Mount Edgcumbe
August 18th 1855
My dear Henry
I ought to have answered Yr letter sooner but I have been so very busy this week. Unfortunately Mr Boger<1> is at Leamington – but I have written to his Colleague at the Manor Office, to know what I had best do. I hope there is not very great hurry – can you tell me? Did Stilwell <2> name any particular day?
Pray let me know how I am to direct to you, Don’t fail.
On Thursday, Ernestine’s <3> birthday, we had a charming picnic at Penlee <4> The weather was quite perfect, without a cloud – & we drank her health in champagne.
We had no one besides ourselves but 2 of Sir Wm Parkers’ daughters- <5> very nice people.
I hope you will have as fine weather fr Scotland, Write directly, Is it not a grand thing destroying Sweaborg!<6> & today we hear of a victory gained by the French & Sardinians at on the Tchernaya–<7>
Yr affte Sister Caroline
Love to allMilord is at Teignmouth.<8>
Notes:
1. Deeble Boger (d. 1875), of Wolsdon; solicitor to the Mt Edgcumbes.
2. John G Stilwell or Thomsas Stilwell, navy agents, London.
3. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (16 Aug 1843-1925), WHFT's niece.
4. Penllergaer, Glamorgan, 5 mi E of Loughor: home of the Llewelyn family.
5. Admiral Sir William Parker (1781–1866), admiral; he had two unmarried daughters at this time, Frances Jane (d. 1871) and Elizabeth Anne (d. 1869).
6. In the Crimean War, the Allied fleet attacked the Russian dockyards at Sweaborg, on the Gulf of Finland, on 9 August and by 13 August the anchorage was in flames.
7. On 16 August, 50-60,000 Russian troops crossed the Tchernaya River during the siege of Sevastopol; they were repulsed by the French and Sardinian, and Piedmontese forces. It was the Russians' last defensive attempt before the decisive and final assault on Sebastopol the next day.
8. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law. Teignmouth is a town on the north bank of the River Teign in Devonshire.