John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, (9 October 1756 – 24 September 1835) was a British soldier and politician. He is best known for commanding the disastrous Walcheren Campaign of 1809. Chatham was the eldest son of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. He was two and a half years older than his famous brother William Pitt the Younger, the future prime minister. Chatham joined the army as an ensign in the 47th Regiment of Foot on 14 March 1774. He served as aide-de-camp to General Guy Carleton in Quebec, but resigned his
John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham It was around this time that he earned his nickname of 'the late Lord Chatham' due to his unpunctuality. Chatham nevertheless hung onto his office until the following December, when Pitt finally responded to pressure and moved his brother to the less responsible post of Lord Privy Seal. Two years later Chatham was promoted to Lord President of the Council. Here he stayed, remaining in office after Pitt's resignation under Henry Addington, until a cabinet reshuffle in June 1801 moved him to the post of Master-General of the Ordnance. He continued in this post until May 1810, with only a