Queries.

ADDITIONAL QUERIES RESPECTING GENERAL JAMES WOLFE.
(Vol. iv., pp. 271. 322.)

I beg to thank the six gentlemen who have so promptly and courteously responded to my Queries respecting this admirable soldier. The information they have communicated is valuable and interesting, and tends to remove much of the obscurity that had attended my researches into the earlier portion of his history; and I feel greatly obliged to your correspondents. Still, some of my Queries are unanswered, and I venture to repeat these, in the hope that the information wanted may be elicited.

1. Where was James Wolfe educated?

2. His first, and subsequent, military services?

3. How long was he stationed in Scotland; on what duty; and in what places? [He was in the North in 1749 and 1750; but I have reason to believe some years earlier.]

4. Was he at the battle of Culloden, in 1746?

As some of the gentlemen, in kindly answering my inquiries, have raised certain points on which additional information may be mutually given and received, I take leave to offer the following remarks to these respondents, seriatim.

I.—To H. G. D.

In corroboration of your statement, that the correct date of Wolfe's birth is 2nd January, 1727 (not 1726, as alleged by some), I am enabled to cite his own authority. One of his autograph letters in my possession, dated Glasgow, 2nd April, 1749, states, "I am but twenty-two and three months;" which answers precisely to your time.

You mention that his mother came from, or near, Deptford, and that her Christian name was Henrietta. I am enabled to mention that her surname was Thompson, and that her brother Edward was member of parliament for Plymouth, prior to 1759. Does this give you any clue to Wolfe's mother's family; and particularly whether his maternal grandfather was a military man?

May I further inquire—

1. Whether Wolfe's father was a native of Westerham; or merely quartered there when his illustrious son was born?

2. You allude to two houses at Westerham. Were these General Edward Wolfe's property; or if not, what had led to the family residing there so long, as they seem, from your remarks, to have done?

3. Who was Sir Jeffrey Amherst, and in what manner did he "patronise Wolfe"? Was he any relation of the General Amherst, commander-in-chief in British America, who was to have supported young Wolfe in the attack on Quebec in 1759.

4. Who is the present representative of Wolfe's family?

You mention that you are uncertain when and where James Wolfe first served. I have experienced the very same difficulty. It seems strange that his biographers have been so meagre in the details of his life. It has been said that Wolfe's first effort in arms was as a volunteer under his father, in the unlucky expedition against Carthagena, in 1740, commanded by Lord Cathcart. But I cannot find proper authority for this.

You farther state, that Wolfe was ardently attached to Colonel Barré. It is curious enough that their introduction to each other was chiefly in consequence of a letter which Barré carried to Wolfe, from the officer to whom Wolfe's letters in my possession are addressed. In one of these, dated "Portsmouth, 7th Feb. 1758," Wolfe, after speaking favourably of Barré, states—

"I did not know that Barré was your friend, nor even your acquaintance. Now that I do know it, I shall value him the more.... I trust I shall have good reason to thank the man that mentioned him. Nay, I am already overpaid, by the little that I did, by drawing out of his obscurity so worthy a gentleman. I never saw his face till very lately, nor ever spoke ten words to him before I ventured to propose him as a Major of Brigade."

And he adds:

"Barré and I have the great apartment of a three-decked ship to revel in, but, with all this space, and fresh air, I am sick to death. Time, I suppose, will deliver me from these sufferings [sea-sickness], though in former trials I never could overcome it", &c.

I cordially assent to your encomium on England's young general.

II.—To YUNAFF.

The lady to whom the affectionate and touching lines you have quoted were addressed was Miss Louther, a sister of Sir James Louther; rich, highly accomplished, and most amiable. Wolfe was to have been married to her, had he returned from Quebec. She was very averse to his accepting the command. But nothing could stay his military ardour, even though in indifferent health. Well might the epithet be applied to him—"favourite son of Minerva."

Miss Louther was an object of general sympathy, after her brave lover's fall; and some of the periodicals of the day contain beautiful verses, addressed to her, appropriate to the occasion. This lady's name is not mentioned in any of Wolfe's letters in my possession; but an allusion is made to her incidentally. She was a favourite with the old general and Mrs. Wolfe. In one of the early letters a graphic description is given by young Wolfe of another lady of rank, with whom he was much smitten. That was before he paid his addresses, however, to Miss Louther. But I do not feel at liberty to break the seal of confidence under which this information was communicated in Wolfe's letter, though at the distance of one hundred years, by mentioning farther particulars.

May I ask if the verses in your possession are signed by Wolfe; or in his autograph; and dated? It would be very interesting to have precise information, tending to identity Wolfe as the author of these lines.

III.—To W. A.

I shall be glad to know the contents of the petition, dated February, 1746, and of the six letters mentioned by you. They may throw some light on Wolfe's history. Will you allow me to communicate with you on this subject, by letter, through the Editor, as I reside at a distance from London?

IV.—To J. H. M.

The packet of Wolfe's letters in my possession was never shown to Southey. They were discovered only three years ago. I believe Southey intended to write a memoir of Wolfe, but I am not aware that he carried his intentions into effect. The letters in my care were published in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, December, 1849, under the title "Original Correspondence of General Wolfe." I shall feel obliged by any information you possess regarding the other collection of Wolfe's letters which you believe to exist. Pray, where are they to be seen?

Ȝ.

P.S.—Since expressing my acknowledgments to the other gentlemen who have kindly answered some of my inquiries respecting Wolfe, I have had the pleasure to peruse the information communicated by J. R. (Cork), and I beg to thank him for his courtesy. The sketch he has given of Wolfe's ancestors is very interesting, the more so, as J. R. mentions he is himself connected with Wolfe's family. Would J. R. be kind enough to supply information on the following additional points, viz.:

1. In which of the English counties did Captain George Wolfe, who escaped after the siege of Limerick, settle?

2. Was the son of this officer (father of General Edward Wolfe) also a military man, or a civilian; and what was his Christian name?

3. The birth-place of General Edward Wolfe, father of the hero of Quebec.

Answers to these Queries would connect some of the broken links in the history of one of the most gallant and skilful young generals that England ever entrusted with her armies.

Ȝ.

General Wolfe's executor was General Warde, of the family of Squerries, near Westerham, by whom the epitaph was written, which is now over the south door of Westerham church. General Warde's nephew and executor was General George Warde, who by that means became possessed of several very interesting objects, viz., an original portrait of Wolfe, representing him with his natural red hair. After some time the natural red was converted, by water colours, into a powdered wig; consequently a sponge and clean water would restore it to its original state. Another portrait of Wolfe painted after his death by West; he is represented sitting and consulting a plan of military operations. West has given him the same countenance in which he appears in the celebrated picture of his death. When West was offered the original portrait on which to form this picture, he declined making use of it, as he had already committed himself in the historical portrait, and it would not do for him to alter it, and send out in his name two different portraits. Gen. G. Warde also possessed Wolfe's short sword and black leather letter-case, and a collection of original letters; among which was one of much interest, where Wolfe, mentioning the flattering terms in which he was spoken of by the public and high military authorities, says, that unwarranted expectations were raised, and that to maintain his reputation he might be driven into some desperate undertaking.

I write all this from memory, but my details cannot be very far from correct.

GRIFFIN.