Sir John Poo BERESFORD (1766-1844)

Autograph Letter Signed (“JP Beresford”) to “My dear Croker!” [John Wilson Croker, Secretary to the Admiralty], commenting on news of a skirmish near Badajoz and adding that “the noble Lord Cochrane . . . took 15,000£ . . . at Cadiz . . .”

3 pages 4to with integral address leaf with an almost intact red wax seal, Lisbon, 18 February 1811.    

“You will add to yr. former kindness if you will send the order which you have obtained from their Lordships to pay me as commander in chief which I was in America to my agent Mr. John Atkins, No. 2 Austen Friars in the City. . . we are all impatient for the arrival of Sir Joseph York. This is the mom[en]t for the reinforcem[en]ts to come, I do believe your f[riend]d Lord Wellington c[oul]d do a great deal if they were now on the spot. Accounts have come from near Badajos of a partial skirmish; we may hourly expect to hear from thence of some attack between the French & Spaniards without the Place . . . My Brother still continues at Chamousca with an excellent division . . . Nothing can excel Lord Wellington’s conduct. He is a surprisingly fine officer.

I hope the House know that the noble Lord Cochrane . . . took 15,000£ (or an order for it at Cadiz) for the purpose of speculating in Barbary on corn where him & his Brother the other Captn. RN now are – This may make up for extra changes in Prize causes.”

Sir John Poo Beresford spent the winter of 1810-11 stationed in Lisbon, supporting the army, hence his close observation of Wellington’s command. The following year, he was posted to the coast of America, where he served for two years in the war against the States.

His brother, Sir William Beresford, who had achieved remarkable results with the Portuguese troops under his command, was soon to march towards Badajoz, where he laid siege to the city. Reports of the approach of French reinforcements caused him to lift the siege, and soon thereafter he achieved a notable victory against the French at Albuera.

The reference to Lord Cochrane in the postscript of the letter to Croker is interesting. There was a great antipathy between the sober Croker and the more turbulent Cochrane. The question of prize money was, of course, of great importance to all sailors at the time, but perhaps even more so to Cochrane, always aware of his own father’s financial difficulties.

The last page of the letter has been somewhat torn at the folds, probably when the letter was opened, but it remains in clear and legible condition throughout.

Delivery

Autographs can be delivered worldwide. Delivery costs are calculated at the time of order and items will be sent by the most appropriate means, depending on your location and the value of the item. This will usually be by Royal Mail Special Delivery within the UK and Royal Mail Tracked outside the UK. 

The current delivery charges are:

• UK:

  Royal Mail Special Delivery £9.00

• Europe:

  Europe Royal Mail Tracked £15.00
  EU customers should note that, following brexit, local VAT and customs duties may apply to their purchases. 

   USA:

• Royal Mail Tracked £25.00

  Rest of the World:

• Rest of the World Tracked £20.00

   

Export Licensing

Customers should be aware that all letters and documents over 50 years old require an export licence, which may delay delivery by anything from one to three weeks. Signed photographs are not subject to export licence regulations, and can be sent immediately.

There is no charge for the export licence and I will take care of the application, the only inconvenience to you will be the delay.

Authenticity

The authenticity of the letters and documents offered is guaranteed.

Payment

Online sales orders

Payments made via the website are processed by Shopify Inc and can be made using Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

Telephone sales orders

Items may be purchased by phone. Please contact me using the website Contact Form and I will call you within 48 hours to discuss your requirements. Payment for purchases ordered by phone can be paid upon receipt of the invoice and must be paid within 7 days. Phone orders can be paid by cheque (in pounds sterling only) or bank transfer.

Items will be reserved for one week following the order confirmation and will be dispatched either within 7 days after full payment has been received, or after any required export licenses have been granted.

Returns Policy

Should you be in any way dissatisfied with your purchase, items may be returned within six weeks of delivery and a full refund will be made upon receipt of the returned item. The item must be received by Richmond Autographs in the same condition as when dispatched.  For full details, please read our Terms and Conditions.