Collections - Letters
Letters of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bevan, 1804-1811.
Letter Number 67
Dated: 23rd February 1811. C.B. Torres Vedras Addressed to Mrs C
Bevan, Money Hill, Rickmansworth, Herts
Stamped on address fold Mr 12 1811
My dearest Mary will be surprised to hear that we are still without our
letters from England. This unaccountable delay is just at this moment
most provoking, when I am expecting much very interesting accounts from
you God send they may be favourable ones. With respect to us I cannot
conjecture what is to be our destiny, I imagine the arrival of the next
packet will give us some --- information on this head; our weather
continues very bad; the army however are getting more healthy: as rain
unfits from marching and being exposed to bad weather during the nights
have had excellent effects among the men. Money is very scarce and
provisions in our neighbourhood not as plentiful as was the case some
time ago. The difficulty of carriage from Lisbon is the real cause of
this, and, not any immediate scarcity in the country, for that part of
the Army on either bank of the Tagus where they are stationed within the
reach of water convoy were all abundantly supplied. Some people tell us
that very strong reinforcements are coming out, but I imagine that if
the Regency is by this time established, the new government will not be
in so great a hurry to send men out to him as the Marquis Wellesley may.
However I should be glad to see Five or Ten Thousand more troops, and
then we may bid defiance to any attempts of the Enemy, indeed that we
know may do, but we must calculate our weakness ------ which would of
course diminish our present strength. We expect one hundred men of the
4th from Colchester.
I wish James would get a Frigate & come out here. Mrs D will not, I dare
swear, thank me for the charitable wish. But Ladies & Gentlemen do not
always think alike on these subjects; and indeed on some others; the
(hole by seal) to say sometimes. As to myself I am (hole) ----- best of
the world and that is I was in this country for; but I do not know
exactly how long I might continue of that opinion and should one
unfortunately change it, I fear those living on the ?fringe retirement
would not find me a very pleasant companion. What do you think
I know I am very often most particularly disagreeable. And I am quite
aware that unfortunately for me other people know and feel the same
thing, but I cannot change my nature I suppose with me it is
constitutional for I am very often exceedingly otherwise. I am
agreeable to myself. I hope your little sons take not much of their
Fathers failings
I have not heard lately from Paterson- Nor over likely to see him until
we meet in England. I have no horses fit for travelling - In short I am
very badly equipped in all ways and although the distance is not great
with the roads still very bad that they might in England clearly travel
for five times the journey from Torres Vedras to ?Alverca I hope my
young Edward is now as troublesome as usual, and you have no longer any
fear for his health poor little man & your good Mother I hope
continues as well as she describes herself to me. Pray give my best love
to her and to all your Party.
God Bless you, my best Friend
Yours always C.B.
Torres Vedras
23 February 1811
NOTES BY TRANSCRIBER
i) Supply Since Torres Vedras was at the left of the defence Lines, it
was the furthest point to be supplied whether along the Lines or from
Lisbon direct up the road from Malveira
ii) Regency The Regent was sworn in on 5 Feb 1811 though it had been
expected for months. It is not clear here whether CB knows this has
happened. He, like others expected the Regent to change to a Whig
Cabinet and perhaps therefore to a party unwilling to support the war.
In fact this did not happen
iii) James Capt James Dacres RN, Marys brother had been awaiting a
ship for months (it was soon to happen)
iv) What do you think? You is underlined 4 times
v) Paterson CBs old friend in 28th Ft was on the far bank of the
Tagus and they were unlikely to meet
vi) Alverca the word is indecipherable and Alverca is a guess
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