My Dr Harry,
Never did I receive two Letters with such pleasure as your two last since the fight at Waterloo. For three of you to have been engag’d and to come off unhurt, must have been not the fate of chance, but Providence seem’d to have watch’d over you all and protected you. How grateful we all ought to be to the Almighty. I assure you my Prayers have ever been offered up to the Throne of Grace, praying for the Protection of you all, and a safe return to England. This has been one of the most glorious, and most decisive, Battles that has been fought this War. What a shocking sight to see the Gazette, it contain’d full four Columns and a half of kill’d and wounded, and amongst them so many Names I had so often heard spoke of. Poor Major Bringhurst is among the kill’d, an only Son, and his poor father almost broken-hearted.
Poor Mr. Moore is at my house, broken-hearted, and a most distrest object in Health....
Poor Sudbury is dead, he has been a poor creature for many Weeks....
Your Mare was put to Cervantes, a Horse of Ld Fitzwilliam’s; she is very well, and lying in my Wash ground with my Mare and foal, I think the handsomest I ever saw. I am sorry to hear Charles’ Mare is like to have bad feet; if so, the sooner she is disposed of, the better. Tell Tom and Charles I expected to have heard from them long ago.
Give my Love to your Wife and tell her how much I felt for her, before I heard of your fate, well knowing that she must have been dreadfully alarm’d.
Your blood Mare is worth, Buckle tells me, a great deal of Money. Her Dam is dead, and they have sent to him for her to Newmarket to breed from.
Your sisters have told all the News, therefore I conclude with my Love to your Wife and Brothers join’d with all at home.
I am your affect. father,
J. Smith.
Write soon.