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 short interval out of office in 1806-7. He became the General Officer in Command of the Eastern District in 1806. In 1798 Chatham returned to the army. He was appointed to command a brigade in the Helder campaign in 1799. He was wounded by a spent ball at the Battle of Castricum on 6 October. After this he served as commander of various military districts, but for some reason was passed over in favour of Arthur Wellesley for a command in the Peninsular War. In May 1809 the Secretary of State for War, Lord Castlereagh, offered Chatham the command of