Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 78
Dated: 10 June 1811. CB Sabugal Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill,
Nr Rickmansworth, Herts. Stamped on address fold JY 15 1811
My dearest Mary,
We are once more all in motion, the French Army having made a movement
we are I imagine obliged to make a corresponding one, and I conclude
before very long we shall all cross the Tagus and proceed to the
neighbourhood of Badajoz where it appears the Enemy will collect a large
force there are a thousand rumours in consequence of this, some saying
that they are going to evacuate Spain, others that they are going to
fight a great fight Time, however, and that not very distant, may
clear up all these doubts. I hope we shall at last come in for our share
of what is going on. Paterson had great good fortune in commanding the
28th on the day of action, and which he did very much to his credit. We
are now pent up in the town of Sabugal, very hot and very uncomfortable,
but as we expect an order to march every day our quarters are not of
much importance I have just received a letter from you of the 17th
December; which has been to Malta by mistake, and which contains an
account of Mrs Shaws letter to you on the subject of naming our little
girl; all this was certainly new to me. I perfectly agree with you in
thinking we have enough. And also in wishing we were likely soon to
meet, but there seems to be no end of this campaign. We shall now see
what the Marshal Soult can do. He is I believe esteemed the best officer
in the French Army I hope my next letter to you will be from Castelo
Branco on our way to Badajoz. The surrender of this place is now looked
for as the Batteries are all established against it. And I hear it is
not very strong. What is to take place afterwards we have no idea.
Poor little Charles is much indebted to you, my dearest Mary, for your
very kind attention to him and I hope he will live to repay your care
I can hardly forbear a smile at your description of Toms aversion to
study, it is not an unnatural one, he is I think, quick enough. I shall
be glad to hear that my Mother is able to get into your neighbourhood
for this summer Ah! Would (hole under seal) could join the party ---
But such wishes are vain, vain indeed I am called away & will
therefore conclude my letter for the post which is just about to go. God
Bless you, my dearest, dearest friend. I am always your won C.B.
Sabugal
10 June 1811
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Sabugal small town south-east of Guarda, at the junction of the
modern N233 and N324 highways; scene of action on 3 April 1811 when 3
British Divisions faced Reyniers corps also of 3 Divisions. Erskine
temporarily commanding Light Div lost his way in fog and the French
withdrew with light casualties
ii) Advance towards Badajoz CB was probably right and the intention
was probably to move them up for the siege but that was called off
because Badajoz had been reinforced. 4th marched as far as Arronches
before 5th Div was turned back
iii) Castelo Branco substantial town, now on Motorway IP2, near
Spanish border about 80k north of Portalegre
iv) Soult - Marechal Nicolas Soult 1769-1851 Chief of ~Staff at
Waterloo. Foreign minister 1839 recalled to France in 1813 but came
back in command after Vittoria. Fought doggedly in retreat for 10 months
though successively beaten back by Wellington
Only a proportion of our collections
are on display at anyone time. Certain items are on loan for display
in other institutions. An appointment is required to consult any of
our collections which are held in store.
