BIB_ID
389917
Accession number
MA 1273.33
Creator
Taylor, Herbert, Sir, 1775-1839.
Display Date
1794 Oct. 3
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 item (5 p., with address) ; 23.8 cm
Notes
Address panel with fragment of a seal and postmarks to "Major General / Sir James Pulteney Bart M.P. / &c &c &c / London." The London address has been crossed through and Shrewsbury written over it.
Volume 16 (MA 1273) 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 1273.1-54).
Volume 16 (MA 1273) 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 1273.1-54).
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of Manuscripts.
Summary
Acknowledging his recent letter and asking if he plans to visit; saying "You would find Us taking the best Precautions to defend a Country and a Set of Scoundrels who wish Us at the Devil, as much as We Them. If I was to begin complaining of the Dutch I should never have done;" relating details of a plan proposed by the Prince of Orange to the Duke of York and an alternate plan proposed by General Clerfayt; relating details of the positions of the Austrian Army and expressing a lack of confidence in General Clerfayt's plan; reporting on the "wretched State" of the Dutch fortresses; adding "The Inhabitants of many Provinces are ripe for a Revolt. The Government is weak and undecided and shews it in every step it takes, whilst its Apprehensions for the present, prevent it taking the least Precaution for the Future. Every Precaution is taking for the Passage of the Waal in case of Accident, and there We hope to be able to maintain ourselves during the rest of the Campaign & Winter, should no fortunate Event give us an opportunity of advancing again which I still do not despair of, unlikely as it appears;" adding, in a postscript, dated 9 o'clock at Night, news that the Enemy forced General Clerfayt to cross the Rhine which in turn will force them to cross the Waal. "This is a great secret & quite Entre Nous."
Catalog link
Department