King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.

Letter Number 16

Dated: October 1808 from CB at Queluz, near Lisbon (address not stated) Addressed to: Mrs C Bevan

I have just, my ever dear Mary, received yours of the 14th August. It has been a long time on its journey as you will recollect I have acknowledged receipt of one of the 11th September; the accounts it contains did not afford me any news but your letters always afford me the highest pleasure whether old or new; I have not yet got the long one which you tell me is to be very interesting- I have not hitherto found your correspondence so. I therefore am very anxious to see this letter which is to be of so very different a nature from the others. We are very unfortunate here about letters never getting them when we ought to do.

And now that it is decided to march into Spain, I fear that we shall be more so than ever; by a reference to a map of this country you will see what we have before us; at this season of the year I fear we shall have much rain, or it would be a very delightful tour – entirely through the country – Sir J. Moore is to command in Chief – Poor Sir Huw Dalrymple has been most unfortunate – we hear strange accounts of the English newspapers, but I have not seen them. I hope we shall be rather more fortunate under our present Chief – Indeed I have no doubt. – I shall send this letter under cover to Wm Adams - & shall write to the Admiral by Genl Spencer who is going home on account of his health and immediately to Cheltenham where you say your Father is to be – I wish on many accounts I could be there also for I cannot entirely get the better of my bilious affections – which although not of a nature to give my friends any alarm are still very tormenting at such a time as this. I am afraid that I shall be ruined for they will not carry our baggage for us and we are obliged to buy Mules etc etc, I fancy we have a march of nearly 600 miles – this is pretty well – I am very much pleased to hear so good an account of our little Boys and particularly glad Charles bathes. I long to hear again from Rottingdean. I am however very sanguine that all will go on there as it should do – and that all will be well – how happy will my poor Julia be – I hear from young Hunter that Mrs Walton is at Worthing – I am rather glad she is not at present nearer to Rottingdean – When we reach our destination we shall again be with Lord William Bentinck and then I hope to get letters more regularly – I hope you remembered 4th of October – Thirty years old & alas! still a Major – “hope is exhausted” I shall not exclaim with Richard that “I am forgot deserted by the world” as I most perfectly feel the kind exertions of all your friends on my part & although they have not been attended with success I am still equally and perhaps more grateful as adverse circumstances soften a man’s feelings and prosperous ones make one sometimes forgetful so you see I extract all the good I can out of evil!

I expect to see, but when, God only knows, our dear little Charles quite a man, and Tom and Edward in progressive excellence – I hope to hear of some of your sisters also becoming like yourself the Mothers of some nice little Boys or Girls - & James the husband of a good Frigate – My best love to all of them – Kiss our children for me and assure yourself my beloved Mary I am always

Your most affect
C.B.

October 1808

NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER

i) Address – The Regiment was encamped at Quelhuz near the Royal “Pink” Palace north of Lisbon
ii) Moore – Sir John Moore took over the Army when Wellington and Dalrymple were recalled to London
iii) Wm Adams – mentioned elsewhere as a friend of Admiral Dacres – possibly id with Pitts Private Secretary
iv) Gen Spencer – had visited Paget when CB was with him in Ireland. Gen Sir Brent Spencer 1760-1828 2i/c to Wellesley at Vimiero and Rolica. Returned to Portugal in 1810 & commanded a Division at Busaco & Fuentes d’Onoro. Full Gen 1825
v) Charles – CB’s eldest son
vi) Mrs Watson unid
vii) Hunter – elsewhere there is mention of a Doctor Hunter advising on the mother’s health
viii) Tom and Edward CB’s younger boys
ix) Lord Wm Bentinck in 1808 commanded a brigade through to Corunna. Gov Madras 1803-7, of Bengal and 1833 1st Gov Gen of India
x) James – James Dacres became Captain of the Frigate Gueriere and later Admiral and husband of Miss Dalrymple – possibly related to Gen Sir Huw