£700 - £1,000
BRITISH OCCUPATION OF RANGOON/YANGON - CAMPAIGN LETTER TO G.B. WITH KEDGEREE & PORTSMOUTH SHIP LETTERS; Very fine 20 July 1824 EL (full typed transcript) from "Rangoon" (folds to show internal dated heading beside the address-panel) to "WETHERBY/194" (fine red mileage mark on top flap; redirected to London) with v. fine 2-ring "CALCUTTA/GENERAL POST OFFICE" mark (m/s 19 Sept. date) and boxed red "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" on the front, but also with a very fine boxed "KEDGREE/POST OFFICE/SHIP LETTER" on the top flap. From Lieut. William Gossip with an update on the problems of the rainy season following the capture of Rangoon on 10/11 May, including; "I am now on Guard in Rangoon. We yesterday morning started on a cruize through the mud: about 1,000 or 1,200 men, but unfortunately were stopped about half a mile from our advanced p[iqu]ets by a Nullas so deep that one of the mounted officers at the front, on attempting to cross was obliged to swim for it, horse & all... we are now not to go out, except on emergencies, until the dry season sets in..." With plans for an exchange to a different Regiment, and details of the loss of many horses before the Campaign started because of high transport costs. An early letter from this first part of the War; of Exhibition Quality. [Ex Cavendish April 1999 auction, lot 248; realised £483.] Cross Reference: MILITARY, SHIP LETTERS, YORKSHIRE
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