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= William Lawrence (English Sergeant) = Sgt. William Lawrence was an English soldier from Dorset, England, who served as a sergeant under the Duke of Wellington for 17 years in various campaigns during the Napoleonic Wars. He is best known for dictating his autobiography A Dorset Soldier. Which provided a rare contemporary account, given a period of mass illiteracy, of a common soldier in the British army. Lawrence himself was illiterate, and had to dictate his account to an unknown author, which was subsequently bequeathed upon Lawrence's death to George Bankes. Bankes' grandson would publish the autobiography in 1886, however the book would fade into obscurity until being adequately researched and republished by Eileen Hathaway in 1992.

Early life
William Lawrence was born in Dorset, England to a labourer and a seamstress in Studland. He was apprenticed to a bricklayer in, Lawrence fled from this apprenticeship with a fellow apprentice due to mistreatment. Which was not uncommon given the harsh conditions of apprentices. Lawrence was initially meant to be tried for fleeing his apprenticeship, but upon dodging his journeyman signed his bounty to the army and was enlisted.

South America
Lawrence was compelled to join the army upon meeting a soldier of British line infantry in a pub after the soldier offered him a guinea. Lawrence accepted, and was subsequently enlisted in 1805. Lawrence was initially assigned to a light infantry unit, but was transferred to the standard line due to training shortages. Lawrence was transferred to the 40th Regiment of Foot during their deployment in the South American sectors of the Napoleonic period

Peninsula campaign
Lawrence was present for nearly every battle Wellington participated in during the Peninsular War. This was

Lawrence was injured by a stray musket ball to his thigh during the Siege of Badajoz. During his stay at the hospital, he recalls observing rampant plundering and borderline mutiny from many soldiers, who were disillusioned with command after the battle.

Hundred days campaign
One of Lawrence's more notable engagements was the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, during which he was called to the colours after 10 sergeants had previously been killed. Despite being an experienced soldier, Lawrence records that he had limited confidence in his survival, due primarily to the French Grand Batteries. The 40th had initially been placed in a reserve capacity on the extreme left of the army, and had been rushed to defend a position close to La Haye Sainte. Lawrence witnessed Ney's impotent cavalry charge against British squares, recalling that he was instructed to "shoot at the horses" and stating that "It was a pathetic sight, these guards in their chimney armour, struggling on foot once their horses were shot under them." Lawrence's regiment remained in square before Wellington's order for a general advance was given, Lawrence does not record whether or not the Old Guard shouted "Merde" when it surrendered to Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill.

Directly following the campaign, Lawrence met his wife Clotilde (Nee Marie Louise Claire) at a travelling stall in France, Lawrence could speak French fluidly, and married her in an ad-hoc ceremony. Lawrence married her at the discretion of his lieutenant, allowing him to bring her back to England with him as she was no longer a camp follower.

Veteran
Lawrence provides an extremely limited account of his life post-service. Although he records that he purchased a local pub with his wife, where he "lived prosperously" until her death. Historians including Hathaway, have theorized that due to the poor social and economic conditions of Dorset throughout the mid 19th century. That it is possible that Lawrence was a smuggler involved in the illicit rum trade. This is further supported by Lawrence's deployment to Ireland to suppress smuggling occuring on the coastal regions, which would have provided direct knowledge of its practices. It was also noted that within A Dorset Soldier, Lawrence readily confesses to cons and thefts he committed during his service, as it would be impossible to prosecute them in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, crimes committed during service in foreign countries was of limited concern to the government and was dealt with at the discretion of the campaign general. Regardless that Wellington made plundering the death penalty. Notwithstanding, crimes committed within the United Kingdom would've been prosecuted with no statute of limitations, and as such it is possible Lawrence intentionally tried to end the memoir prematurely to cover-up his crimes.