Scan or Photo Courtesy of ava auctions
Date
1842
Description
25 July 1842, Chinkeangfoo, 30 miles from Nankin – Engaging the Battle of Chinkiang The letter provides a detailed update of the fighting: “…… I should think that of 2,600 Tartars, 1,000 escaped, the rest are lying about in a disgusting state, putrid corpses half roasted – The River Yangtse (as we learned river all the Yangtszekiang is certainly the finest in the world! Such glorious scenery, breadth and depth. My friend Collinson is just come down from Nankin and I believe we go in 4 days – The water is deep enough for the line of battle ships far above Nankin and I shall go in one of the light steamers and see how far up the reiver it is possible to go – I really expect to go 500 miles above Nankin! The General is ill so there is a chance for Lord Salton – We understand that at Nankin there is to be no stupid rushing on and escalade but a proper artillery attack, shell the rascals for a day or two and march in column through two wide breaches. I hope so, for it is dreadful to see guns so utterly thrown away as ours were the other day, with the exception of my own none were of the least use, yet if Sir Hugh would have used his guns, he would have saved 100 men. The weather is fearfully hot, fully worse than India! The town of Chinkeang is a very large one and we are to leave the 55th Queens, and two Sepoy Regiments in garrison with some guns. They will have a disgusting job, if
Auction
SPRING AUCTION 9, Lot 2561
Same office
Other recorded marks at Rajamundry
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Rajamundry are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
About this Rajamundry pre stamp cover
COV-1720 is a Rajamundry pre stamp cover of 1842 bearing the Rajamundry HG 2 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Rajamundry postal history — the office known today as Rajamahendravaram, Madras Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
25 July 1842, Chinkeangfoo, 30 miles from Nankin – Engaging the Battle of Chinkiang The letter provides a detailed update of the fighting: “…… I should think that of 2,600 Tartars, 1,000 escaped, the rest are lying about in a disgusting state, putrid corpses half roasted – The River Yangtse (as we learned river all the Yangtszekiang is certainly the finest in the world! Such glorious scenery, breadth and depth. My friend Collinson is just come down from Nankin and I believe we go in 4 days – The water is deep enough for the line of battle ships far above Nankin and I shall go in one of the light steamers and see how far up the reiver it is possible to go – I really expect to go 500 miles above Nankin! The General is ill so there is a chance for Lord Salton – We understand that at Nankin there is to be no stupid rushing on and escalade but a proper artillery attack, shell the rascals for a day or two and march in column through two wide breaches. I hope so, for it is dreadful to see guns so utterly thrown away as ours were the other day, with the exception of my own none were of the least use, yet if Sir Hugh would have used his guns, he would have saved 100 men. The weather is fearfully hot, fully worse than India! The town of Chinkeang is a very large one and we are to leave the 55th Queens, and two Sepoy Regiments in garrison with some guns. They will have a disgusting job, if
Its recorded auction history runs through Ava Auctions SPRING AUCTION 9 lot 2561.
1 image of COV-1720 is recorded; the Rajamundry HG 2 mark itself is recorded in use 1839–1854.
Questions about COV-1720
- What is COV-1720?
- COV-1720 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Rajamundry, Madras Presidency of 1842, bearing the Rajamundry HG 2 handstamp in black. 25 July 1842, Chinkeangfoo, 30 miles from Nankin – Engaging the Battle of Chinkiang The letter provides a detailed update of the fighting: “…… I should think that of 2,600 Tartars, 1,000 escaped, the rest are lying about in a disgusting state, putrid corpses half roasted – The River Yangtse (as we learned river all the Yangtszekiang is certainly the finest in the world! Such glorious scenery, breadth and depth. My friend Collinson is just come down from Nankin and I believe we go in 4 days – The water is deep enough for the line of battle ships far above Nankin and I shall go in one of the light steamers and see how far up the reiver it is possible to go – I really expect to go 500 miles above Nankin! The General is ill so there is a chance for Lord Salton – We understand that at Nankin there is to be no stupid rushing on and escalade but a proper artillery attack, shell the rascals for a day or two and march in column through two wide breaches. I hope so, for it is dreadful to see guns so utterly thrown away as ours were the other day, with the exception of my own none were of the least use, yet if Sir Hugh would have used his guns, he would have saved 100 men. The weather is fearfully hot, fully worse than India! The town of Chinkeang is a very large one and we are to leave the 55th Queens, and two Sepoy Regiments in garrison with some guns. They will have a disgusting job, if
- How scarce is the Rajamundry HG 2 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Rajamundry HG 2 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1839–1854.
- What is the provenance of COV-1720?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Ava Auctions SPRING AUCTION 9 lot 2561.
- When was COV-1720 posted?
- COV-1720 is dated 1842, within the recorded period of use of Rajamundry HG 2 (1839–1854).
About this record
This 1842 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Rajamundry HG 2 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 8 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Ava Auctions, SPRING AUCTION 9, lot 2561.