Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 37
Dated: 8th May 1810 from CB Ceuta
Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
You will, I am sure my dearest Mary, be quite surprised to hear that I
am still without news from home, two packets are now due and we are very
much at a loss to comprehend the reason of their non-appearance --- I
shall hope you have been more fortunate in receiving my letters. This
dearth of news from England occasions a great want of intelligence here
we are so much out of the world as to look for news even from Gibraltar
which has been twice ---- ------- --- the hot bed of lies. I beg your
pardon for so indelicate an expression We have here now most
extraordinary weather, one day so hot that one can scarcely -- -- then
two or three days of most violent rain, wind etc. I fear when it looks
more settled it will be less congenial to English constitutions It is
favoured preferable to Gibraltar in that respect as well as in others
We have had no account whatsoever from our first Battalion since I
left England I am very anxious to know what Col Wynch is doing. I most
sincerely hope they will not send them here. This place would be the
grave of the old men in First Battn. Our men gave no ground but on the
contrary our numbers a tall increase. (sic) they gave. If therefore
Cadiz is given up, marching Regiments will be at liberty, and we may
perhaps return to England; I understand that the 28th expect to do so
shortly in consequence of their very shaky (??) state I should favour
the cause that counts (?) three part tragedy as But should rejoice
much in the effect This is a vile place and I think we do not manage
well with the Spaniards To this ------ they will give no quarters to
the English officers, but are filling all the houses they can lay their
hands upon with the people who are deserting their own country and
cause. The new governor is, we directly see, no friend to us I hope
our governors at home will be decisive, it they are not all of them
frightened by Sir Francis Burdett and his doings Probably they are
I hope, among other accounts, when they do reach us, that I have very
good ones of you and your Mother Though I fear she will never be very
strong I know too well the effects of the Bile disorder. My Mother
---- I hope you hear from, if not see, them once for a day Mrs Main
and people (?) also pretty well, - I intend to wait to hear by the next
---- that offers. Poor Genl Fraser is such a great hero here. He is not
able to get any quarters and his Family are obliged to remain in
Gibraltar and other people applying for the house they inhabit How
happy am I that you are where you are I do not know what we should
have done So for once I did right Where is Paterson? Which (word
under seal torn out) T.R. Davies? I wish you would tell me when you next
write how Lady Williams does! I hear that Captain Gordon was coming here
in the Rattler but has returned to England I wish I could find
somebody who was going and would be likely to take charge of what I want
to send Patience I envy our little Boys their nice garden & Boat I
wish we had one & I was with you all
God Bless you my best Mary until we meet, and God grant that may be soon
Farewell! Ever Yours C.B.
Ceuta May 8th 1910
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) News of 1st Bn: 1810 JanOct at Gosport Oct-Nov Harwich Nov arrived
Lisbon
ii) Wynch C.O. 1st Bn 4th Ft who was to be promoted to a Brigade when
CB would replace him.
iii) Cadiz The text of this letter is particularly difficult to
decipher but CB seems to assume wrongly that if the siege of Cadiz ended
and French troops in S. Spain withdrew (to join the main forces
confronting Wellington) British troops in the South would be withdrawn
in fact when this happened the regiments went North to Wellingtons main
force
iv) Burdett, Sir Francis an eccentric British MP who opposed the
French War inter alia; eventually The Speaker issued a Warrant for his
arrest which he defied for some days and the Army had to attack his
house he was sent to the Tower, let out and rearrested the following
year.
v) Gen Fraser or Frazer Lieut. Gen. Alexander Frazer GOC Ceuta
vi) Paterson CBs close friend in 28th who had recently married Marys
sister Eleanor. Killed with 28th in 1812
vii) Capt Gordon HMS Rattler. May have been the Gordon who distinguished
himself in the Channel in another ship, or the Gordon who took
Alexandria in 1812 (on the Potomac River). Rattler was a 16 gun ship,
probably one before the f
viii) amous screw-driven which won the contest with a paddle steamer
CBs grandson Capt George Bevan was to serve in that Rattler in the
1840s
ix) Davies and Lady Williams not identified+
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