COV-2420 — 29 March 1815 Moradabad HG 1 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Census record COV-2420 is a 29 March 1815 pre-stamp cover of British India bearing the Moradabad HG 1 handstamp of the North Western Provinces, a mark with 5 examples recorded in this census — one of 5 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions, lot 3234, (Nov 2005); Corinphila Auctions, Auctions 298-307, lot 1192.
Date
29 March 1815
Description
Anglo-Nepalese War 1815 (March 29): Entire letter endorsed "Service" at top, addressed to Major C. Doyle, Military Secretary at Headquarters, and countersigned at lower left from Lt. H. Dwyer, ADC of the 21st Bengal Native Infantry Regiment at Kashapore, struck with oval framed "MORADABAD / POST FREE" handstamp in black and manuscript dated (March 30). Interesting contents regarding the Campaign (Dwyer was part of Col. Jasper Nicholls' force sent to support Col. Gardner before the key fort of Almora) "we can do nothing by joining Gardner until we get the heavy guns, of which we have not heard anything since we left HQ. but Col. N(icholls) wishes personally to inspect the road... to hasten their passage to Almora" and continues "we hope to induce the Kumaonas to enter the service - they are as averse to clearing their hills as the lowlanders were to enter them...". Almora was taken in April and the whole of Kumaon surrendered to the British. A rare entire that displays well.rnrnNote: The Nepalese had overrun Kumaon in 1791 and taken Almora. The Kumaon area was ceded to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816. It is now part of the state of Uttarakhand in India.rnProvenance: Grosvenor, London, Nov 2005, lot 3234.
Auction
Lot 3234, (Nov 2005)
Auctions 298-307, Lot 1192