Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 62
Dated: 25th January 1811. C.B. Lisbon Addressed to Mrs C Bevan, Money
Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
Stamped on address fold “Foreign FE 13 1811”
My dearest Mary, I have just been informed by our General that he is
going to send to Lisbon & if there is an opportunity for England his
letters will go; I therefore seize these moments to tell you I am quite
well in health as to which concerns us much. I have not yet got quite
settled with my new corps, and of course be some time before I can feel
quite at home. What is to be done here we know not, and we know less
than you can well imagine – the officer who commanded this division of
infantry is just gone to England, and much regretted by the people who
knew him – he lives in Montagu Square opposite to Mrs Walton. Paterson I
have no heard of since I last wrote to you, but I believe he is
perfectly well, as they have had no moving of consequence and the
weather has been remarkably fine - this place, Torres Vedras, is
situated in a nasty hollow and filled with swamp surrounded by lofty
mountains, or rather hills, the summits of which are strongly fortified
and contain distancing (?). The French we hear are reinforced but very
quiet and do not seem inclined to make any move on this side the Tagus,
what they are at on the other does not seem to be quite so clear; if it
is true that the King is dead I imagine we shall have many changes in
this part of the world – God send they may be good ones, but I fear more
depends on interest than on any other thing. I have not yet had a letter
from you indeed I do not well believe I could have any right to expect
one until the arrival of the next packet; which we most anxiously
expect. If it brings me good (hole by seal) you and about friends at
Money Hill I shall have some pleasant moments in thinking so. Pray kiss
our children for me & give my best love to all the circle at
Rickmansworth.
God Bless you my dearest Mary – I am always your own C.B.
Torres Vedras
25 Jany 1811
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Torres Vedras – small town near the Atlantic end of the defensive
Lines. It is surrounded by pleasant hills on three sides – on the west
the hill is crowned by the fortress Sao Vicente
ii) General – The divisional commander who left was James Leith (later
Lt Gen Sir) who returned in 1812
iii) Mrs Walton Montague Square – CB’s maternal grandmother
iv) King – George III’s insanity & confinement evidently gave rise to
many rumours – the formal Regency was looming
v) Interest – presumably this was a reference to what would now be the
Bank Rate
vi) Tagus – other side – on the east of the Tagus and further south was
Soult’s army but they never managed a junction with Massena – and
intense Naval gunboat activity helped to deter this
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