William Green (British Army soldier) facts for kids

William Green (born June 7, 1784 – died January 27, 1881) was an English soldier. He was a rifleman in the 95th Regiment, known as the Rifles. He fought in the Napoleonic Wars, which were a series of big conflicts in Europe.

William Green wrote a book about his experiences. It was called "A brief outline of the Travels and Adventures of William Green (late Rifle Brigade) during a period of ten years in the British Service". This book is special because it's one of the few stories from a regular soldier. It tells us what life was like in the army of Duke of Wellington. Historians still use his book today to learn about that time.

William Green's Early Life

William Green was born in Lutterworth, England. He was the second child of John and Elizabeth Green. In June 1803, when he was 19, William decided to join the army. He said he had "a disposition to ramble," meaning he liked to explore.

He first joined the Leicestershire Militia. But he wasn't happy there. So, in April 1805, he joined the 1st Battalion of the 95th Regiment of Foot. This was a famous group of soldiers called the Rifles.

William Green's Military Adventures

After finishing his training, William Green left England in November 1805. He was part of a large group of 20,000 British soldiers. They went to northern Germany. This trip was called the "Coffee Expedition" because there was no fighting. The soldiers returned to England in early 1806.

Green then went on another trip that didn't involve fighting. This time, he went to Sweden with Sir John Moore. They stayed in Gothenburg harbor for six weeks. Again, the Rifles came back to England without fighting.

Fighting in Copenhagen

In July 1807, Green and the Rifles left England for the third time. They went to fight in Copenhagen, Denmark. They arrived in August 1807 and helped capture the city. Green was lucky enough to stay in the King of Denmark's country palace. He was very impressed by it.

Journey to Portugal and Spain

After Copenhagen, Green went to Portugal. His regiment sailed from Spithead in May 1808. They landed in Vimeiro, but they missed the battle by seven days. After a peace agreement, Sir John Moore led his troops into Spain. They stayed in villages near Salamanca.

Tough Retreat to Coruña

But then, Napoleon entered Madrid with a huge army. This forced the British to retreat to Coruña. It was a very long journey, about 250 miles, over mountains in the middle of winter. The soldiers had no tents and little food. French troops were always chasing them.

The Rifles' commander told them to throw away their backpacks. They could only keep a greatcoat or a blanket. Green remembered, "We did not mind parting with our kits... but we then still had to carry 50 rounds of ball cartridge, 30 loose balls in our waist belts, a priming flask and horn of powder, and a rifle and sword [bayonet], the two weighing 14 pounds."

The Rifle regiment was part of the group that protected the army from behind. During the retreat, Green fell into a well. He hid there until the French soldiers passed by, which saved him from being captured. The Rifles finally reached Coruña in January 1809.

Battle of Coruña and Return Home

Most of the British troops were safely taken away by the navy. But General Moore was badly hurt during the Battle of Coruña on January 16, 1809. He died from his wounds. The next day, the Rifles sailed back to England. They arrived in February 1809. Green said their uniforms were so torn and dirty that they had to burn them.

Fighting in Spain with Wellington

After a short break, the Rifles sailed to Lisbon, Portugal, in May 1809. General Arthur Wellesley was now in charge. They marched 250 miles in six days. But they arrived one day too late for the battle of Talavera.

The British then had to retreat to Portugal. In September 1810, a French army attacked the British. This led to the battle of Busaco. By this time, Green had learned to play the bugle. He became a company bugler. Green and the Rifles spent the next year behind strong defenses called the Lines of Torres Vedras.

Wounded in Battle

In late 1811, the British left their defenses and went back into Spain. On January 20, 1812, they attacked the city of Ciudad Rodrigo. Then, they moved on to the fortified town of Badajoz. On April 6, 1812, during the attack on Badajoz, Green was badly wounded. A musket ball hit him in the groin, and another went through his left wrist. Even so, he heard the Bugle-Major play the "advance" signal. Green lay on his back and repeated the signal. That was the last time he ever blew a bugle.

Returning to England After Being Wounded

After four days, Green and other wounded soldiers were taken to a convent. On April 17, he sailed from Lisbon. He arrived in Portsmouth, England, on August 3, 1812. At Haslar Hospital, a doctor removed 29 bone splinters from his arm. He carried part of the musket ball in his arm for the rest of his life.

In September, Green and other soldiers who could walk were marched to Chelsea Hospital in London. On December 9, 1812, Green was given a pension of 9 pence a day. He also received £3 16 shillings and 2 pence as his share of the prize money from capturing Copenhagen.

William Green's Later Life

William Green returned to Lutterworth and married Elizabeth Laughton in September 1813. They had five children. In 1816, doctors said Green was too injured to serve in the army again. He was examined again in 1819 and was still found unfit. He then received £15 from a special fund for his wounds. They were considered as serious as losing a limb.

In 1849, Green received the Military General Service Medal. This medal had four clasps, which are small bars that show which battles he fought in: Coruña, Busaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, and Badajoz.

When the Duke of Wellington died in 1852, a former officer paid for Green to travel to London. Green went to attend the Duke's funeral. While there, he visited Chelsea Hospital. In January 1853, his pension was increased to 1 shilling a day for the rest of his life.

In June 1853, he married for the second time. His first wife had died in 1848. He and Alice Pebody, a widow, got married and settled in her cottage. There, he wrote his book about his army experiences.

Meeting Important People

In 1857, the local church leader wrote to Prince Albert, the Queen's husband. He sent a copy of Green's book. Prince Albert sent a letter and £5 to "this evidently deserving old soldier." A copy of the book was also sent to the Prince of Wales. The Prince's secretary sent a check for £3. Another copy went to the Duke of Cambridge, who sent £1.

By 1871, Green and his wife moved to Leicester to be closer to her daughter. In 1877, Green was a special guest at a dinner. This dinner honored local war veterans. It was held at the Leicester Corn Exchange. Many important people helped pay for the event, including the Prince of Wales.

The veterans gathered and then marched to the Corn Exchange. They had a big feast with venison, game, and plum pudding. William Green, who was 93 years old, and the oldest naval veteran were carried on shoulders. They spoke to thank everyone for honoring their service.

William Green died of old age in Leicester on January 27, 1881. He was 96 years old. He was buried with full military honors in Welford Road Cemetery.

See also

• Rifleman Harris