BIB_ID
390985
Accession number
MA 1280.1-34
Creator
Dundas, Henry, 1742-1811.
Display Date
1793-1800.
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 v. (34 items), bound ; 42.9 cm
Notes
The first 29 letters in this volume are dated from September 11, 1793 through December 5, 1793, MA 1280.30 is a copy of a letter dated January 25, 1798 and the final four letters in the volume (MA 1280.31-34) are dated September 30, 1800 through November 17, 1800.
Volume 23 (MA 1280) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries "the larger portion having reference to the Duke of York's Expedition to the low Countries and to the Threatened Invasion of England by Napoleon" (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290).
Volume 23 (MA 1280) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries "the larger portion having reference to the Duke of York's Expedition to the low Countries and to the Threatened Invasion of England by Napoleon" (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290).
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of Manuscripts.
Summary
A collection of letters related to the Siege of Dunkirk (MA 1280.1-12); concerning the Siege of Maubeuge, the strategic importance of Ostend and the strategy for "annoying the Enemy" during the winter (MA 1280.15); ordering the withdrawal of troops and ammunition used in the Siege of Dunkirk and their transfer to Sir Charles Grey for his campaign in the West Indies (MA 1280.19); requesting a detailed plan of operations against the enemy and discussing the allocation of resources to best defend Ostend and support the campaign in the West Indies (MA 1280.20); congratulating him on the success at Marchiennes (MA 1280.23); instructing him not to approve any requests for Leaves of Absence during Winter Quarters "it being utterly impossible to foresee what conduct the Enemy may pursue" and positioning troops for the winter based on intelligence reports (MA 1280.24); discussing the problem of Emigration and saying "It has been understood that a great number of the Emigrants now have expressed a design of coming to this Country in the hope of finding an opportunity from hence of joining their friends...I beg of you to suggest to the Duke of York the expediency of discouraging by every means in his power any such designs" (MA 1280.27); including a copy of a letter outlining regulations concerning the clothing and subsistence of Prisoners of War (MA 1280.30); expressing his "severe disappointment" on the unsuccessful Ferrol expedition (MA 1280.31); countering, at length, Pulteney's assertion that Spain had advance warning of the attack by the British at Ferrol (MA 1280.32); discussing, at length, in a letter dated Downing Street, 6 October 1800 and marked "Private", a report that Portugal feared an attack by Spain with the assistance of France and was asking for the support of British troops; ordering that troops be sent to Lisbon but expressing his concerns over the commitment by Portugal to defend itself; saying "It would be uncandid in me not to state to you that the Accounts I have seen from Lisbon respecting the want of vigour in every department connected with the Defence of the Country, are not encouraging;" giving him the latitude to assess the situation on the ground and act accordingly (MA 1280.33); ordering the return of British troops from reports that, at the present time, there appears to be no imminent threat from Spain (MA 1280.34).
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