|
The
adventure
begins
when he
puts pen
to
paper:
From
Whitehall
House in
village
of
Baltinglass
in Co.
Wicklow,
Capt.
Butler
then
forwarded
his
letter
of
application
on 10
September
1819...
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BUTLER,
Thomas
Baltinglass,
18th
Sept
1819
My Lord
I have
the
honour
of
enclosing
for you
Mr.
GRANT’s
recommendation
of me as
a fit
and
proper
person
to
become
(with
ten
families)
a
Settler
in
Africa.
I have
been
strongly
recommended
to Mr.
GRANT by
some of
the most
respectable
men in
this
Island
who have
known me
for
twenty
years.
My
claims
are also
something
as I
lost
nearly
20 yrs
of my
life as
a
Subaltern
and
Capt. of
Militia
during
all the
Disturbances
here and
am now
without
any
provision
whatever
except
my own
property
– The
Heads of
the Ten
Families
who have
agreed
to come
with me
are
mostly
men who
have
been in
the
service
and are
like
myself
trained
to arms
as well
as to
labour.
I have
the
hundred
pounds
ready to
send
wherever
you
direct
and am
perfectly
willing
to
comply
with the
prescribed
regulations
(sent to
me by
Mr.
GRANT)
in every
particular.
The most
expensive
part of
this
undertaking
will be
conveying
the
people
to the
place of
embarkation,
and on
that
account
I will
thank
you to
let me
know
whether
the
fleet
will
touch at
any
which of
our sea
ports,
when it
will
sail,
and as
provisions
seem
from the
last
accounts
I see
from the
Cape to
be
scarce
whether
I will
be
allowed
to bring
out a
reasonable
quantity
of what
I think
might be
serviceable
as I
will
support
them all
untill
the
crops
are sown
our
arrival
comes
round –
From the
printed
pages? I
see the
Government
have
reserved
to
themselves
? of
selecting
the most
eligible
of the
officers,
but my
being
eligible
trusts
my
claim,
as I
will
have
much to
do
between
this and
the time
of
embarkation.
I beg
the
favour
of a
speedy
answer.
And have
the
honour
to be My
Lord
Your
most
ob’t
humble
servt
Thos.
BUTLER
I would
not
emigrate
to any
place
where I
had not
the
protection
of the
British
laws. I
have
always
supported
them and
will do
so as
long as
I
breathe.
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Dublin,
Sept 15
1819
My dear
GOULBURN,
You will
be
annoyed
by my
frequent
letters.
But I
beg,
thro’
you, to
present
to Lord
BATHURST
Captain
BUTLER,
who is
desirous
to
settle
at the
Cape,
with
some
number
of
families.
I have
only to
state
that,
upon the
authority
of very
respectable
persons,
I am
induced
to
believe
him in
every
respect
fitted
for the
employment,
and of
excellent
character.
Always
my dear
GOULBURN
yours
truly
C. GRANT
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Baltinglass
30
September
1819
My Lord,
On the
17th
inst I
had the
honour
of
addressing
you in
respect
to my
wish to
proceed
and
being
ten
families
with me
to the
new
settlements
being
established
in
Africa.
I also
enclosed
your
Lordship
in that
letter
Mr.
GRANT’s
(the
Lord
Lieutenant’s
secretary)
recommendation
as being
an
eligible
person
for that
undertaking.
I have
most
anxiously
awaited
an
answer
to this
letter
to which
I refer
you,
should
the
fleet
sail in
November
I have
but a
short
time to
prepare
& I have
a good
deal to
dispose
of. I
have the
L100
ready to
lodge.
The ten
families
are
ready
and I am
willing
to
comply
in every
respect
with the
wish of
government.
Should
you
require
any
further
recommendation
of me I
can
procure
the very
best in
this
Island.
Intreat
your
answer
as soon
as
possible
as my
anxiety
is very
great.
Have the
honour
your
most
obdt
sevt
Thos.
