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Twenty-two autograph letters signed, including six smaller ones, from ca. 20x12,5 cm (7 ¾ x 5 in) to ca. 18x11 cm (7 x 4 ¼ in), and sixteen larger ones, ca. 25x20 cm (9 ¾ x 8 in) or slightly smaller. The letters are from 3 to 8 pages long; in all there are ca. 110 pages of manuscript text. Brown ink on creamy and blueish laid and wove paper. With seven original envelopes from ca. 8x13 cm (3x5 cm) to ca. 6x10 cm (2 ¼ x 4 in); addressed and dated in period brown ink. One envelope with Lucy Hall's ink note "Letters from by dear husband in June & in July, when he returned from the Kaffir War & was promoted to India." With six more original ALS: two letters from Sir James MacGrigor to John Hall (dated 1850) and four letters to Lucy Hall written by different correspondents (dated 1849-1857), in all 27 pp. of text. Fold marks, a couple of occasional water stains, five Hall's letters with minor holes after opening affecting one or two words, but overall a very good archive. Historically significant archive of extensive content-rich letters, detailing on the service and life in South Africa of Sir John Hall, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals in the British Cape Colony in 1847-1851. He joined the Army Medical Service in 1815, serving in the West Indies (1818-27, 1841-44), Ireland (1835-36), Spain and Gibraltar (1836-39), South Africa (1847-51) and India (1851-54) throughout his career, but became most famous for his work as Inspector General of Hospitals in the British Army during the Crimean War and his conflict with Florence Nightingale. His full biography by S.M. Mitra, titled "The Life and Letters of Sir John Hall, M.C., K.C.B., F.R.C.S." (London, 1911) is available online . A large collection of Hall's diaries, correspondence, manuscript articles, etc. is now deposited in the Museum of Military Medicine (Keogh Barracks, Mytchett, Surrey), with digitized copies saved in the Welcome Library . Our collection includes twenty-two long and detailed letters, written by Hall to his bride (and later wife) Lucy Campbell Sutherland (née Hackshaw, 1814-1907), who married him in Cape Town on October 31, 1848. The earliest three letters, dated July-September 1848, were written shortly before Lucy's arrival to Cape Town and contain an interesting first-hand account of the struggle with the Boers led by Andries Pretorius (1798-1853) for the lands between the Orange and Vaal Rivers, and the Battle of Boomplaats in August 1848. Nineteen letters dated January-July 1851 are written from the front of the recently started "Kaffir War" (Eighth Xhosa War, December 1850 ? February 1853) and report about the actions and decisions of Hall's superior and friend Harry Smith (1787-1860, Governor of Cape Colony in 1847-1852), the movement of the troops, casualties, the need for medical supplies, mention several British military commanders, Xhosa chief Sandile, "Hottentot" (Khoenkhoen) warriors, and others. The collection also contains two letters to John Hall from Sir James McGrigor (1771-1858), a noted physician and military surgeon, then Director-General of the Army Medical Service (1815-1851). Written in secretarial hand and signed by McGrigor, the letters mention Hall's possible appointment for "the Presidency in Bombay," McGrigor's "approaching retirement," and send regards to Sir Harry Smith. Four letters to Mrs. Hall include an ALS by Sir Edward Allan Holdich (1822-1909), the ADC of Sir Harry Smith and a participant of the Eighth Xhosa War (dated "King William's Town, 6 July 1851"): "I <?> express the deep regret I, in common with all our party, feel at the departure of Dr. Hall, who left us yesterday, with every good wish not only of Sir Harry's personal staff who have so much reason to feel indebted to his [??] kindness & affection, but of every one who has the pleasure to acknowledge either his services or his friendship. <?> When we may meet again is very uncertain. At the expiration of service in this Colony, I am also bound to Indi. Seller Inventory # MA40
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