Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 53
Dated: 3rd October 1810 from CB Ceuta
Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
My dearest Mary, I am still all anxiety to hear the destination of my
friend Colonel Wynch as I begin to think that it is to that I must look
for as the arbiter of my destiny – we have several reports about them
here; where mostly they are going – some directly to Spain, others that
they are going to Portugal and others that they are to stay at home; and
which of these if the more probably I know not, if they go abroad I
imagine Wynch must be Brigadier. However I am almost “weary of
conjecture”.
--This Battalion is really getting very heartily sick – we may look
forward to a change of quarters – I do not think this is likely to take
place very soon, probably their winter quarters will be Ceuta and in
that case I hope – will be in England. I am most heartily tired of this
dog hole, indeed I can only look to one point where be any hope of
happiness: if therefore I am not there, and where that is I leave you to
imagine, it is immaterial where I am especially that the active choice
of my profession must be in all points of being most desirable – I am
happy to get which contained good accounts of your health – God grant
that it may continue – many, many years – I am very well but I should be
better at home. – The weather now is very sultry, the Autumn of this
climate. – We however mostly expect rain that will cool the atmosphere
and I hope we may enjoy the luxury of feeling cold – Not quite quite so
cold as it was at White Hall – But one is never satisfied – so you will
tell me – Good accounts of our dear Boys are such as to give me much
pleasure; I gave no fear of their doing otherwise How well at their age
under the eyes of so good a Mother – by-the-bye Mama must not indulge
too much. My Mother and sisters are, I hope, very comfortable in – near
the sea – Did they invite you or yours or any of yours? It would give me
much pleasure to find that they would persevere a little for me to the
more solid qualities of feeling and affection – But prejudices grow with
us, round the world alas! They are weeds of a quicker maturity than some
other plants than I could name, - I wish I could forget that day of
Chenies It has given me great annoyance –
(new cross written page – lead in obscure)
Your Mother and feeling (?) - ~But she and My Wife are, I trust, well
and now happy to be a family circle – If we had a house in the
neighbourhood with the desired!
Mrs Eleanor Heard lately from Paterson – in the next country to me and I
do not know how to send a letter to him.
We are however, too good friends to quarrel about letters –
Kiss all my little Boys for me well I send best love to all your family
God Bless you my dearest Mary,
I am always most affectionately Your own C.B.
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Wynch etc – In letter 50 Cb had heard of a large new promotion list
but had not seen it. He hoped it would include Wynch, C.O. 1st Bn 4th Ft
who had been promised a Brigade – and CB was then to succeed him in the
1/4th Ft
ii) ‘Weary of Conjecture’ sounds Shakespearean but does not leap from
the Quotation Dictionary
iii) My Mother – CB has a never ending complaint against his Mother &
sisters for doing nothing for Mary – they sound dreary and bad mannered
iv) Eleanor – Mary’s sister who had married CB’s friend Paterson of
28th, which Regiment was in Gibraltar/Tarifa
v) Chenies – Not identified
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