444, LIEUT.-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, C.B., R.A. 
LETTER IX. 
(To Mrs. Dywetzy). 
CaMP BEFORE QuapRAzags, June 4th, 1812. 
My letter of the Ist to Jane would tell you, my dearest mother, we 
were to commence our march the next morning, which we did and got 
over our day’s work remarkably well, but yesterday the weather was 
so intolerably hot we had to give in at 10 o’clock, leaving unfinished 
two leagues of our march. Macdonald went on to report the circum- 
stances to the General, and left me encamped with the troop. I 
moved off this morning at three, but having so long a march before 
us I did not reach this ground until past one o’clock. As the road lay 
principally over the mountain tops we did not suffer much from heat. 
As soon as I get to my ground, I have my tent pitched and bed put 
down and have a couple of hours’ sleep, after which I am as fresh as a 
lark. Our living, as you may suppose, is not so good on the march as 
in quarters. ‘To-day, for instance, the ox, part of which we are to 
have for dinner, did not come off his march till an hour after us. 
Notwithstanding, I have no doubt but that I shall relish it quite as 
much as if it had been hanging in Newport market for a week; besides 
I have a cask of good wine with me and shall not forget my three 
bumpers. : 
We are off again to-morrow at four o’clock for Aldea de Ponte where 
we are to receive a fresh route; where that may take us, puzzles 
most of our heads. I believe I told you in a former letter, that our 
late General (Alton) had been removed to the light division, and re- 
placed by General Hope, who, I am much afraid, will not remain with 
us long, he is so dreadfully afflicted with the gout; he is now travelling 
at the head of the division in a spring waggon. I hope, however, he 
will be either well or relieved before we fall in with any of our French 
friends, for our second in command is a German, and we might have a 
cleverer fellow. 
I suppose by this time Robert has received my draft for £75. 
Thanks for your letter of the 7th ultimo. I understand another 
mail is in the country, but we have not yet got our letters. 
June dth.—Here we are still! As I was not engaged to either a 
ball or supper last night, I went very quietly to bed about half-past 
seven, where I had not been more than an hour, when I was told we 
were to halt here to-morrow. I have just been into the town to read 
the papers up to the 15th, which I am sorry to see confirm the reports 
of Mr. Perceval’s murder. The poor Chancellor, I pity him much ; 
and Miss Scott, if I remember right, was very intimate with Mrs. 
Perceval. Everybody in this country seems to wish Bellingham may 
be hung, drawn and quartered. I have just bet a guinea he will not 
suffer death, which I most sincerely hope I may lose. 
Thirty French deserters have just passed through the camp. They 
all agree in stating that a large force is collecting at Salamanca, they 
1 Harly in May, 1812, Mr. Perceval, the Tory Premier, was assassinated in the lobby of the 
House of Commons.—Ed, 
