Page 44 - LP1478

The London Philatelist

Figure 1 A letter carried on the Falmouth Packet from Salamanca to Edinburgh, dated 6 August 1812

Wellington defeated Marshal Marmont’s French forces among the hills around Arapiles, on the 22 July.
The sender, Ensign John Belcher of the 4th Foot, was made a Lieutenant in 1812 ‘without purchase’
(British Officer Monthly Register) i.e. on his own merits. Whilst much of the contents relates to
mundane matters, it includes a description of part of the battle.

You will see by the Gazette the particulars of the most brilliant victory ever obtained by the British
arms. The cool undaunted bravery displayed by the officers and men was such as to strike terror on
all sides. Genl. Leith showed such an example of cool determined courage that gained him universal
admiration, he led his Division to the attack about half a mile to the top of the ridge where the enemy
had their positions without ever firing a shot, the enemy the whole time keeping up a most tremendous
fire of cannon and musketry on us the whole time of our advance, the only effect it had on the men
was when they gave us a better fire than usual our men gave them a cheer in return. As soon as we
gained the summit of the ridge we charged and drove the enemy lines back on their columns and such a
scene of confusion was the consequence as I believe was never heard of. The men were absolutely tired
of making use of the bayonets – in three hours the whole French army was routed and put to flight –
Genl. Leith and his nephew and another ADC are wounded. I was the only one who escaped unhurt.
The thought of cheering somebody trying to kill you seems a little strange but it was a different
time. General Leith’s 5th Division played an important role in the Battle of Salamanca. Advancing in
two-deep lines, with the British Brigades in the front line, the Division’s musketry defeated Antoine
de Maucune’s badly deployed French Division. Leith was sent home to recuperate from his wounds.
As a consequence of Wellington’s victory, his army was able to advance and liberate Madrid for
two months, before retreating to Portugal. The French were forced to abandon Andalusia
permanently, whilst the loss of Madrid irreparably damaged King Joseph’s pro-French Government.
In some cases, it is the story of the sender, or recipient, that enhances an item. Take, for example,
the following item.
This is a postcard to a Nottingham-based British POW relief fund, which has had a Wittenberg
Camp hand stamp applied in purple and also a red Camp censor handstamp. A machine cancel
was applied on receipt in London.
The message side is naturally very brief, but provides sufficient information to enable the sender’s
story to be told. George Teather was born in Nottingham on 27 December 1886. His parents were
William Henry Teather and Mary Ann Foster, who had married in 1871. George was the youngest
of three children – Sarah born in 1872 and Albert born in 1881. Initially from the village of Lambley
in Nottinghamshire, the family had moved to Nottingham by 1881, where George’s father became
a cycle fitter, probably at the Raleigh factory.
On the card, George thanks the sender for the two parcels received and says “I am a Notts man

129 – 356 September 2020