| Title: | [Lord?] Alexander, Quebec Citadel, to the Countess of Caledon, [Location?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 3614 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | lord caledon/96 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Lord Caledon (James Du Pre Alexander) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | army officer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Destination | Ireland? |
| Recipient | Countess of Caledon |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | D 2433/B/8/12: Deposited by the Trustees of The Caledon Estates |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9512029 |
| Date | 17/08/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:12:95. |
| Word Count | 759 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Quebec Citadel August 17th 1838 My Dear Mother, As one of the 1st Regt.[Regiment?] is going home I take this opportunity of writing by him to thank you for a letter I received from you yesterday as I was afraid that you might have thought my former letters rather dull I am glad that they arrived you.I have just missed making a tour which would have completed every dream of happiness in my imagination it was to go with a trading party to the Far West. Windham & Hope applied for leave, as I am senior to Hope I might have obtained it before him but he applied first, and as I knew we could not both go I did not stand in his way they are gone for 4 months they go straight to St. Louis between the Missouri & Mississippi and there they meet the fur traders, they will see a great deal worth seeing not only as regards scenery but in the different tribes of Indians and their [----?] and at the same time have excellent sport and the Indian summer which commences now whereas our winter is beginning already Colonel Greenwood of the 1st Regiment goes with them; I have seen some people here who have made the same journey and they all say that it was delightful the flies have all gone which is another advantage. Codrington and his wife and another of our people tried to get up the Saguiney and they went in a trading schooner which was going up but they all succeeded in getting about 15 miles up the river and were obliged to come back but they were much pleased with what they saw the salmon were all gone however so they had no sport. We have our prisoners here still report today says that some of them are to be hanged they are allowed to walk an hour a day on the ramparts and a curious thing happened that yesterday a tame fox of mine ran by them and jumped down the rampart close by them and ran off, it was almost equivalent to a hint to them to do the same, except that the centries might pick them off as they ran down the [--- ---?] they groaned very much when they saw the fox going off. Ashburnham [?] has made a most beautiful panorama as part of one of the view off the ramparts but nothing can describe the fine extent of river and mountain here. The people about here are very quiet, there are a good many wounded men of the 32nd Regt. [Regiment?] on their way to England that were at the [------?] engagement they are mostly very young lads I have been hard at work since my return from Niagara so that soon I hope to make another excursion. I forgot whether I told you that Bland who was at Caledon and Robarts the Bankers son who was at school with me had passed through Quebec they are gone back into the states.I hear no regimental news but I think that when there is a move it will be a very large one. I do not think Graham will be able to remain in the Regiment.I was very sorry to hear that my poor friend Lambart was very ill and not expected to recover we have been all well here since we came out it is a magnificent climate.Some of our men have gone off but I understand two are taken.One of the servants went off with all his master's clothes and his horse but he was also taken and will be tried tomorrow or Monday,on the frontier the desertions are more numerous owing to the facility with which they can cross over.I trust my father is quite recovered now from all ill effects of his attack.I direct to Littenhanger although I suppose that you will have returned to Caledon by the time my letter reaches you as I believe the bearer is going in a common merchantman.I hear that [-------?] will not have to come out yet.There are to be grat races here and at Montreal soon but I do not know anything about them.I am next for detachment duty and I believe in about 10 days or a fortnight that I shall be kicking my heels at the Quarantine on Grove Island. With best love to my Father and Bell I remain your affectionate Son Alexander I have got some sketches similar to the Bird Patterns on the plates of the Saguiney |
