Hij zag Vlissingen branden P. A. Hart hoorn In September 1809 was Symons Horden met zijn schip de Shark Cutter op de reede van Duins aangekomen uit Zeeland met berichten over de oorlog. Nog onder de indruk van zijn belevenis sen schreef hij een brief aan zijn vader in Devonshire. Deze brief kwam onlangs te voor schijn uit een verzameling van filatelistische stukken van een Londense postzegelhandel. We hebben deze brief hier in zijn geheel en in de oorsponkelijke taal afgedrukt, omdat in een vertaling veel van de persoonlijke stijl (én de persoonlijke opvattingen aangaande de spel ling....) verloren zou gaan. De brief was geadresseerd aan Cap(tai)n Hor den, Bood, Braunton near Barnstaple, Devon. Er waren twee poststempels. In een cirkel: B SEP 7 1809 en het poststempel van Deal in Kent: DEAL 74. Shark Cutter Downs September 3rd 1809. Dear Father, We arived hear last evening with Dispatches from the Island Walsheren (Flushing belonging to the Dutch) which surrendered to us the 31st or 32nd of July after a very sevear cannona ding it was a very Grand sight to see the Shells and likewise Congraves Rockets which flew in the air in the night time like Firey Meetors carrying a long train of fire after them and setting fire to every house thy lighted on we was very near the Town of Camptvar when it was Bumbarded so could see every thing that went on we took severall other smaller (dit stond doorgestreept) Island but I hear v/e have since laid them under water as we cannot keep posession of them. I hear we have lost 6 or 7 Hundred men killed and wounded and hear there is 7 or 8 thousand sick it is a very un healthy country for English men, being so verry low and marshey and very Bad water to use it afords Great Plenty of Timber and Capital Horses for draft the Beef and Mutton very poor but exelant gardens abot it. We have been up the River Sheld as far as a fort called Fort Dilo above which lyes the French fleet we could see the French flags flying about 4 or 5 miles Distant from us but Durst not go aney Farther as the Enemy had received verry great reinforsements a young man a Midship Man who had been five or 6 years Prisoner in France made his escape to Antworp with the french armey in character of a Surg(eo)ns mate of the french Armey with thirty thousand Men from thence he escaped to the English and got on b(oar)d H:M Ship Ceasar. I hear that the General Lord Chatham and the Adm(irals) cannot agree which is commonly the case, Adm(ira)l Oatway waited on Lord Ch(a- tha)m in the morning, staid all day at last he sent word if it did not rain he would get up at 3 in the afternoon I hear the Adm(ira)l went of has not been to him since the(y) say he never us'd to get out till 3 or 4 in the afternoon so the army did not know how to act; the(y) say the sailors did the most execution against Flushing and the fire rockets the(y) fired Broadsides like ship firing, which Injured the Town very much and Burnt down the Church and 9 Frig(a)ts went up the river and discharged several Broadsides at the Town which done much damage to the Batteries and Town The Inhabbitants must be in very great distress the French would not let the women out of the place. I suppose we shall keep Flushing if possible as its the Key of the Sheld Just as lundy is to the Bristol Channel. I hear the French have 12 Sail of the line and 40 Gun Brigs lying just below Antworp they have thrown chains across the river buoid up with Baulk and both side very strong foarts upwards of 60 Piece heavy Cannon both. We are going to sink several old ships in the river to keep them from passing out it has been said that if the General would have agreed to land in time our ships would have gone up and Destroid the french fleet before they got the place so much strengthened but I fear we have made a badish hand of it alltogether loosing a great number of men for little or nothing and being at Great Expence to the Nation in equi- ping such a very large fleet I suppose near a thousand sail of vessels all I see is a number of very fine Brass Cannon and some stores this is a dangerous coast being so full of sandbanks we have been a ground two or three times liketo have been lost but thank God are safe so far thare has been several small vessels wrecked and several of the men of war have grounded and much damaged. We dot not know when we shall return home or go out a gain as our Cutter is much in want of repair in the hul sails and rigging. I hope we shall not go back to holland again as the place is so very dangerous in sands and Pleast tot Give 69 markt

Tijdschriftenbank Zeeland

Zeeuws Tijdschrift | 1972 | | pagina 33