Letter from James Glencairn Burns to Jean Burns, 27 July 1812
Jarra Mirzapore 27th July, 1812
My Dear Mother
Three Ships being on the point of
sailing, I take the opportunity of writing
you a few lines merely by way letting you
know that Jimmy Burns is living and in
most excellent health growing quite [?]
and fat and tall, indeed I have enjoyed
most Capital health since I recovered my
attack of fever I had on my landing, and
whilst that the Heat is making even old
residents of India unwell I am enjoying
remarkable good health, which I hope is the
case with my Dear Mother. It would
be a pleasant Country this if it was not
so hot. You cannot concern how hot it is here.
A person is in one continued perspiration.
My Dear Mother
Three Ships being on the point of
sailing, I take the opportunity of writing
you a few lines merely by way letting you
know that Jimmy Burns is living and in
most excellent health growing quite [?]
and fat and tall, indeed I have enjoyed
most Capital health since I recovered my
attack of fever I had on my landing, and
whilst that the Heat is making even old
residents of India unwell I am enjoying
remarkable good health, which I hope is the
case with my Dear Mother. It would
be a pleasant Country this if it was not
so hot. You cannot concern how hot it is here.
A person is in one continued perspiration.
Night and Day and the Station we are
at now and is the worst [?] in
India, for we are quite detached from
any Society but our own which is very
[?]- it however is an excellent Country for
Hunting and on the ensuing Cold Season
I hope to have some sport. I wish you
could see my two Poneys, they are the
prettiest you ever saw. My prospects for
promotion are still very bad. I am
now fairly settled with my Corps and
in consequence of letters I brought up
from Calcutta to the Major of our Corps
here has behaved extremely well to me and
given me a room in this house when I
live free of all expense/servants and
Hours excepted/and I shall now very
soon pay off the Debt I contracted.
My new linin shirts and not of the
at now and is the worst [?] in
India, for we are quite detached from
any Society but our own which is very
[?]- it however is an excellent Country for
Hunting and on the ensuing Cold Season
I hope to have some sport. I wish you
could see my two Poneys, they are the
prettiest you ever saw. My prospects for
promotion are still very bad. I am
now fairly settled with my Corps and
in consequence of letters I brought up
from Calcutta to the Major of our Corps
here has behaved extremely well to me and
given me a room in this house when I
live free of all expense/servants and
Hours excepted/and I shall now very
soon pay off the Debt I contracted.
My new linin shirts and not of the
[?]being intolerable [?] nothing but
Caution will answer. I have heard from
William repeatedly he is very well and is
porter to his Corps as Ensign he is an Ensign
and I am a Cadet, and yet [page torn]
as him and when I am Ensign I shall get much
more; he is quite vexed that he has not heard
from home, and so I am I. There have been
several Ships arrived an not a letter
How is Mr [?]? better I hope [page torn]
my best respects to him - also to W[?]
Maxwell and I hope they
are all well - and with [?]wishes for
your [?], I am, my dear Mother
Your affectionate Son
J. G. Burns.
Caution will answer. I have heard from
William repeatedly he is very well and is
porter to his Corps as Ensign he is an Ensign
and I am a Cadet, and yet [page torn]
as him and when I am Ensign I shall get much
more; he is quite vexed that he has not heard
from home, and so I am I. There have been
several Ships arrived an not a letter
How is Mr [?]? better I hope [page torn]
my best respects to him - also to W[?]
Maxwell and I hope they
are all well - and with [?]wishes for
your [?], I am, my dear Mother
Your affectionate Son
J. G. Burns.
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/03/06/09
- Alt. number
- 3.6452
- Date
- 27 July 1812
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, James Glencairn (Author)
- Recipient
- Burns, Jean Armour
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/03/06/09
- Alt. number
- 3.6452
- Date
- 27 July 1812
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, James Glencairn (Author)
- Recipient
- Burns, Jean Armour
Description
Letter from James Glencairn Burns to Jean Burns, dated Jarra Mirzapore, 27 July 1812.
James Glencairn Burns (1794 – 1865) was the second youngest son of Robert and Jean. He was sent to London for his education and then travelled to India in 1810 to serve in the East India Company’s army. At the end of his long military career he retired as a brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel in the 15th Bengal Native Infantry.
A series of letters from the young James Glencairn Burns to his family and friends survives, detailing his schooling in London, his journey to India and his initial experiences there.
In this letter James assures his mother that his health is restored, but complains of the intolerable heat:
'You cannot concern how hot it is here. A person is in one continued perspiration Night and Day.'
He still believes his chances of promotion to be very bad, even though he has given letters of recommendation to the Major of his Corps. He also laments that his brother William, who had also joined the East India Company, has already been promoted to Ensign in his Corps, whilst he is still a cadet.
In this letter James assures his mother that his health is restored, but complains of the intolerable heat:
'You cannot concern how hot it is here. A person is in one continued perspiration Night and Day.'
He still believes his chances of promotion to be very bad, even though he has given letters of recommendation to the Major of his Corps. He also laments that his brother William, who had also joined the East India Company, has already been promoted to Ensign in his Corps, whilst he is still a cadet.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters, documents and ephemera regarding the family of Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
-
Letters and documents relating to James Glencairn Burns
(
materials grouped together because they are of a similar type)
- Letter from James Glencairn Burns to Jean Burns, 27 July 1812
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