WELLINGTON, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of.

Autograph letter, signed, to Sir Charles Stuart discussing Sir George Cranfield Berkeley's appointment as lord high admiral of Portugal by its prince regent. Dated 'Celorico August 20th 1810'.

4to (265 x 205 mm), pp. [4]. Wellington’s response to the news, made known to him by the minister at Lisbon and member of the Portuguese regency council, Sir Charles Stuart, that Berkeley, British commander-in-chief of the coast of Portugal, had been offered the post of lord high admiral of Portugal by the prince regent. In it, Wellington demonstrates the importance he ascribed to political control of this country during the Torres Vedras campaign. Although he accepts that Berkeley should assume the post, he insists: ‘it will not answer for the Admiral to be induced by any cause whatever to set himself, or to allow his name to be used as an authority against what we think right’ as ‘you and I, & Marshal Beresford . . . are principally concerned in carrying on the war in this country’. In particular, he seems adamant that they should not be contradicted in backing the authority of Dom Miguel Forjaz, ‘the War Minister . . . whom Wellington considered a necessary person and the ablest man in Portugal’ (Oman, A history of the Peninsular War III p. 418).‘In October 1810 Berkeley placed gunboat squadrons on the Tagus, held fortifications with thousands of seamen and marines, and manned the army’s signal stations in the lines of Torres Vedras. The retreat of Marshal André Masséna’s army on 5 March 1811 ended French attempts to conquer Portugal. Berkeley’s large squadron, and larger merchant fleet, had ensured a continuous flow of reinforcements and provisions for the armies and Lisbon civilians. His logistical preparations for the 1812 campaign provided Wellington with the forces and supplies to realize his operational vision, resulting in the captures of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, and the victory at Salamanca. These led Soult to raise the Cadiz siege and placed the allies on the strategic offensive for the remainder of the war. Wellington, who had difficulties with naval support after Berkeley’s supersession, summarized their relationship in late 1811: “I have always found the Admiral not only disposed to give us every assistance in his power, but to anticipate and exceed our wishes in this way” and “It is impossible for 2 officers to be on better terms than we are” ’ (Oxford DNB).Gurwood, The dispatches of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington VI pp. 372–3.

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