King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.

Letter Number 24

Dated: 1 Feb 1810 from CB Portsmouth
Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, No 1 Little Stanhope St, May Fair, London

My dearest Mary will not be surprised from the state of the weather to receive another letter from Portsmouth – It is just now pouring with rain and little wind I therefore hope we stand a chance of a change – I have just been on board the Transport and certainly nothing can present a more wretched picture – I much fear if this weather continues that we shall have many sick – The men of the 4th Regt. are unaccustomed to this sort of work and they feel the hardship accordingly, it will however do them much good in my opinion. This however is private. I wish the month of July was come and Colonel Wynch was a Brigadier – I am now going to look out for lodgings as Captain Cadogan is expected and I do not wish him to find me here – I have also been on board the Jamaica and she is very comfortable & I like Captain Lysaght much – I only want an Easterly wind and we shall do.

I shall hope to hear before I leave England that your Mother is much better – Is Eleanor at Money Hill? Or in London.

I hope my Mother and Sisters are agreeable as well as Mr & Mrs Evans and Mrs Quarrington – I do not think James will approve much of the party but these things will happen.

Belson and Browne and Dewes and Stovin are all on shore, they desire their complts to you – I believe Mrs Mullins is on board but as they were at Gosport I have not been able to hear much about them. She goes in spite of the advice of the London surgeons – I hope most sincerely she will do well – God Bless you – Give my best love to Tom and Charles
I am ever yours
C.B.

Portsmouth 1 February

NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER

i) CB has recently received his promotion by purchase to Lieutenant Colonel involving transfer to the 4th King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regt (very probably through the help of Major General Sir Edward Paget). He was taking 2/4th to Ceuta.
ii) Wynch-July: Lieut Col. Wynch had been in command of 1st Bn 4th Ft for some time and his promotion was imminent and planned for July – that CB should know all about this future for Wynch suggests to me that Paget had ferreted this out and told him. It was in fact delayed and in the event Wynch fell sick of the Walcheren fever and died in Jan 1811 in Lisbon when CB arrived to take over from him
iii) Capt Cadogan – not identified
iv) Jamaica – 26 Gun Corvette – Lysaght not identified
v) Eleanor – Mary’s younger sister who married CB’s close friend in 28th Ft Jim Paterson (Major d1812 as Bt Lt Col)
vi) Evans & Quarrington not id. James – Capt James Dacres, Mary’s brother
vii) Belson-Col CO 1st Bn 28th; Major Fred Browne 2i/c later CO 28th; Lt Dewes Paymaster 1st/28th; Capt Stovin OC Grenadier Coy 1/28th Ft – later Maj Gen
viii) Mrs Mullins wife of 28th Ft officer