Major John Werge, 38th Foot of Regiment

Our sitter is John Werge, a major with the 38th Regiment of Foot- a light infantry British regiment that fought on multiple fronts during the Napoleon Wars. We know this because of a description penciled in on the reverse of painting:

“Major Werge, who fell at St. Sebastian, in 1813”

The Siege of San Sebastian was a military engagement during the Peninsular Wars, the Iberian front of the broader Napoloenic Wars (1780-1816). France, lead by Napolean Bonapate, had troops entrenched all across Spain and Portugal, and Britain allied with the Spanish and Portuguese armies attempting to uproot these forces and put Napolean on his back foot. From July 7 to September 8, 1813, these opposing armies engaged in intense conflict as the French dug in at the heavily fortified and strategically important coastal city of San Sebastián.

The British and Portuguese forces were under the command of General Sir Thomas Graham. The French garrison, commanded by General Don Manuel de la Peña y Peña, was tasked with defending the city against the advancing coalition forces. The British and their allies laid siege to the city, employing artillery bombardments and infantry assaults to breach the defenses. The siege was characterized by fierce fighting, with the defenders putting up a determined resistance despite being outnumbered. The French had a number of advantages, including the city’s longstanding fortifications, as well as using thr San Sebastián river to circumnavigate the British Navy’s blockade, ensuring a supply of fresh troops and all the necessary provisions needed to maintain an army.

The siege persisted for several weeks, with the coalition forces facing resupply issues and a constant need for reinforcements. Alas, the turning point came in early September when a massive artillery bombardment finally breached the city’s walls. On September 8, the coalition forces launched a final assault, leading to the capture of San Sebastián. The aftermath of the siege was brutal, with significant casualties on both sides and widespread destruction within the city. The fall of San Sebastián marked a pivotal moment in the Peninsular War, contributing to the eventual expulsion of French forces from Spain.

While just one of many contact points during the Napoleanic wars, thr seige of San Sebastián proved to be a consequential and pivotal moment for Britain's grueling campaign. It marked the beginning of the end for Napoleon’s occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Loosing this territory had demoralized the French army, and put them in a position of retreat. The British were able to maintain this momentum, ultimately leading to Wellington’s crushing rout of the French military at Waterloo in 1816.

Major John Werge was just one of the many fought and died playing their part in great drama of the Napoleonic Wars. Their determination contributed to the liberation of Spain, and demonstrates the strategic importance placed on liberating coastal cities in the broader conflict.

An almost identical portrait of Werge, this one was sold at auction in 2020