| Description | Assures her that he has written many letters even though she complains that she has not received any for five months: he has many a night stayed up to write after everybody had gone to bed; recounts putting the French to flight after crossing a river out of Spain into France
3 November 1813
Written with somewhat phonetic spelling and little punctuation: '... My dear I can a sur you ever cense I had the oner of been on his magest cervers I never seen so breve a thing as I ded in crosing the river out of Spain in France we cresed a bout 6 o'clock in the moring the river was a bout ne dep at lo water we drove them from ther 'one beters' the fleed in all direxens we drove them tel we com to a town which was a bout 8 or 9 miles in the contrery wer we stel remen but we er in camp at present it is very wet and could we expet to advance very coun then I hope we chal not bee long before we get in querters then reting will bee all my stedey for I chal not hav so much to do ...'
[My dear, I can assure you ever since I had the honour of being on His Majesty's Service I never seen so brave a thing as I did in crossing the river out of Spain in[to] France. We crossed about 6 o'clock in the morning. The river was about knee deep at low water. We drove them from there [...] they fled in all directions, we drove them till we came to a town which was about 8 or 9 miles in the country where we still remain, but we are in camp at present. It is very wet and could we expect to advance very soon then I hope we shall not be long before we get in quarters, then writing will be all my study for I shall not have so much to do ...]
[This could be alluding to the Battle of the Bidassoa (or the Battle of Larrun), 7 October 1813, when Wellington's forces engaged with the French under Soult during the Peninsular War] |