SUMMARY: This offering is a letter from Paget to colleague. Price $495.00

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Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey KG GCB GCH (17 May 1768 – 29 April 1854) was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against d'Erlon's column during the Battle of Waterloo.

Paget had a long and illustrious career and served with distinction in the Peninsular War.In 1815, he was appointed cavalry commander in Belgium, under the still resentful eye of Wellington. On the eve of Waterloo, Paget had his command extended by Wellington so as to include the whole of the allied cavalry and horse artillery. He handily covered the retirement of the Anglo-Allies from Quatre Bras to Waterloo on 17 June, and on 18 June led the spectacular cavalry charge of the British center, which checked and in part routed D'Erlon's corps d'armée (see Waterloo campaign). One of the last cannon shots fired that day hit Paget in the leg, necessitating its amputation. According to anecdote, he was close to Wellington when his leg was hit, and exclaimed, "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" -- to which Wellington replied, "By God, sir, so you have!" According to his aide-de-camp, Thomas Wildman, during the amputation Paget smiled and said, "I have had a pretty long run. I have been a beau these 47 years and it would not be fair to cut the young men out any longer." Lord Uxbridge's amputated leg had a somewhat macabre after-life.

The owner of the house where Paget's leg was amputated had the leg buried at the house and he created a shrine to the leg which was visited for a fee of course by many curiosity seekers in subsequent years.One person wrote about the leg's shrine:

This offering is an Autograph Letter Signed, ALS, Uxbridge, 1., 7.25 in.x 9 in., in quottro,Southampton, July 4, 1813. The integral leaf has been removed. The letter has the usual transfolds and some minor edge splitting and paper loss but generally is in good condition. Paget is writing about the death of his brother-in-law Colonel Cadogan who lost his life at the Battle of Vittoria. The letter reads in part----My Dear Sir:I am very much obliged by your kind attention in communicating the glorious but disturbing event--the same considerate feelings which prompted you to write,procured also letters for me from the Prince Regent ---with the details.I am sorry to say that the extremely weak state of lady Uxbridge forbids me to make he acquainted with the loss she has sustained at present---.

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Price: $ 495.00