BIB_ID
380871
Accession number
MA 487.35
Creator
Arbuthnot, Robert, 1760-1809.
Display Date
1808 Dec. 28.
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 item (5 p., with address) ; 23.2 cm
Notes
Address panel with traces of a seal and a postmark "Private / Sir James Pulteney / &c &c &c / Horse Guards / London."
Docketed.
Volume 1 (MA 487) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 487.1-46).
Docketed.
Volume 1 (MA 487) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 487.1-46).
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of manuscripts.
Summary
Relating his arrival at Coruña and his travels from there to Vigo, passing along the way the 76th Regiment "upon their Retreat. Two days after my arrival at Vigo, I was informed that the Retreat of the English Troops had been stopped & that they had determined to form a junction & march against the enemy. This change induced me to remain at Vigo untill I heard the result of the new System, & here I have been for a fortnight expecting every hour to have some intelligence of importance but continually disappointed, Considering how near we are to the Scene of Action it is quite astonishing how little we know of the movements or situation either of the English, French or Spanish Armies, & my impatience to receive English News Papers is principally that I may obtain information of what is going on in Spain;" relating the news he received that the French were "defeated with great loss at Madrid;" saying he has heard from officers recently arrived that there is concern in England for the safety of the troops; assuring him that they are not in danger; expressing his disappointment "at the want of activity & of Enthusiasm which I remarked at Coruña...I perceived every where no doubt a great hatred to the French but it was accompanied by at least an equal terror for them & a very [illegible] idea of their power;" saying "I intend to set out in a few days for Lisbon by Land. The Road & Inns are I dare say very bad, but I think I may submit to them as Lord & Lady Holland with two English Maids & a numerous train of attendants went thither last week There is no Carriage Road as far as Oporto, & Lady Holland rode on a Mule on a [illegible] Throw Pack Saddle.By the bye the Road from Coruña to Vigo is one of the finest I ever saw, laid out with great skill thro a very mountainous Country & made with vast labour & Expence. The Country in some places is very beautiful & tolerably cultivated;" asking him to write and saying he will continue to write to him.
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