Kedgeree S2 Cover

HJ EDDISON STAMPS & POSTAL HISTORY Global Classics, Rarities & Specialised CollectionsTranscript: Rangoon, 23 rd August 1824Section 1: The Postal Delay & Naval ArrivalsI wrote you a very hurried letter [yesterday?] expecting that it should have gone by the Ernaad but too late - & was obliged to send it bearing [postage?] per merchant ship - it will most likely arrive before this. A ship arrived yesterday from Madras with the Head Quarters of the 89 th [Regiment] & Col. Miles who has [superseded?] Col. [Godwin?] who is a silly [...] he is very much disliked & treats Sepoys very harshly, & would soon.../"Section 2: Command Breakdown & Sepoy Relationsletter arrived before yours of the 14 July and I was very sorry that he lost the Adjutancy and is obliged to keep as he is. what silly enough to give up some papers &c for allowances & tendered his resignation which was then accepted and [sent?] [?] he has taken Elizabeth & [other?] people here living in one house but [bad?] living as he is a very strict officer & changed the non [commissioned?] officers [?] [?] he is a very much disliked & treats sepoys very harshly & would soon destroy a Sepoy Corps.Section 3: Inflation & The Plea for SurvivalIn my last I mentioned to you to send some supplies of various kinds to me which pray do as we are again very hard up. nothing came in the Madras ship but Govt Stores, but expect the Harriet soon however from Calcutta with every thing — by these ships expect the tea & cards which is not easily obtained & I pay for them 100 to 150 p[er] Cent advance — so you see the best thing that you can do for me in the present instance is to send some Biscuits, butter, salt Bengal beef, Herrings &c &c &c & I will settle with you the next term —Section 4: The Tactical Reality (Cross-Written)prepared for a date? tomorrow ..the day after the Robbast Sails. There is a nothing now ?? preparations in a King knife? ...attack soon/look? at all the one to go to tomorrow is a 12 th & 40 Sepoys stake with me — we [furness/finish?] several extra ?? owing to the departure of the 89 th and 7 th for merger to duty very hard to guage — no jungle [parties?] have been sent out lately as we have found each at last that it is of no use to loose 50 or 60 men before in rotten state and whereas they see a head looking over the wall they soon [abandon/fire?]SIGNIFICANCE. Unfiltered Command Rivalry (Miles vs. Godwin)Official military despatches from the 19 th century were heavily sanitized to protect the reputations of senior officers. This private letter shatters that illusion.Col. Edward Miles (of the 89 th Regiment of Foot) and Col. Henry Godwin (of the 41 st Regiment of Foot) were real, highly prominent figures in this war.Godwin actually went on to command the entire British force during the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852. To have a contemporary, boots-on-the-ground officer calling the future Commander-in-Chief /"silly/" and /"very much disliked/" is an incredible piece of behind-the-scenes cha