British Forces Mail. 1793 Flanders Campaign. 1792-95 Entire letters from Corporal William Norman in the Duke of Argyll's Company, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, to his brother-in-law Robert Dimsdale in Yorkshire, one 1793 (Apr 30) letter written from Orque near Tournai, includes "the French have raised the siege of Williamstadt .... we have marched after them through Holland, Brabant and Austrian Flanders and arrived at this place last Thursday where we have joined part of the Austrian Army who are encamped at this place which is the last town in Austrian Flanders joining the French territories. The French Army are now very near us, within a few miles, the outlines of their patrols and ours having communication with each other. Yesterday a skirmish happened between a small party of Austrians and French in which it is reported about 10 men were killed. We hourly expect to have an engagement as the French Army is very near and numerous so that they must fight or starve. I suppose they will prefer the former as our numbers are very small compared with theirs but we daily expect a reinforcement". The other letters written in London, all three with London datestamps. (3).

1799 Dutch Expedition / Ramsay Correspondence. 1799-1830 Letters from Nicholas Ramsay including 1799 letters written at Chelmsford whilst trying to join the expedition (3) and a good letter (no address panel) from Holland with news of the expedition. Also letters to or from his father, the latter passing on news from Holland, and a printed letter concerning raising a subscription for the families of those killed or wounded in Holland. (9).

1801 Egypt Campaign. 1801 Letter posted as a free frank from Edinburgh to the 1st Battn. of Aberdeen Volunteers at Aberdeen, the printed contents concerning general orders on the recent events in Egypt, to be read to the regiment. The two general orders are enclosed, and comprise details of the gallant victory at Aboukir and Alexandria.

1803-05 Entire letters from George Green (an alias for George Price) who was pressed into the navy when serving on the Indiaman "Walmer Castle", all posted to his brother in London, the first letter of 1803 (Dec 18) reporting his misfortune at being pressed, being unwell and therefore being sent to the "Sussex" hospital ship, written from that ship at Sheerness, charged 6d; the other six letters all sent from H.M.S "Speedy", part of the squadron blockading Boulogne, posted from Deal. Three letters endorsed and dated from H.M.S "Speedy" at The Downs and countersigned, prepaid at the 1d concession rate, the others sent as ordinary unpaid letters, presumably because the sender had no money to prepay them. The letters from H.M.S "Speedy" include details of actions with the French and the capture of nine French gun boats full of men. Green was one of 25 men pressed into H.M.S "Speedy" from the "Walmer Castle" as it was about to sail for China on 19th November 1803; he finally absconded from the ship in August 1805. An exceptional correspondence, with transcripts, and the book "Pressganged" which is based upon these letters, the first letter soiled, otherwise largely fine. (7). Photo on Page 40. (Image1)

1808-15 Entire letters including 1808 letter from an officer on the Transport "Boreas" at Spithead waiting to sail for Corunna; 1812 letter posted at Santarem by an officer en route to join the army, with green dated "LISBON / F" handstamp of Falmouth; and an 1815 (June 26) letter from Valogues written in French, referring to Wellington, British officers, etc. Also a 1795 (March 23) receipt given at Essen for 3/7 paid to a guide for the 3rd Regt. of Guards, during their retreat to Vechte. (4).

Michell Correspondence. 1813-14 Entire letters written by Captain John Michell of the Royal Artillery from Villafranche (Dec 17 1813 & Jan 6 1814), Boulogne (Mar 12 1814) or from "Ridgeland Estate near Negril Bay, Jamaica" (Nov 7, 1814), the last written on his return from the expedition to America (during which Washington was sacked), all to his wife in Portsmouth. Also an 1814 (Mar 20) letter from his brother Captain Edward Michell, R.A, written from Andenbosch whilst recovering from gunshot wounds to his left side and hand received during the assault on Bergen-op-Zoom, to his mother in Gloucester. Five fine letters with some good content, the Jamaica letter with light Savanna La Mar handstamp, three others with light green Falmouth Packet Lre handstamps. (5).