King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.

Letter Number 65

Dated: 8th February 1811. C.B. Torres Vedras Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
Stamped on address fold ‘Mr 9 1811’


I have just received, my dearest Mary, your unfinished account of our poor little Boy’s illness; I trust that the Doctors expectations will be fulfilled and the poor little sufferer be restored to the tender Ministering of his anxious Mother. But I confess to you that my chief anxiety is on your own account, the favourable turn in Edward’s case I hope leaves no fear of relapse, but the fatigue and anxiety you have so constantly sustained makes me tremble for you. I conjure you to take some care of yourself, and to recollect that you are by no means the strongest person in the world. You are fortunately in the midst of your own family who I well know will take every possible care of you and advise you in your labour as much as you will allow them to do. If it was not for this I should never have a moment’s peace. God knows those moments of ease are not too frequent with me. I am most particularly obliged to your Mother for writing to me, and I was happy to hear so good an account of herself – Of poor Mrs Bevan’s illness I am entirely ignorant but by this letter I am concerned to find it. Must be something being very serious. I am most sincerely sorry for her. I hope after a packet will in a few days relieve all my anxieties on the score of the health of my friends. Your little daughter I hear improves. When I am to see her and all my friends I know not; every thing here seems to depend on the stability of the change of administration – as it is imagined that should any altercation (?) take place in the Cabinet, no uniformed army will be sent to this country. Therefore we shall remain in the lines to cover Lisbon. As usual there are arriving reports of the Enemy but nothing to be believed. I am very well in health and pretty much as usual in other respects – but this last letter has of course given me serious nervousness. I know you will not suffer me to remain in suspense over so interesting an event as that of your own welfare and therefore I look with confidence for the next packet. Paterson forwarded your letter to me but without any writing from himself – I do not know when I am likely to see him, the roads and weather are equally impossible for expeditious travelling – I am also very badly in the horse way.

You mentioned in one of your letters that James was promised a ship; Pray has he any chance or does he prefer the country life to the more active profession he started ? and Mr ? Griffiths leigh (or Grissleigh) is likely not to endure much longer such; I am in hopes that he will give him the offer before he relinquishes the situation he now fills. Then I believe James is more in the way of happiness where he is. Though I fear he is not quite rich enough to give up the prospect of becoming more so; on comfort attending the Naval service, that we may in vain look for. I wrote to Mrs Shaw on my arrival at Lisbon and shall write again by this or the next packet – But I have very little means of comprising an entertaining epistle from Torres Vedras.

I am hardly yet at home among my new comrades; but I suppose in time I shall be perfectly callous to all feeling. And it is a great bore to be making new acquaintances every day of one’s life; I always wish I lived at Stockerston. Do you remember that place?

Pray give my best love to all your family. Tell your Mother I did not think it necessary to make her pay for a latter as I am writing to you, but I am most sincerely obliged to her in this as in various other instances; I should be very happy to be whipping a top with Charles in his new jacket. Pray make my compliments to him – Tom I suppose as impudent as ever – God bless you all! I hope to hear of the perfect recovery of Edward and of your own perfect health by the next opportunity – In which expectation I am my best Mary,

Your Own C.B.
Torres Vedras
8th February 1811



NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER

i) Edward – CB’s second son (Charles, EDWARD, Tom, Eleanor)
ii) Mrs Bevan – perhaps CB’s paternal grandmother – but not identified
iii) New Administration – with the King’s insanity worse it was generally thought that the Prince would take over and promote his Whig friends – who inter alia, might make peace with France. He was sworn in as Regent on 5 February 1811, but as the Doctors continued unwilling to forecast that the King might not recover, the Regent declined to commit himself and Percieval went on with the Tories (and the Prince showed himself ready to support the war effort)
iv) James was about to get his ship – and CB was prophetic as he did not enjoy it for long since she was taken in 1812 by USS Constitution
v) Griffiths – a pretty indecipherable name – perhaps one of the Admiralty Secretaries – could also begin with Y
vi) Stockerston – reasonably clear – there is a village or small town so named in Leicester near Uppingham