BUTLER
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Baltinglass,
10th
October
1819
Sir,
Agreeable
to your
instructions
I
enclose
you the
three
lists
filled
up. The
men are
all fit
for
service
and
their
families
small. I
have
given at
foot an
account
of my
own
family
which
least I
should
not
insert
properly
I leave
for you
to fill
up. I
have had
as Male
and
Female
servants
for many
years
who wish
to
accompany
me. I
suppose
they
will be
included
in my
own
Family.
I have
the
honour
to be
Yr most
ob’t
sevt.
Thos.
BUTLER
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Baltinglass
29th
October
1819
Sir,
According
to your
directions
in your
last
letter I
have
directed
my
friend
Mr.
Joseph
LAPHAM
of Cork
Street,
Dublin
to
forward
to the
Treasury
in
London
one
hundred
and
twenty
two
pounds
ten
shillings
being
the
amount
of my
deposit
for
bringing
out ten
families
to the
new
settlements
in
Africa.
As I
have
some
things
yet to
dispose
of and
other
arrangements
to make
you will
serve me
materially
by
letting
me know
when tis
probable
the
fleet
will
sail and
if it is
at Cork
my party
and
myself
will be
picked
up.
I have
the
honour
to be
most
obediently
yours
Thos.
BUTLER
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Baltinglass,
21st
November
1819
Sir
Yesterday
I had
the
honour
of
receiving
yours of
the 15th
inst
containing
all the
necessary
papers
and
instructions,
to those
of which
are very
explicit
I shall
most
carefully
attend –
you will
excessively
oblige
me and
serve me
materially
by
letting
me know
when you
think
the
fleet
will
sail and
at what
port
here we
will be
taken
up. I
have two
very
strong
reasons
for
wishing
to get
this
information.
The
first is
that I
might
forward
my
baggage
which
will
require
many
necessary
going to
settle
where
there is
nothing
and I
wish to
bring
out
seeds of
different
kinds as
well as
implements.
Secondly
both
myself
and
those
who have
placed
themselves
under my
directions
will
require
to
regulate
affairs
in
respect
to
provisions
as long
as we
might
remain
here.
Indeed
some of
them are
without
any
support
except
in my
house,
more
buying,
others
besides
myself
having
some
things
to
dispose
of –
Will you
also
have the
goodness
to let
me know
whether
I will
be
allowed
for my
own
family
more
than the
ship
allowance.
Most
obediently
yours,
Thos.
BUTLER
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BYRNE,
Edward
Rathwilly
Near
Baltinglass
23rd
October
1819
The
petition
of
Edward
BYRNE of
Rathwilly
in the
County
Carlow,
Land
Surveyor,
most
humbly
sheweth
That
petitioner
served
in His
Majesty’s
navy ten
years,
fought
in the
memorable
Battle
of
Trafalgar
under
Sir
Richard
KING
Bart in
His
Majesty’s
ship
Achilles
and who
at the
capture
of four
French
frigates
off
Rockford
on board
said
ship was
in the
expedition
to
Flushing
and at
the
conclusion
of the
peace
after
receiving
a
serious
contusion
in
actual
service
was
discharged
with the
small
annuity
of four
pounds
p.a.
That
petitioner
is well
practised
in
surveying
and
dividing
of land,
can
teach
the
principle
rules of
arithmetic
and
geometry,
can
procure
if
required
certificates
from any
neighbouring
gentlemen,
would
willingly
embark
for the
Cape of
Good
Hope
with his
family
consisting
of a
wife and
four
children
if your
Lordship
would
approve
thereof
as he
flatters
himself
they
would
make
useful
members
of
society
and
might be
of use
in an
infant
colony,
all
which he
most
humbly
submits
to the
consideration
of your
Lordship.
What
induced
petitioner
to this
resolve
is that
several
gentlemen
of this
neighbourhood,
chiefly
a Mr.
BUTLER
and Mr.
BURGESS
are
preparing
to
embark
for said
colony,
I
suppose
under
the
auspices
of your
Lordship.
Petitioner
waits
your
Lordship’s
reply
most
humbly,
hoping
your
Lordship
will be
graciously
pleased
to
return a
favourable
answer.
Your
petitioner
with all
due
respect
most
humbly
subscribes
himself
your
Lordship’s
most
obedient
humble
servant
Edward
BYRNE
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BUTLER FAMILY WEBSITE