William Francis Patrick Napier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir William Napier
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|---|---|
| Born | 7 December 1785 Celbridge, near Dublin |
| Died | 12 February 1860 (aged 74) Clapham, London |
| Buried |
West Norwood Cemetery, West Norwood, London
(51°25′59″N 0°05′53″W / 51.43306°N 0.09806°W) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1800–1819 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit |
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| Commands held | 43rd Regiment of Foot |
| Battles/wars | Peninsular War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| Other work | Author and historian |
General Sir William Francis Patrick Napier (born December 7, 1785 – died February 12, 1860) was a brave British soldier and a talented writer. He is best known for writing a detailed history of the Peninsular War.
Contents
Early Life and Family
William Napier was born in Celbridge, a town near Dublin, Ireland. He was the third son of Colonel George Napier and Lady Sarah Lennox. His family was quite famous, and he had several brothers who also became important figures.
Joining the Army
William started his military career very young, in 1800. He first joined the Royal Irish Artillery. Soon after, he moved to the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot.
In 1802, he was put on "half-pay," meaning he was still in the army but not actively serving. Later, he joined the Royal Horse Guards. This was his first time doing real military duties.
He then followed the advice of Sir John Moore, an important general. William joined the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot, which was training at Shorncliffe Army Camp. Sir John Moore helped him get a position as a captain in the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot. William became a favorite of Moore.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
William Napier fought in many important battles during the Peninsular War (1807–1814). This war was fought in Spain and Portugal against Napoleon's French army.
Early Campaigns
His first major experience was in Denmark, where he fought at the Battle of Køge. His regiment was then sent to Spain. He bravely took part in the difficult retreat to Corunna, which made him quite ill.
In 1809, he worked for his cousin, the Duke of Richmond, in Ireland. But he quickly returned to his regiment, the 43rd, when they were sent back to Spain.
He joined the "light brigade," a special fast-moving unit. They made a famous long march to the Battle of Talavera. During this march, William became very sick with a chest infection, but he refused to leave Spain.
Wounds and Promotions
William was wounded on the Coa River and later shot near his spine at Cazal Nova. His bravery during the chase of French General André Masséna earned him a recommendation for a "brevet majority." This meant he got a higher rank without a pay raise.
He became a "Brigade Major" and fought at Fuentes d'Onoro. However, a bad fever forced him to return to England for a while.
Return to Spain and Key Battles
After recovering, William went back to Spain. He was present at the storming of Badajoz, a very tough battle where his friend Colonel McLeod was killed.
He then took command of the 43rd regiment as a "substantive Major" (a permanent rank) at the battle of Salamanca. This was a major victory for the British.
His most important military action was at the Battle of Nivelle. There, he bravely captured a strong part of the French position without waiting for orders. He also fought at the Battle of Nive, where he was wounded twice, and at Orthes and Toulouse.
For his service, he was promoted to "brevet Lieutenant-Colonel." He also became one of the first Companions of the Bath, a special honor.
After the battle of Waterloo, he commanded his regiment in France as part of the army that occupied the country. He retired from active service in 1819.
Becoming a Historian
After leaving the army, William Napier found it hard to live on his small army pension. He first thought about becoming an artist. But his true talent turned out to be writing.
Writing the History of the War in the Peninsula
In 1823, a friend suggested he write a history of the Peninsular War. Napier decided to do it to honor his old commander, Sir John Moore.
The famous Duke of Wellington, who led the British forces in the war, helped Napier a lot. He even gave Napier all of the captured letters from the French leader, Joseph Bonaparte. Napier's wife, Caroline, patiently figured out the secret code in these letters!
The first part of his History was published in 1828. At first, the publisher wasn't sure it would sell well. But people quickly realized it was a very important book. It described the great events of the Peninsular War in a powerful way.
The book became very popular, even though it caused some arguments with other officers who disagreed with parts of it. By 1840, when the last part was published, Napier was famous in England, France, and Germany.
Later Works and Life
While writing his history, Napier also cared deeply about political changes in England. He was even asked to lead a group that wanted reforms, but he refused due to his health and large family.
He was promoted to Colonel in 1830 and Major-General in 1841. He then became the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey, a small island. He worked to improve the island's government, which upset some people.
Later, he wrote two more books about his brother Charles's conquest and rule of a region called Sindh (now in Pakistan). These books, The Conquest of Scinde (1845) and History of the Administration of Scinde (1851), were also very strong in style.
In 1848, he received another high honor, becoming a Knight Commander of the Bath (K.C.B.). He continued to revise his History and write letters to The Times newspaper on many topics. This was amazing, as he never fully recovered from his old war wounds.
William Napier faced sadness in his personal life, including the illness of his only son and the deaths of his brothers. He wrote a book about his brother Charles, which was published in 1857.
He died in 1860 at Clapham, London, and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery. Just four months before he passed away, he was promoted to the highest rank: full General.
There is a memorial to him in St Paul's Cathedral in London.
Major Books
Historians consider William Napier's military history writing to be among the best of his time. Some of his important books include:
- History of the War in the Peninsula and the South of France from the Year 1807 to the Year 1814 (6 volumes) (1828–1840)
- The Conquest of Scinde (1845)
- History of General Sir Charles Napier's Administration of Scinde, and Campaign in the Cutchee Hills (1851)
- The life and opinions of General Sir Charles James Napier (4 volumes) (1857)
Images for kids
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Statue of Napier, St Paul's Cathedral by George Gammon Adams
See also
- Father – Colonel George Napier (1751–1804)
- Mother – Lady Sarah Lennox (1745–1826)
- Brother – Sir Charles James Napier (1782–1853), a famous general. The city of Napier, New Zealand is named after him.
- Brother – Sir George Thomas Napier (1784–1855), also a general.
- Brother – Henry Edward Napier (1789–1853), a naval officer and historian.
