▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁William ▁Pitt man ▁L ett ▁was ▁the ▁great - gre at - grand son ▁of ▁Thomas ▁L ett ▁( 1 6 0 0 – 1 6 6 5 ), ▁a ▁pur itan ▁English ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Model ▁Army , ▁who ▁had ▁moved ▁from ▁Wor c esters hire ▁to ▁Ireland ▁when ▁Oliver ▁C rom well ▁inv aded ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 9 ▁to ▁conquer ▁an ▁al liance ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁Catholic ▁Confeder ation ▁and ▁English ▁Royal ists . ▁William ' s ▁father , ▁Andrew s ▁L ett , ▁continued ▁the ▁family ' s ▁military ▁and ▁Protest ant ▁trad itions ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Imperial ▁Army ' s ▁ 2 6 th ▁Camer onian ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Foot , ▁first ▁must ered ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 9 ▁from ▁the ▁C oven an ters ▁to ▁fight ▁for ▁William ▁of ▁Orange ▁to ▁prevent ▁any ▁dil ution ▁of ▁the ▁Pres by ter ian ▁faith . ▁Andrew s ▁served ▁under ▁Sir ▁John ▁Moore ▁in ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars , ▁particularly ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Pen ins ular ▁War . ▁He ▁married ▁Reb e cca ▁L ett , ▁a ▁distant ▁cousin ▁from ▁B ally ver gin , ▁County ▁W ex ford ▁and ▁William ▁Pitt man ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁nearby ▁D unc annon ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 1 8 1 9 . ▁ ▁Andrew s ▁L ett ▁had ▁taken ▁advantage ▁of ▁a ▁land ▁grant ▁afford ed ▁p ension ed ▁soldiers ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁army ▁which ▁was