Historical Letter No 1 (by George Watson)
The following letter, dated March 1809, addressed to Lt Col Williamson,
was found several years ago among some papers in a desk which had
originally come from Banniskirk. It illustrates how Caithness soldiers
kept in touch during the Peninsular War and supported each other by
lending money at a period when banking was still undeveloped. For the
soldiers evacuated from Corunna the voyage home was almost as hazardous as
battle.Benjamin Williamson had been the officer
in charge of the second regiment raised by Sir John Sinclair, known
initially as the Rothsay & Catenes Fencibles and later as the Caithness
Highlanders. When the Fencibles were disbanded in July 1802 he return to
his estate at Banniskirk and played an active role in the administration
of the County. His sons mentioned in the letter were, Captain Donald who
attained the rank of major in the 42nd Regiment and was killed at Burgos
in 1812 and James who eventually became a Captain in the 94th Regiment and
was killed at the storming of Cuidad Rodrigo.
The writer was his cousin Captain Donald Campbell who
later rose to be a Lt Col. At one time he farmed Harland near Wick and
died, unmarried, at Creich in Sutherland.
The letter had been folded and sealed with red wax
impressed with the initials D C. It had been sent under Sir John
Sinclair�s cover because as an MP Sir John was allowed free postage. On
the outside Williamson had noted.
�Capt Dond Campbell, no date, Recd 22 March 1809�
�As to his accts�
�Wrote him 10 April�
Weely Bks
March 1809
My Dear Colonel
Your very kind letter of 11th Feby did not reach me till 2nd March (it had
gone to Portsmouth) I was very glade indeed to find that you were all well
& so happily relieved of your uneasiness about your ffriends who were in
Spain, I was but little known to the Captain before I met him in Portugal
after which I saw him frequently - you I am sure have a very adequate Idea
of the dificulties the army suffered on their retreat so that I shall say
say nothing on that subject, but cannot help observing to you how
uncommonly well your two sons stood the fatigues & privations of every
kind they met with, I saw the Capt just before the action began, he looked
fatigued (to be sure) but I may safely say fiew in the army less so, and
as for Jas it hardly made any impression upon him, he only reached this
place a fiew days ago having put into Plymouth, whence he sailed to the
Downs & landed at Ramsgate. The Body of the Regiment got to Spithead
before the gales of 29th & 31st - on the former day my Ship was drove from
her anchors & went on the shore where she was beating for six hours, the
sea made a complete breach over her & I had made myself ready for swimming
expecting the next sea would knock us to staves, however she stuck
together till the return of the Tide floated us into the Harbour - On 31st
about twenty sail were drove on shore from Spithead, but only one went to
pieces. I mentioned to Coll Fulton that it would be very pleasing to see
Jas at home on the Recruiting Service (for the leave expires 10th April)
when he promised that he should have a party how soon they all return from
the Malitia Volunteering, but in consequence of Calders great success the
Coll will not move him from Thurso & I do not see that it will make any
great differance to Jas to have his head Qrs at Wick - I am happy to hear
that Lord Moira is positively to have a 4th Battn to be raised for Rank &
I hope James will commence raising for himself, in which case he will get
home at all events -- The loss of baggage in Spain has been pretty general
but I fear your friends have suffered severely, I know James has lost his
all I mean his light articles for the principle part was left at Lisbon,
but I dout much if the allowance will be at all adequate to the loss, we
at one time expected to be handsomly treated but now that a Board of
General Officers are ordered to sit, I fear our chance is small, as they
will naturally adhere to the Kings Regulations on that head - James is
compleating his Kitt again & I have told him that I can supply him with
some cash without drawing upon you, he has not yet taken any. he has taken
every precaution to restore his health & is now as well if not better then
you ever saw him - I do sincerely thank you for your kind wish to see me
in caiths but I have no Idea of it at present, their are certainly some
good ffriends whom I would go a long way to see, but their are other
circumstances which would make my visit rather unpleasant, so that I will
stick by my company.
I do not touch upon our operations in Spain & on the Retreat as of course
you have had them fully detailed from the Capt & James, as to the business
at Corrunna the French certainly did not do their Duty or they would have
made it a very dificult matter for any of us to get away. The people of
Spain certainly beheaved very ill & do not deserve the support this
country has afforded them, the only time we had an opertunity of seeing
any body of them was at Lugo & when we went out to offer Battle to the
Enimy, they threw away their arms & uniforms & run into the country - I
asked for a state of my accnt from you my Dear Colonel merely that I might
have some Idea of how my Sisters were going on, & I must certainly
acknowledge to you I was astonished to find that they were so void of all
feeling as to run accots to such an amount, intirely without my knowledge
or sanction, they had no reason whatever for thinking that I would pay
them or any part of them, when I was informed they were in Debt, I had no
Idea it could possibly exceed a fiew pounds each However let me assure you
I am happy they are paid, & feel much indebted for the trouble you have
taken. It is unpleasant to my feelings to be oblidged to have recourse to
such measures, but I do tell you candidly that I have done with them both,
let them take their chance for I will not have them to suppose that from
my Pay I am to contribute in the smallest to support them in their
Idleness, the inclosed letter which I beg you will send is a full
disclosure of my sentiments & of my determination how to act in future.-
I have frequently spoke to some of my Recruits about not writing regularly
to their Friends, as far as I can learn they are all well at Weely Bks
except the following viz Wm Suthd dead Lisbon, Jno Campbell dead on
Passage out, P Swanson dead, Wm Forbes, Wm McKay & Jas Sutherland, fell
into the hands of the Enimy from Fatigue, Jas Bakie, Jno Gerry & Robt Gunn
left sick in Lisbon, Jno Cornor (alias Grant) an officers servt in Lisbon,
and old Jno McKay (alias Read) gone to a Garrison Battn - James is going
to Town to learn what he can as to 4th Battn 27th - & I send this by him
to get it put under Sir Jno Sinclairs cover - with my sincere best
respects to your Ladies & all other Friends
I remain
My Dear Colonel
Yours most sincerely
Don Campbell
P.S. Notwithstanding what I have said, will you be so
good as continue the usual allowance to Peggy for sometime, but I would
not wish her to know that it was from me or by my wish that she recd it as
I have wrote them both very fully not to look to me for a shilling in
future - D C
Notes on the above letter:-
(1) Weely Bks, probably a contraction for Wellington Barracks London.
(2) The retreat mentioned had been led by Sir John Moore and ended on the
16th Jan 1809 at the battle of Corunna.
(3) The original letter is now P 322 in the North Highland Archive Wick. |