Archive / Papers / Sanders Papers

Description

Donated by Harriet Taunton.

Microfilm No. 86

Letters and Commonplace book of Cornet* John Sanders of the 25th Dragoons.

  1. The Universal Register – Sat., January 1st., 1781 (Number 1). Reprinted with The Times of January 2nd., 1985.
  2. Correspondence, dated 1934, concerning Thomas Twining, 1776 – 1861.
  3. Letters from John Sanders (April 10th, 1797 to Sept. 26th, 1798, to his brother William in London, his sister Mary, and his parents in Worcester describing the many delays in sailing for India.
  4. Commonplace book containing memoranda of the voyage, the journey from Madras to Arcot, his impressions of India, reactions to Wilkie’s Epigoniad, Chronology, etc., description of the cantonment, 2 miles from Arcot, Arcot itself, Vellore, and Walajahnagur.
  5. More letters home telling of his illness and his wish to buy his Lieutenancy.

*[The modern army rank equivalent to Cornet, or Ensign, is Second Lieutenant. Several mentions are made in these papers of Sanders’ ambition to buy his full Lieutenancy for £800, normal in those days, in order to move to a part of the world where the climate was not so punishing on an Englishman’s health – the climate cost the lives of many of the soldiers in his regiment during the short period covered by these letters].