Description:

Revolutionary War

British Officer from Grenada who was Active in American Revolutionary War

 

[REVOLUTIONARY WAR.] William Bain, Autograph Letter Signed, to Unknown, February 15, 1791, Grenada. 2 pp., 7.25" x 8.875". Together with William Bain, Autograph Document Signed, Memorial to Sir George Yonge, February 15, 1791, Grenada. 2 pp., 8" x 13". Expected folds and some toning; both stamped with deaccession stamp on versos. 

 

In this letter to an unnamed supporter, Captain William Bain of the 67th Regiment of Foot writes from Grenada, enclosing a petition to the Secretary at War for a transfer to the command of a Company of Invalids. The petition includes a description of his service in the American Revolutionary War in the Battle for Charleston, South Carolina, and the Siege of Savannah, Georgia.

 

William Bain joined the British Army as an ensign in the 71st Highlander Regiment, organized at Glasgow, Scotland, under the command of Colonel Simon Fraser, in 1775. The regiment left for North America in April 1776 and arrived in New York in July 1776. It participated in the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 and the Battle of Fort Washington in November 1776. It went on to participate in the Philadelphia campaign and fought in the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777. It helped capture Savannah, Georgia, in December 1778, and held off a siege of the city by the Americans in 1779. Also in 1779, Bain received a promotion to lieutenant and was wounded in a battle near Charleston, South Carolina (likely the First Battle of Charleston on May 11), in which troops under the overall command of Major General Augustine Prévost (1723-1786) and the direct command of Captain Thomas Tawse (d. 1779) attacked American forces under the command of Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski (1745-1779). Bain returned home to convalesce in December 1780, and began to raise an independent company before illness interrupted his plans. He became a lieutenant in the 25th Regiment and served at Gibraltar for four years before moving to Grenada in the West Indies as a captain in the 67th Regiment. In 1794, Bain transferred to the 97th Regiment in Scotland as a major and received a promotion to lieutenant colonel. In 1803, he became captain in the Stirlingshire Regiment of North British militia.

 

Complete Transcript

Grenada 15th Febry 1791

Sir

As I must always consider myself much indebted to you for my promotion to a Company in the 67th Regiment I am again induced to solicit your countenance and protection. Finding my health much injured by this Climate I had thoughts of applying to retire on half pay but a desire to remain employ’d in the Service inclines me to beg if I can exchange and to submit to you whether my having served near Sixteen years in a variety of Climates five of which was in America last war on the severest services four at Gibraltar and now sometime in the West Indies added to my being wounded may dispose the Secretary at War to recommend me to His Majesty for a Company of Invalids. I have to lament the death of the late Lord Heathfield who I served under for sometime and was honor’d with his patronage. But I have no doubt of your recollecting the recommendation he gave to you of me as well as that given by my former Colonel Lord George Lennox. Allow me to submit the matter entirely to you either to suppress this application or lay the enclosed Memorial before Sir George Yonge. I have the honor to be with the utmost respect

Your Most Obedt & Most Obliged Sert

W: Bain

Capt 67th Regt

[Petition:]

To the Right Honble Sir George Yonge Bart His Majesty’s Secretary at War &ca &ca &ca

The Memorial of Captain William Bain of the 67th Regiment of Foot

Humbly Sheweth

That the memorialist had the honor to serve in America as Ensign and Lieutenant in the late 71st regiment from the beginning of the war to December 1780. That early in 1779 he was appointed Lieutenant to a Troop of Light Dragoons form’d under the late Captain Tawse and in the Summer of that year was wounded at the gates of Charlestown when under the orders of Major General Prevost the two Troops of Captain Tawse attack’d and drove into the Town a large body of the Enemy commanded by Count Polaskie. That the memorialist was present at the Siege of Savannah and in that particular redoubt against which, in the assault the Count D’Estaing in person led the French and American Troops and in defending which Captain Tawse so gallantly fell. Under Colonel Tarleton and others the memorialist was afterward constantly employ’d on severest services untill at length from the effects of incessant fatigues in a bad climate he was attacked by sickness which compel’d his return to Europe in December 1780. That when at home he had in some degree recover’d his health he applied for and had leave from Lord Amherst to raise an Independent Company  but when at a very great expence and labour he had raised two sergeants and fifty six privates his disorders returned on him with renewed violence which obliged him to relinquish his object of an Independent Company and he was then glad to purchase an Exchange of Lieutenant into the 25th Regiment. The memorialist afterwards went out to Gibraltar in that regiment where he remained four years and in 1787 was by your kind attention to his situation permitted to purchase a Company in his present Corps.

The memorialist begs leave now humbly to submit as he finds his health very much impaired from a service of near sixteen years in a variety of climates added to his being wounded if those considerations will dispose you to recommend him to His Majesty for a Company of Invalids.

W: Bain

Capt 67th Regt

Grenada 15th Febry / 1791

 

Sir George Yonge, 5th Baronet (1731-1812) was born in Devon and educated at Eton College and the University of Leipzig. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1754 to 1761 and again from 1764 to 1796. Appointed to the Privy Council in 1782, he served as British Secretary at War in 1782-1783 and 1783-1794. He service was interrupted by the nine-month administration led by Charles James Fox and Lord North in 1783, when Richard FitzPatrick served as Secretary at War. Yonge also acted as governor of the Cape Colony in southern Africa from 1799 to 1801.


 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice, unless you inform us otherwise, immediately upon your receipt of invoice***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.


After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item.


Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000