George Wade

Field Marshal George Wade Template:Post-nominals (1673 – 14 March 1748) was a British Army officer and politician who served in the Nine Years' War, War of the Spanish Succession, Jacobite rising of 1715 and War of the Quadruple Alliance. He went on to be a military commander during the War of the Austrian Succession and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces during the Jacobite rising of 1745.

While commanding the British Crown forces in Scotland, Wade was responsible for constructing hundreds of miles of military roads, many of which remain in use.

Early career

Born the son of Jerome Wade in Killavally, County Westmeath, Ireland, he spent his early years in English Tangier, where his father was a member of the Tangier Garrison.<ref>Salmond, James Bell. Wade in Scotland. Moray Press, 1938 p.29</ref> Wade was commissioned into the Earl of Bath's Regiment on 26 December 1690<ref name=heath>Heathcote, p. 285</ref> and served in Flanders in 1692, fighting at the Battle of Steenkerque in August 1692 during the Nine Years' War and earning a promotion to lieutenant on 10 February 1693.<ref name=heath/> He transferred to Sir Bevil Granville's Regiment on 19 April 1694<ref name=odnb>Template:Cite ODNB</ref> and was promoted to captain on 13 June 1695.<ref name=heath/>

During the War of the Spanish Succession, he first served under Marlborough, seeing action in Flanders at the Battle of Kaiserwerth in April 1702, the Battle of Venlo in September 1702, the Battle of Roermond in October 1702 and the Battle of Liège also in October 1702. He was promoted to major on 20 March 1703 and to lieutenant colonel in October 1703.<ref name=heath/> In 1704 he joined the staff of Henri de Massue, Earl of Galway as adjutant-general in Portugal,<ref name=heath/> and distinguished himself as colonel of the Huntingdon's Regiment during the Battle of Alcántara, where he was wounded in April 1706.<ref name=heath/> He repelled a large force of cavalry at Vila Nova and then commanded the 3rd infantry brigade during the Battle of Almansa in April 1707.<ref name=heath/> He was promoted to brigadier general on 1 January 1708.<ref name=odnb/>

He served as second in command to James Stanhope in Menorca in 1708,<ref name=heath/> leading one of the storming parties on Fort St. Philip, before returning to Spain in 1710, where he fought at the Battle of Saragossa in August 1710.<ref name=heath/> He was promoted to major-general on 3 October 1714<ref name=heath1>Heathcote, p. 286</ref> and became commander of the British forces in Ireland in November 1714.<ref name=odnb/>

Wade returned home to join in the suppression of the Jacobite rising of 1715 and undertook security duties in Bath, where he unearthed a haul of Jacobite weapons.<ref name=odnb/> He entered politics as MP for Hindon in 1715.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> On 19 March 1717, he became colonel of the Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Horse.<ref name=odnb/>

In 1719, he served as second-in-command to Viscount Cobham<ref name=heath1/> during the War of the Quadruple Alliance when Cobham led a force of 4,000 troops on a raid on the Spanish coastline which captured Vigo and occupied it for ten days before withdrawing.<ref>Rodger p. 229</ref> The same year he was one of the original backers of the Royal Academy of Music, establishing a London opera company that commissioned numerous works from Handel and others.<ref>Thomas McGeary. The Politics of Opera in Handel's Britain. Cambridge University Press, 2013. p. 254</ref>

He became MP for Bath in 1722,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> retaining the seat for 25 years.<ref name=heath1/> His house, built around 1700, is situated next to Bath Abbey and is now a Grade I listed building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Scotland

File:Ruthven Barracks (1983).JPG

Ruthven Barracks, Kingussie

The government of George I sent Wade to inspect Scotland in 1724.<ref name=heath1/> He recommended the construction of barracks, bridges and proper roads to assist in the control of the country. On 10 May 1725, he was appointed Commander in Chief of His Majesty's forces, castles, forts and barracks in North Britain and was tasked with carrying out his own recommendations.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> Over the next twelve years Wade directed the construction of some Template:Convert of roads and 30 bridges (including the Wade's Bridge at Aberfeldy).<ref name=odnb/> General Wade's military roads linked the garrisons at Ruthven, Fort George, Fort Augustus, and Fort William.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

File:Wade Road, south of Inverness (1983).JPG

Section of Wade's military road between Inverness and Kingussie, built in the wake of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion

A reference in verse is said to be inscribed on a stone at the start of one of his military roads in Scotland: Template:Poemquote

Wade also organised a militia, "Highland Watches", and called on members of the landed gentry to sign up<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> and raised the first six companies in 1725 (three of Campbells and one each of Frasers, Grants, and Munros).<ref name=watch>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 1725, Wade put down an insurrection after the government attempted to extend the "malt tax" to Scotland, and enraged citizens in Glasgow drove out the military and destroyed the home of their representative in Parliament.<ref>Chalmers, p.871</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant general on 15 April 1727.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

On 1 June 1732, he became Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and on 19 June 1733, he became Governor of Fort William, Fort George and Fort Augustus.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> He was promoted to general of horse on 17 July 1739.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

He raised four more "Highland Watch" companies in 1739, which were subsequently reorganized as the Black Watch regiment.<ref name=watch/> He still had the time to sign his support to the Foundling Hospital, which was established in 1739 in London.<ref>Royal Charter, p.10</ref> On 22 June 1742, he was appointed Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and on 24 June 1742, he was appointed a member of the Privy Council.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

War of the Austrian Succession

On 17 December 1743 he became a field marshal<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> with his appointment to the joint command of the Anglo-Austrian force in Flanders against the French in the War of the Austrian Succession.<ref name=heath1/> Wade organised an advance towards Lille in July 1744, but the action became stalled in the face of logistical problems.<ref name=odnb/> He resigned from his command in March 1745 and returned home to become Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.<ref name=heath1/>

Jacobite rising

File:2003-06-06 - Aberfeldy 01.jpg

Wade's Bridge over the Tay at Aberfeldy

File:George Wade monument, Westminster Abbey.jpg

Wade's memorial in Westminster Abbey

In October 1745, during the Jacobite rising, Wade concentrated his troops in Newcastle upon Tyne, on the east coast of England; however, the Jacobite forces advanced from Scotland down the west coast of England via Carlisle into Lancashire and the speed of their advance left Wade scrambling.<ref name=heath1/> In freezing conditions and with his men starving, he failed to counter their march into England or their subsequent retreat back from Derby to Scotland. Wade was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, who led the army to success at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746.<ref>Pollard p. 41–42</ref>

It was because of the difficulties Wade encountered marching his troops cross-country from Newcastle to Carlisle that he built his Military Road west of Newcastle in 1746, entailing such destruction of Hadrian's Wall. Wade helped plan the road but had died before construction began in 1751.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> His Military Road is still in use today as the B6318; it should not be confused with the Military Way built by the Romans immediately south of Hadrian's Wall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Wade received mention in a verse sung as part of God Save the King around 1745:<ref name=heath1/>

Family life

Wade died unmarried on 14 March 1748 and is buried at Westminster Abbey, where his life is recognised by a monument created by Louis-François Roubiliac.<ref>Hiatt, p.4</ref>

Wade left two natural (illegitimate) sons, Captains William and John Wade, and two natural daughters, Jane Erle and Emilia. Wade left most of his estate to his natural children although he provided generously for the widow and children of his brother William, Canon of Windsor, Berkshire. Wade had a second natural daughter named Emilia, who was married first in 1728 to a Mr John Mason and then to a Mr Jebb.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Sources

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External links

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