RAGLAN (Lord FitzRoy Somerset, 1788-1855, from 1852 1st Baron, from 1854 British Commander in the Crimea, Field Marshal)

Autograph Letter Signed 'FitzRoy Somerset', to 'My dear Sir', William Henderson, saying that "the Commanding Officer of His Royal Horse Guards Blue is willing to take Robert Jasper (?) in to the Rgt if he passes an examination to be fit for the service. Robert ... must be examined by the Surgeon of the Blues on his presenting himself at the Regent's Park Barracks with a note from you to state that he is the person I had written about, but the Colonel would recommend that he should first be examined by the Medical Officer of the 14th in order that if he has any defect he may be saved the expense of coming to London. I have written to the Commanding Officer ... on the subject and would suggest that you should desire ... to report himself to him ..." with a postscript that "he will have to defrey the whole expense of his journey to Town ...", 3 sides 8vo., Horse Guards, 24th January

Lord FitzRoy Somerset, youngest son of the 5th Duke of Beaufort, went to the Peninsula as a young man. For many years he was with Wellington, who found him invaluable in different capacities, as aide-de-camp, military secretary, embassy secretary at Paris, and after the Peace. When Somerset lost his right arm at Waterloo, the Duke wrote "... what a regard and affection I feel for him".
From 1827 to 1852 Somerset was Military Secretary at the Horse Guards and was known for his tact and urbanity. Chosen to lead the British forces in the Crimea, he was greatly hampered by lack of supplies (managed at first by the Treasury), and of proper intelligence. However his calmness, vigilance and swiftness to take advantage were exemplary, as at the Alma and Inkerman, and the unfair criticism thrown at him has been largely overturned in recent years.

Item Date:  1840

Stock No:  41652      £225

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