Richard Fletcher - Definition

Richard Fletcher (1768-1813) was an engineer in the British Army.

Fletcher served in the West Indies and against the Turks and fought in the Battle of Copenhagen before participating in the Peninsular War as General Sir Arthur Wellesley's chief engineer at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was responsible for building the celebrated Lines of Torres Vedras, and also saw action at Bussaco and at the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, taking a wound in the groin in the latter engagment. He returned to England to recover and was made a baronet and awarded a pension. He returned in 1813 and directed the sieges of Pamplona and San Sebastián. He was killed in action during the final assault on San Sebastián on August 31, 1813.