Pray assure Lord Rosslyn when you see him of my high sense of his Lordship’s goodness, and that if I must quit the 23rd, I shall feel highly gratified by being in his Regiment. Pray get my uncle to get the Duchess to speak to Gordon about the exchange. As things are now, it is really a very hard case that I must give up my chance of advancement because I am anxious to learn experience of my profession, and it has disgusted me not a little. In the midst of this idleness, such is the confusion and hurry that we can scarcely settle to anything. Report says we are going to Spain. I am working hard at Spanish, as is Mellish, who is a very clever fellow.
Stuart, my old friend, embarked to-day. His Regiment marched in, in the finest order, and got great credit. He desires to be most kindly remembered, as does the General. I believe General Hill, who commanded at Fermoy when I was there, goes with us in the Resistance. He is a very pleasant, mild man, and much liked. He commands here till the arrival of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir A. Wellesley, I believe certainly; but whether he will come here, or we join him at sea, is not known.
Wm. Warre.
Extract of my Letter to Greenwood & Cox.
“June 17, 1808.
“The objection to my accompanying Major General Ferguson (the number of Captns. then on the Staff from the Regt.) being now removed by Captn. F’s exchange, I hope H.R. Highness and Major-General Payne will be pleased to allow me to remain in the 23rd, to which, independent of the number of steps I shall lose by the exchange, I am much attached, and shall only quit from my great desire of acquiring experience in my profession on actual service, of which I saw but little prospect in the Regt. at present. Any emolument I can receive from my Staff situation, I can assure H.R.H., is not an object, my only wish being to render myself, as far as lays in my power, useful in the service, however great the loss [I may] suffer by entering another Regt. as younger Captain from one in which I am so high up.
“I have the honour to request you will lay this before H.R.H., at the same time assuring him of my willingness to fulfil the conditions under which he was pleased to allow me to accompany Major-Genl. Ferguson, by exchanging into any Regt. of Dragoons H.R.H. may think proper. I have the honour, etc., etc.”
I have desired them to write to me what answer the Duke gives.
[4] Thomas Warre, second son of James Warre, a merchant in St Petersburg, escaped from Russia to Sweden after war had been declared against England.