A gift for Friendship : a letter from Edward Pellew June 1805
The lovely post by lady_latimer and all the responses to it prompted me to share one of the riches relatively recently discovered by anteros_lmc and self.This is a letter to Jacques Bergeret which the French captain preserved with numerous others in his papers and which is now deposited with the rest of his archive in Bayonne, his home town.
This is a letter of synpathy in the loss of friends and ship and a testament of friendship. It would be moving if that were all but the context is key.
Bergeret's ship the frigate Psyche was ordered to Indian waters to harrass British shipping and that she successfully did until she met her match in the British ship San Fiorenzo, Captain Henry Lambert,and after a close battle lasting many hours,Bergeret, seeing the hopelessness of his ship's condition, firat negotiated terms that allowed his men to keep their personal weapons and property and allowed himself and his crew to stay on board long enough to care for the wounded and having been assured of this struck his colours at midnight.
He was afterwards taken on board the flagship and brought before the Admiral - only for both of them to astonish the assembled company by embracing one another there on the deck! This story is known and often told - but this little letter written after Bergeret had been released from being Pellew's 'prisoner'again and gone off to take up another commission has to be understood as being between friends who knew that their circumstances might require them to fight one another on their countries orders once again.
I thought in celebration of the endless possibilities of friendship there was nothing better than this short letter- and with it my appreciation of friends near and far on LJ.
My dear Bergeret
I trust this may find you well and safe landed- I do not expect it will find you happy for your feeling mind will be long preyed upon by grief for the loss of some very dear friends as well as your Psyche.
Bear up, my good friend- a man is never unfortunate until he has lost his honor. I thank you for your introduction of Mons. Josling to me .We have dined together twice and I like him much - and that is more than I do Madras.
I know not if ever this will reach you .If it does it will convey the heartfelt wishes of your friend that God’s blessing may attend you.
Adieu dear Bergeret,
Believe me ever unalterably your friend
Ed.Pellew
June 19 1805
This is a letter of synpathy in the loss of friends and ship and a testament of friendship. It would be moving if that were all but the context is key.
Bergeret's ship the frigate Psyche was ordered to Indian waters to harrass British shipping and that she successfully did until she met her match in the British ship San Fiorenzo, Captain Henry Lambert,and after a close battle lasting many hours,Bergeret, seeing the hopelessness of his ship's condition, firat negotiated terms that allowed his men to keep their personal weapons and property and allowed himself and his crew to stay on board long enough to care for the wounded and having been assured of this struck his colours at midnight.
He was afterwards taken on board the flagship and brought before the Admiral - only for both of them to astonish the assembled company by embracing one another there on the deck! This story is known and often told - but this little letter written after Bergeret had been released from being Pellew's 'prisoner'again and gone off to take up another commission has to be understood as being between friends who knew that their circumstances might require them to fight one another on their countries orders once again.
I thought in celebration of the endless possibilities of friendship there was nothing better than this short letter- and with it my appreciation of friends near and far on LJ.
My dear Bergeret
I trust this may find you well and safe landed- I do not expect it will find you happy for your feeling mind will be long preyed upon by grief for the loss of some very dear friends as well as your Psyche.
Bear up, my good friend- a man is never unfortunate until he has lost his honor. I thank you for your introduction of Mons. Josling to me .We have dined together twice and I like him much - and that is more than I do Madras.
I know not if ever this will reach you .If it does it will convey the heartfelt wishes of your friend that God’s blessing may attend you.
Adieu dear Bergeret,
Believe me ever unalterably your friend
Ed.Pellew
June 19 1805