Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 43
Dated: 9th July 1810 from CB Ceuta
Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
I have been made very happy, my dearest Mary, by receiving good accounts
of yourself and of our children by the Packet which arrived just before
my return to Ceuta I had very great hopes I should have heard that Mrs
Dacres had quite recovered her indisposition but it is some satisfaction
to know that she is better I failed in my object in going to
Gibraltar, at least I fear so for I wished as I have before mentioned to
you, to get some of our men employed in more active service than that of
garrisoning Ceuta I am promised fairly but promises you know are but
promises. I was most heartily tired of Gibraltar. There is however some
society and some keenness to keep people awake in this place had I not
the Command of the Regt I am sure I know not what I should do The
weather is so warm that it is quite impossible to read and there is
little other amusement left but that of riding and the same spot of
ground day after day.
The Spaniards are not interested to give us more accommodation in the
way of quarters and when the winter arrives I am sure I know well what
the Troops both Officers and the men will do. I hope however by that
time to be in England, for if Col Wynch is not appointed Brigadier I
shall get leave of absence and I hope before the expiration of that
leave, he must get something. Old Baird who is a younger Col is now
Brigadier This I hope will make Wynch exert all his interest,
machinations he most certainly does not want For all portents (?) of
(?) such a change would be to him very advantageous. For me it will also
be everything as then I have no more changes, and it is not pleasant
after having formed an acquaintanceship with the Officers of a Battalion
to be momentarily in expectation of leaving them, which is just my case
with these Officers, and of course theirs with me, and, as they do not
expect it, I shall imagine living among them they probably feel
differently. Few see what they would bar a man with them likely to be
--?(illeg word). I do wish to thank all my friends of my Military
Career I was even placed so little as to my satisfaction as in Ceuta
But I live in hopes that my banishment will not evidence for the
qualification to general (very difficult scrawl) But that I shall
very soon have the happiness of seeing you and my little Boys. The
latter much improved, then for her I cannot wish for improvement in any
thing, but happiness and fortune -----
I -------(4 illeg words) --- October and if you were too at Money Hill
I dare say you will make all comfortable and --!
Oh, my good fellow I wish I was with you and assist you in all your
labours and ---?--
I do not entirely comprehend what Lady Dalrymples history is or who the
lady is who made the communication to her Pray give my best love to
Mrs Shaw to your family and to my Mother and sisters God Bless you &
ours
I am always Your own C.B.
Ceuta July 9th 1810
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Gibraltar though troops in Ceuta were commanded by Maj Gen Fraser,
they were all under command of the HQ at Gibraltar, which was facing the
French at Cadiz and at Tarifa CB was evidently sniffing around at the
HQ for hope of action more to his taste than garrisoning Ceuta though
with a Bn at less than half strength he could not expect much
ii) Portents the writing is a difficult scrawl throughout and I am not
confident about this passage: CB expected Wynch to be promoted and had
been promised the succession to the 1st Bn which was in England so
he felt sure he would soon be in England to take over (at Gosport)
iii) Banishment CB though only just promoted to Lt Col is already
starting to worry about what inactivity at Ceuta may do for his
prospects
iv) Baird not identified. Clearly not Lt Gen Sir David Baird who had
brought Moores reinforcements from Corunna in 1808 and retreated
thither, losing an arm in the final battle 16 Jan 1809
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