ARTHUR WELLESLEY WELLINGTON
A.L.S. "Arthur Wellesley" 1p. legal folio, Lisbon, Apr. 27, 1809, to Admiral George Berkeley, in part: "...The circumstances in which I communicated to you...rendering it is desirable that Captain Argenton, Captain Du Pont, and Captain Gavre should be permitted to go to France...you will grant Passports to those officers...". Sir George Cranfield-Berkeley (1753-1818), was a controversial figure in nineteenth-century politics and warfare. After losing favor by instigating the attack by the HMS Leopard on the American frigate Chesapeake and setting off the War of 1812, Berkeley was shuttled back to England and then to Lisbon to aid in ferrying war supplies during Wellington's Peninsular Campaign of 1811. After rescuing several ships from French capture, and generally facilitating the smooth transmit of supplies and troops, his honor was restored and he was made full admiral. At the time of this letter, Wellington was deeply enmeshed in the Peninsular Campaign following Napoleon's invasion of Spain and Portugal in 1807.