Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 30
Dated: 26 March 1810 from CB Ceuta
Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
From the contents of my last letter, my dearest Mary, you will not be
surprised at the date of this letter; we arrived here but days ago and
after much objection on the part of the Spanish Governor, or rather on
the part of some people here, styling themselves the Junta. The 4th
Regiment marched into the Citadel, from which I hoist the English Flag
well never cease to fly. They are exceedingly jealous and very
distrustful; doubling even the number of men we have landed, which was
by them strictly limited to 800, and which we have not exceeded; we have
a few artillery and some additional gunners Captain Heywood of the
Nerine (or Heroine?) Frigate, a very choice man had much to say in
softening down the objecting made by our Friends! Of whom I have a more
detestable opinion than ever. This place is itself far preferable to
Gibraltar and to me as well as my Regt particularly clear airs. I can
lock them in the Citadel whenever I please and there are plenty of
grounds for exercise etc etc The mens barracks the best I ever saw.
There are hardly any quarters for Officers. We have none yet and are all
day long employed in getting our Baggage provisions etc etc to the
Citadel which is on the top of a very high and steep hill or a mountain.
That work was too severe for our men and I have succeeded in getting the
slaves or convicts who are sent here from various parts of Spain,
chained together, very much looking like Don Quixotes Fiends for this
purpose. You may suppose we are all in confusion. Not a cart or Mule in
the place No Fuel to cook the mens dinner In short I am occupied
from night to morning in Husbandry and from morning till night in this
quest of a nature not very amusing The -?- of our Quartermaster fall
very heavy on my shoulders. In a fortnight I hope we shall be settled.
It is now half past six in the morning I got up on purpose to write to
you, for if I once go out of my appartment (which is a neat one) I am
called upon by one horror or the other all day having the honour to
command all the troops in the Citadel which are here and we also own a
Regt 50 Royal Veterans, sad fellows, and six Artillery men. Write and
tell Mrs Shaw how relieved I am Which confines my letter to yourself.
The place is full of Spanish refugees from the Continent. Some Grandees
of the first Rank in Spain The Duke of Medina Celi and his duchess
The very bluest blood. Oh! and with a face was never seen of the
contemptible whelps (?) and s----- animals (sure it is the most so The
duke of Osuna whose description I gave you in another letter, is an
Apollo compared. Where some of the Spanish young Ladies are pretty but
dirty at least I always think so. Knowing that and ------- in their
houses The new Governor held a levee last night which we attended,
that is to say the General, his staff and myself. I could not be off as
I had dined with him and some of the ladies early and you are obliged to
be tortured with the noise and then express your admiration at their
excellence But this however, happens in our own country. Could I
speak Spanish it would be pleasanter or less disagreeable but to go
with a circle of fifty women to be gaped at like a wild beast is
horrible. I have not yet been to any of their private parties but they
keep on much to visit them which for many reasons we must do, as it is
very necessary to keep them in good humour -- and I fancy the Ladies
have a good deal to say in Spain I suppose by this time the French are
in possession of all Spain but Cadiz.
I hope our dear Boys and you my dear Mary, are quite, quite well Now
do I rejoice you are in England you would grieve to see the alteration
to little Tom Mullins even in this early part of their (tour). What will
he be after a Gibraltar summer. I hope I shall be with you ere long I
am writing in great haste If you be out money before I can send you some
home there is 400 in Hoares at your disposal. I hope your Mother and
father are all quite well When is Patersons Majority formal
God Bless you
Ever yours C.B.
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Ceuta Spanish possession in N. Africa. Spain was in alliance with
Britain most of Spain was occupied by France save besieged Cadiz
ii) Gibraltar C.B. had considerable experience of Gibraltar, having
served there as Ensign & Lieutenant for four years before purchasing his
Captaincy in 28th Foot in 1800. His last two years were as ADC to Lieut
Gen Grinfield
iii) Quartermaster the QM of 2nd Bn 4th Ft had been with those
captured by the French after shipwreck in Biscay on the passage from
England
iv) Mrs Shaw the cousin who eventually bequeathed her house to the
children of C.B.
v) Dike of Medina Sidona premier Duke in Spain a predecessor had
commanded the Armada. Medina Celi not explained. Osuna town in Spain
near Medina and Cadiz from the siege of which these two were no doubt
refugees
vi) General General Frazer not yet identified GOC British Ceuta
which had presumably been occupied to forestall a move there by the
French which could have increased the French Naval threat to Gibraltar
and British command of the Straits
vii) Mullins Capt Mullins had been a friend in 28th whose wife Mary
knew. Mrs Mullins accompanied her husband to Gibraltar when the 1st Bn
28th went there in Jan 1810 en route to Tarifa. Mullins was killed at
Barrosa
viii) Hoares Presumably Hoares Bank
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