Ceres. 1797-98 Letters written by Thomas Camm from the Hospi...

Hammer

£700

Ceres. 1797-98 Letters written by Thomas Camm from the Hospital Ship "Ceres" near Portsmouth, addressed to his brother John at Kingstanly, Gloucestershire, with differing Portsmouth handstamps and London Bishop Marks. The 1797 (Nov 4) letter includes "I have been in England near five weeks. I left America with a view to going to the West Indies, to make merchandise with my money, but we were unfortunately cast away on the Florida Shore, eleven of our crew perished and also nine of the passengers, but we were so happy to be saved from the waves by a small vessel and taken into Florida. Here began a most horrid scene of poverty, my property all being lost ..... I with another unhappy sufferer were pressed & sent on board one of His Majestys ships of war bound for England, when we arrived at Spithead we were both taken ill with a fever & removed on board a Hospital Ship in a most digested state. Under apprehensions of being discovered, for my own preservation I now go by the name of Joseph Hagget. You will know my life is at stake here dear brother. ..... This is a private letter I have sent you unknown to the Officers. We are kept very strict here on account of the late mutiny, our officers inspect all letters which come here". The 1798 (Jan 4) letter asks for a parcel containing an old coat, waistcoat and shirt, six guineas to be concealed under the buttonholes of the coat, a few loose shillings in paper to be included to prevent further examination. Both letters ask for mail to be directed to Jos. Hagget on the Ceres Hospital Ship, to be left at 111 Queen St., Portsea. A remarkable pair of letters from a press-ganged sailor previously shipwrecked off Florida, sent from the naval hospital ship during the French Revolutionary Wars. (2).