L30/12/51/29

Letter from William Robertson, Oakhampton, Devon, to Alexander Hume-Campbell, Lord Polwarth. Soon after last letter was sent, the battalion received orders to decamp and march to Portsmouth in order to embark for foriegn service. Does not know the destination.

15 Oct 1780

From: 1780 To: 1780

'I am at a loss to know how to act. To go abroad as a regimental surgeon, after a long service, to battle a foreign climate, and with a constitution not so good as as when I first had the honour of seeing your Lordship, might be looked upon by my friends as rash. It would be, perhaps, equally so, if, after, having spent the best of may days in the army. I should quit it unrewarded with so small finances, and without having got a step in it. What I have from your Lordship is what I have, chiefly, to depend upon, and as getting inot business in the way of my profession needs more bustle than I perhaps would choose to bestow on it, and depends so much upon accident, I should retire with rather too small an income for my support.' Would welcome his Lordship's advice. Has written to Lord Amherst on the subject. [Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst] Will be at Salisbury on the 25th, so can receive his Lordship's reply there. The first division, of which the writer is a part is to be at Portsmouth on the 30th.

item

Robinson, William,
Robertson, William,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander (2nd Baron Polwarth),
Amherst, Jeffrey

personal correspondence, army