manor, Walford, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Based on Burke's records, he was likely Lord of the Manor of Walford, Ross, Ross Foreign, Aston Ingham, and Wilton.[6] Sir Manley Power died on July 7, 1826, in Bern, Switzerland, after a few hours illness while returning from Malta to England. He is buried at Bath Abbey in England.[7]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Manley Power file at the Hereford Record Office, The Old Barracks, Harold Street, Hereford, HR1 2QX
  2. ^ a b c Wellington in the Peninsula, Jac Weller, 1992, Greenhill Books, ISBN 978-1-85367-381-8
  3. ^ People & Stories, War of 1812, URL accessed 18 October 2006
  4. ^ Harry Smith Autobiography, Harry Smith, Chapter XXII, URL accessed 18 October 2006
  5. ^ Anglo-Allied Army in Flanders and France - 1815, The Napoleon Series, URL accessed 18 October 2006
  6. ^ a b c d Burke's Landed Gentry (1972)
  7. ^ Manley Power Memorial, Find A Grave, URL accessed 18 October 2006