at the very limited and imperfect amount of intelligence which the best
journals were enabled to place before their readers. The progress of
the Peninsular campaign was very imperfectly chronicled; it will, therefore,
be easily imagined what interest was attached to certain letters that
appeared in the Morning Chronicle which criticised with much severity,
and frequently with considerable injustice, the military movements of
Lord Wellington's Spanish campaign.

The attention of the Commander-in-Chief being drawn to these periodical
and personal comments on his conduct of the war, his lordship at once
perceived from the information which they contained that they must have
been written by an officer holding a high command under him. Determined
to ascertain the author - who, in addressing a public journal, was violating
the Articles of War, and, it might be, assisting the enemy - means were
employed in London to identify the writer. The result was, that Lord
Wellington discovered the author of the letters to be no other than
Sir Charles Stewart, the late Lord Londonderry. As soon as Lord Wellington
had made himself master of this fact, he summoned Sir Charles Stewart
to head-quarters at Torres Vedras; and on his appearance, he, without
the least preface, addressed him thus: -

"Charles Stewart, I have ascertained with deep regret that you are the
author of the letters which appeared in the Morning Chronicle abusing
me and finding fault with my military plans."

Lord Wellington paused here for a moment, and then continued:

"Now, Stewart, you know your brother Castlereagh is my best friend,
to whom I owe everything; nevertheless, if you continue to write letters
to the Chronicle, or any other newspaper, by God, I will send you home."