Sixth Frontier War. 1835 (Feb 23) Entire letter from Cape To...

Hammer

£360

Sixth Frontier War. 1835 (Feb 23) Entire letter from Cape Town to England, written by J.C Chase, leading Surveyor of the Customs at Table Bay, the letter including "our beautiful and very flourishing settlement of Albany has been totally destroyed - on the evening of Christmas day the Caffers (savages) without any provocation and in the most unexpected manner broke into the colony in large numbers and in a few days carried off almost all the cattle, burnt most of the buildings and murdered many of the unoffending inhabitants, all my own immediate friends are ruined and destitute and the government are feeding about 7000 persons in Grahams Town to which place they fled for safety. Immense preparations are now making to punish this infamous and horrid piece of treachery and I have little doubt many of the Caffer tribes will be completely annihilated. Eight Thousand troops and burghers are ready to march with His Excellency the Governor at their head". An interesting letter, with Cape Town and London datestamps, red boxed "DARTMOUTH / INDIA LETTER" and "T.P / RATE / 2".