- 26
Coetlogon, Henry de
Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 GBP
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Description
- An archive of papers relating to his military and diplomatic service, comprising:
- ink on paper
i) General Charles Gordon, autograph letter signed, to de Coetlogon, informing him that "I have proposed to you to go back to Cairo, because, in my belief, there is not the least chance of any danger being now incurred in Kartoum", thanking him for his work and concluding that "you leave a place which is as safe as Kensington Park", 1 page, folio, Khartoum, 20 February 1884, with stamp, integral blank, splitting at folds, spotting; with a related document of free passage, in Arabic, signed by Gordon in purple pencil, with his stamp, 1 page, February 1884, spotting
ii) Other letters and documents relating to the Mahdist war and Khartoum: William Hicks, autograph memorandum, appointing de Coetlogon as his representative in Khartoum on the eve of his ill-fated expedition up the White Nile, 2 pages, folio, 25 August 1883; copies of two telegrams by Gordon, one to Coetlogon and the other to the British Minister at Cairo on de Coetlogon's reassignment, [February 1884]; seven administrative documents in Arabic and Ottoman Turkish, including two firmans with the tughra of the Ottoman Emperor and two with the seal of the Egyptian Pasha, c.1882-1887
iii) Col. Henry de Coetlogon, transcripts of 55 diary letters to his wife during his service in Khartoum, from 8 January 1883 to 18 February 1884, providing an exceptionally rich and detailed account of his daily life in Khartoum and on patrol up the Nile and in the local region, including skirmishes with the Mahdi's forces ("...at 12 o'clock noon the alarm sounded ... and we saw the Enemy advancing. I saw they were not in force as I was looking steadily through my glasses, and could only make out a small body, however the others said 'coming in thousands my dear fellow', so I thought perhaps they were right and on went sword and revolver. In the meantime we sent about six rockets and a few shells amongst them and they disappeared at once...", 27 April 1883), describing the final departure of Hicks ("...there have been some swallows building in Hicks's room and his last words to me were to look after his 'young family....", 8 September), the news that "poor Hicks, all his staff and all his army (10,000 men) are killed to a man" (19 November), and concluding with the arrival of Gordon ("...he was dressed in the undress uniform coat of an English General, with a gold sash round his waist, and a fez on his head ... his first orders were to burn and destroy all the instruments of torture ... and all the papers, and documents found in the government offices were made into a bon-fire...", 18 February 1884), in excess of 135 pages, 4to, with a cover note recording that they were transcribed by his wife in 1887, each letter numbered (1 to 54 but including two letters numbered 52A and 52B) and with punch-hole and split-pin
iv) Other documents: 11 commissions and similar documents mostly relating to de Coetlogon's consular postings in the South Pacific and the United States, 1888-1904, including documents signed by Queen Victoria (6), King Edward VII, US Presidents Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt, and President F.S. Carnot of France; three letters including one letter signed by the Third Marquess of Salisbury with instructions on Coetlogon's appointment as Consul in Samoa, 1888; also four military commissions, 1858-74
ii) Other letters and documents relating to the Mahdist war and Khartoum: William Hicks, autograph memorandum, appointing de Coetlogon as his representative in Khartoum on the eve of his ill-fated expedition up the White Nile, 2 pages, folio, 25 August 1883; copies of two telegrams by Gordon, one to Coetlogon and the other to the British Minister at Cairo on de Coetlogon's reassignment, [February 1884]; seven administrative documents in Arabic and Ottoman Turkish, including two firmans with the tughra of the Ottoman Emperor and two with the seal of the Egyptian Pasha, c.1882-1887
iii) Col. Henry de Coetlogon, transcripts of 55 diary letters to his wife during his service in Khartoum, from 8 January 1883 to 18 February 1884, providing an exceptionally rich and detailed account of his daily life in Khartoum and on patrol up the Nile and in the local region, including skirmishes with the Mahdi's forces ("...at 12 o'clock noon the alarm sounded ... and we saw the Enemy advancing. I saw they were not in force as I was looking steadily through my glasses, and could only make out a small body, however the others said 'coming in thousands my dear fellow', so I thought perhaps they were right and on went sword and revolver. In the meantime we sent about six rockets and a few shells amongst them and they disappeared at once...", 27 April 1883), describing the final departure of Hicks ("...there have been some swallows building in Hicks's room and his last words to me were to look after his 'young family....", 8 September), the news that "poor Hicks, all his staff and all his army (10,000 men) are killed to a man" (19 November), and concluding with the arrival of Gordon ("...he was dressed in the undress uniform coat of an English General, with a gold sash round his waist, and a fez on his head ... his first orders were to burn and destroy all the instruments of torture ... and all the papers, and documents found in the government offices were made into a bon-fire...", 18 February 1884), in excess of 135 pages, 4to, with a cover note recording that they were transcribed by his wife in 1887, each letter numbered (1 to 54 but including two letters numbered 52A and 52B) and with punch-hole and split-pin
iv) Other documents: 11 commissions and similar documents mostly relating to de Coetlogon's consular postings in the South Pacific and the United States, 1888-1904, including documents signed by Queen Victoria (6), King Edward VII, US Presidents Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt, and President F.S. Carnot of France; three letters including one letter signed by the Third Marquess of Salisbury with instructions on Coetlogon's appointment as Consul in Samoa, 1888; also four military commissions, 1858-74
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
"The only possible chronicles of the anxious weeks which intervened between the departure of Hicks Pacha and his army from Khartoum and their annihilation. Of the European staff of that Army my husband is the only known survivor."