Captain Kelly hero of the Battle of Waterloo writes from Ireland to his wife Maria 1821

 

Edward Kelly (1771-1828) was an Irishman of modest origins who got into contemporary prints and narratives for personal bravery at the Battle of Waterloo spiced up with some bravado – as a battlefield Captain in the Life Guards he ran through and toppled a French cuirassier from his horse and then dismounted and used his sword to cut off, as a souvenir, the dead (or dying?) officer’s epaulettes. He was later wounded but consoled himself with hopes for promotion and in a letter to his wife (not in my possession but recorded by other researchers) he notes that the “Marquis of Anglesea sent me word that he had already mentioned my name to the Duke of Wellington and that he would also mention me to the Prince [the Prince Regent] and the Duke of York, so that I think there will be a race between me and Whale for the Lt. Colonelcy, and God knows I won it fairly in the Field, but I think there is no chance of my getting it.” He had to wait for promotion, but for his battlefield exploits was awarded the Russian Order and Cross of St. Anne. 

This August 1821 letter shows him in Ireland (where he becameAide de Camp to Major-General Egerton) in the month of George the Fourth's visit to Dublin; he was subsequently posted to India as Aide de Camp to Stapleton Cotton, later Viscount Combermere, and already the Commander in Chief in India. He was joined in India by his son Edward and both were present at the significant capture of Bharatpur in 1826. But in 1828 first the son and then the father died of locally-contracted illnesses. 

Other letters written by Kelly are already known to researchers (see References) and I have other items of Kelly family correspondence from this period including one written from General Egerton to Kelly; that suggests to me that there are likely to be  more letters still in circulation between dealers and collectors but not yet identified by researchers.

 

Transcription

Addressed: To Mrs Kelly   Sutton   Surry   England

Datelined: Armagh 16^th Augt 1821

Only legible postmarked is the London transit mark of 21 Au 1821

 

My ever dearest Maria

It is with the greatest pleasure I haste to inform you that Genl. and Mrs Egerton and myself set off from hence on Saturday next for Dublin for the purpose of attending a Levee  and a Drawing room on Monday and Tuesday next and very soon after that I proceed to Sutton on leave for two months. I think about the second week in Septemr you will see me and eat some partridges of my killing and some trout also.

I am not to return to Armagh having obtained the Generals permission to set off direct from Dublin, my anxiety is so great to be with you all that I have declined the trip to Scotland which under any other circumstances I should have been delighted to avail myself of. Mrs Egerton has been very ill with measles and I think she runs a great risk in going out so soon after them.

Nothing can equal the Kings reception in Ireland, the people are absolutely mad with joy – after I have been presented I will write to you again but I dare say His Majesty will not recollect me in the change of uniform from the Life Gds to the Staff. Lord Anglesea will be there also and perhaps His Lordship will not recollect me either. I hope however that I will never forget that I am a man and therefore am superior to dwelling or fretting for such things as these, had I not done my duty in the Field [of battle] all the rewards His Majesty could bestow on me could not make me happy [ possibly happyer].

I hope you got my letter and presents for the Children  ….pray kiss them all for me and assure them of my unalterable affection. Get Mr Sancho [his horse] in exercise for me, I dare say he is so fat that he will not be able to Hunt.

I hope to bring over some music and a something in the dress way for the Girls or ….. of the Kings visit to Ireland.

I have not time to say more at this moment but I will write more fully from Dublin and I trust be able to name the time to a day that you may expect to see me.

adieu my ever dearest Love & Believe me

Your unalterably affecte EK [?]

 

References

https://insidecroydon.com/2023/05/14/kellys-heroics-and-the-tale-of-a-soldiers-hard-life-and-death/

https://chrisb2701.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/waterloo-kelly-and-the-dissolute-earl/

https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1974-05-69-52-1

https://lornapeel.com/2024/06/30/king-george-iv/

https://ageofrevolution.waterlooassociation.org.uk/200-object/4250/

 

 

The Fourth Duke of Newcastle to his son William Pelham Clinton at Christ Church Oxford 1835

The Fourth Duke of Newcastle (1785-1851) had already fathered thirteen children by his wife Georgiana between 1807 and 1822 when she died giving birth to twins, one stillborn and one dying within a fortnight. He did not re-marry and appears to have been an affectionate but possibly unavailable father, as the letter transcribed below suggests. He was also a political reactionary in a period when reactionary forces were powerful; he was very active against causes which eventually succeeded: the removal of most civil disabilities applied to Roman Catholics (1829) and electoral reform (1832). His reactionary stance and an associated rudeness eventually (1839) caused his removal from his post as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. In this letter his support for Sir Robert Peel's government is clearly conditional. 

The recipient  is his son William who graduated from Oxford in 1836. Shortly after, and following an affair which became public knowledge, he was despatched on a Grand Tour of Europe along with his younger twin brothers  Charles and Thomas who appear in this letter and who were painted in 1818 aged five by William Collins RA.

Curiously, William’s father had been trapped at Tours in France on his own Grand Tour (but accompanied by father and stepmother) between 1803 and 1806. I suspect that his reactionary views may have been encouraged by this unwonted stay in revolutionary France.

Lord William Pelham-Clinton died in 1850 and never married, which helps explain the fact that this letter has been circulating, possibly for a very long time, in the marketplace of paper collectibles.

 

Transcription

Addressed to: The Lord William P. Clinton   Christ Church   Oxford

Datelined: London Mar 6 1835

Free Frank privilege claimed, dated frank of 6 MR 1835 on outer wrapper; letter written on black-edged mourning notepaper.

My dear William

Your letter now enclosed [but not now present] has been 3 days on my table already & I have not had the kindness to write a few lines to you in enclosing it. My dear William forgive me – you know my inexactitude which is quite culpable & when the time has arrived I have been too late for the post.

I mean to return to Clumber [Clumber Park, his residence in Nottinghamshire] on Monday after which time write to me there.

If I can I will send you the amount of your bills before I leave London but I much fear that my payments will necessarily be so close that I must postpone it until after the beginning of April. Nothing but wind & disagreeable weather – politics improve & far as I can see Sr R. Peel is doing well – if he can restrain himself from reforming all will be right & we shall pull through & we shall deserve success without such conduct we shall neither have nor deserve success.

I had a letter from Edwd. [probably naval Lieutenant Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton 1816-1842] today dated Valparaiso Novr 28 – he was quite well.

I must write no more or I shall be late for everything else. Susan is better certainly & Henrietta [? uncertain transcription] is pretty well again. Charles & Thomas returned to Windsor at 6 this morning [Windsor means Eton; Lord Charles and Lord Thomas Charles Pelham-Clinton were twins born in 1813 ]

Ever your most truly affecte. Father     Newcastle

References

Wikipedia: Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4^th Duke of Newcastle

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/learning/biographies/lordwilliampelham-clinton(1815-1850).aspx

 

Lord Charles and  Lord Thomas Pelham-Clinton aged five