Peninsular Wars (1 results)
[prob. James Campbell, later General and Colonial Administrator; Ionian Islands] Substantial Autograph Letter Signed "J. Campbell" to "Aunt Wise" (aunt of his wife apparently)
["Captain (later General) Campbell, then in the Peninsula"]; Peninsular Wars; Vitorio
Published by ?Momento? 13 Feb, 1813
Seller: Richard M. Ford Ltd, London, United KingdomRichard M. Ford Ltd
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Add to basketFour pages, 4to, one page over-written, sl. stained and aged, text complete apart from minor loss with seal, and legible. His first two pages relate to family matters, including (perhaps) significant references to "Elizabeth" - James Campbell had a daughter called but he reflects on "the present state of things" including inform…ation and opinion that would be censored in later wars. "But when that most desirable period [return home] will arrive it is impossible in the present state of thingseven to guess at. As far as one can judge however I should think it cannot be very distant - Our Reg[imen]t is so very weak that if we do not get reinforcements out we can be of very little use. We have upwards of 260 sick & our men are dying fast- We can produce perhaps 240 on parade including servants &c but [one?] half of the men have suffered so much that if we were to move the would knock up in three days.- As to the Army at large and its probable movements, every body is in the dark. Should we go again into Spain it will be again[st] the wish of almost every officer - The sic[k]ness is really shocking, & could the English public be made acquainted with its extent would certainly make a great noise - I should think since the Army came into Cantonments at least 5000 men must have died by sickness - In short it is dreadful, and we cannot be in a fit state for the field for a long time - In passing by the hospital of the [82nd?] Regt the other day, I saw them digging some graves, & the Serjeant told me they had eight men laying dead that morning - In the field, one passes over dead bodies without feeling much, but when in quarters you see men dropping off by disease in crowds it really makes a man melancholy - I have seen quite enough of what they call honor & glory, and wish I was quietly settles in some [?] cottage at home, where I could dig up my little garden, and poke up my fire, leaving these scenes of death & destruction to those who are fond of them- It is only a few weeks since I joined the Regt and on looking over a list of men that I brought with me from Lisbon, I find there are already 5 dead, & 12 sick in hospital, out of 30.".