“Your sincere well-wisher,
“Thomas Hunter Blair, colonel.”
“Namur, June 29th, 1846.
“SERGEANT-MAJOR COTTON,
“I have read your book ... with very great interest.... Thinking from our conversation on the field respecting the present condition of the ground on which Halkett’s brigade acted, that you would be pleased to know the opinion of even so undistinguished a member of that body as myself, respecting your explanation of the events of the battle thereabouts, ... I hesitate not to say that I was at once surprised and gratified to hear from you ... the best and most correct detail of the proceedings ... that I have either heard or read.... Further ... you made me far better acquainted with the details of what occurred at Hougoumont, and to its right, than I ever was before.
“Hoping you may long enjoy health to pursue the interesting occupation for which your soldierly qualities and intelligence so well fit you, I remain, etc.
“Edward Macready, major unattached;
of the 30th, at Waterloo.”
The following document is to the Author, and probably it will be to not a few of his readers, deeply interesting: it is from the late lamented colonel Gurwood, whose labour in collecting and publishing the Wellington Dispatches, whilst it rendered an invaluable, perhaps an unrequited service to his country and to civilization, broke his health, and bore down his gallant spirit:
“70, Lowndes-square, London, June 18th, 1843.
“SERGEANT-MAJOR COTTON,
“I have had a set of the Dispatches of the Duke of Wellington packed up to be forwarded to you, which I shall endeavour to send you on the return of king Leopold to Brussels, to the care of sir G. H. Seymour, her Majesty’s minister, to whom I shall write to inform you when they arrive.