Arthur Wellesley, Duke of WELLINGTON (1769-1852) 

Autograph Letter Signed (“Arthur Wellesley”) to the Home Secretary Lord Hawkesbury, later Prime Minister as the Earl of Liverpool, discussing the provision of supplies for the troops to be placed under his command in the Peninsula.
2¼ pages 4to, London, 13 June 1808.                
“In arranging the Commissariat for the Corps to be placed under my command it has been settled that I am to have two Assistant Commissaries from Ireland; & Lord Castlereagh has desired me to mention the subject to your Lordship, & to request that you are to direct that two of the Gentlemen might be ordered to Cork, to place themselves under the orders of Mr. Pipon. 
I am also to have 300 horses & their drivers from the Irish Commissariat, which horses are to be eventually employed in the draught of my Artillery, if the services of the Troops should be required on shore. They are to be embarked at Cork; & I shall be much obliged to your Lordship if you will order that they may be sent there for that purpose.
I enclose a letter [not present] which the Duke of Richmond has sent me. It is of importance only as it appears that the Writers are desirous of keeping their names concealed, & probably you might think it desirable to enquire respecting them.”
A note on the verso notes that “Extract sent to Ireland by Express same Day”
An important letter, in effect marking the start of the Peninsular War.
General Wellesley was preparing to sail from Cork to Venezuela, in order to support an insurrection against Napoleon’s ally, Spain. However, in May 1808, Napoleon deposed the Spanish King, Ferdinand VII, and placed his own brother Joseph on the throne. Spain immediately erupted into popular revolt, which soon spread to Portugal. 
The opportunity to attack Napoleon at his weakest point in Europe deeply appealed to Wellesley, who told the Cabinet that there was “a crisis in which a great effort might be made with advantage.” The troops which were to go to South America were hastily re-routed to the Peninsula. Wellesley officially assumed command the next day, 14 June, when he was given 9,000 men to assist the Spanish and Portuguese against the French. 
The Duke of Richmond mentioned at the end of the letter was, at the time, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was later to be a witness to the last act of the Napoleonic era, commanding the forces prepared to defend Brussels should Napoleon win the day. It was his wife who was responsible for the famous Duchess of Richmond’s ball which preceded Waterloo.
The letter has at one time been framed, resulting in a brown mark around the edge of the letter but with no damage to the text itself. The bifolium has previously been split into two sheets, and later repaired neatly and unobtrusively. The text of all but the final paragraph is marked at beginning and end by square brackets, marking the portion of the letter of which the “extract” was sent to Ireland.

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