HOGAN, John
658
57 Milk Street
Bristol
7th August 1819
My Lord
I have to apologise for intruding on your Lordship's time, and to entreat your Lordships considerations of the offer of my services in the colony about to be established at the Cape of Good Hope.
I am an officer on the half pay of the 14th Reg’t, have served my country twenty four years in America, the West Indies, and the last seven in the Peninsula war under his grace the Duke of WELLINGTON, twenty two years of which I served in the 7th or Royal Fus[ilie]rs.
I am 42 years of age have a son 16 and a daughter 14 and wife nearly of my own age, the whole healthy and used to foreign climates.
My whole life my Lord has as already stated being spent on active foreign service, & it is almost needless to state the impossibility of supporting a family (for many years used at least to the comforts of life) on three shillings a day, and under these circumstances take the liberty of offering my services to your Lordship in any situation above the common colonist to which your Lordship would be pleased to appoint me.
To intitle me to your Lordship's protections I beg leave to refer to Colonel Sir Edward BLAKENEY commanding the seventh Reg’t, or Royal Fus’rs & my commanding officer for many years during the campaigns in the Peninsula, for my character as an active useful and intelligent officer, and for activity and capability in an undertaking of the particular nature of the intended Colony, as also for knowledge and experience in the embarking, care of troops and stores on board ships, and disembarkations on foreign stations.
I beg leave to add that I should also engage to settle with my family in the colony, as nothing would be more congenial to my feelings than an undertaking of this nature, but my Lord, I trust your Lordship will consider that on so slender an allowance as 3/s per diem I should not have it in my power to lodge the sums required for each person but would most chearfully use my best endeavours for the well-being of those under my charge & the genuine interest of this Colony and his Majesties Service.
I beg leave to apologize for this intruding myself on your Lordship, and under these circumstances to offer my best services to the Colony about to be established.
I have the honour to be My Lord
Your Lordship's most obedient humble servant
John HOGAN
H.P. 14 R[d] and late 2’[:Mr]
7th Royal Fus’rs
682
Bristol 10th August 1819
57 Milk Street
My Lord
I had the honor of addressing your Lordship on the seventh inst relative to and offering my services in the Colony about to be established in the Cape of Good Hope, and having rec’d only the circular letter published in the paper suppose my letter may have escaped your notice.
I beg again most respectfully to offer my services and to state that after 25 years spent on active service I trust your Lordship will consider me intitled to your notice, & particularly when I assure you that the impossibility of supporting a large family in England has been the cause of my application, under these circumstances and having all my life being employed in foreign countries, in embarking & disembarking troops, and being enabled to offer the most satisfactory references as to activity and capability for an undertaking of this nature I take the liberty of hoping for your Lordships protection.
I shall be happy to go out in any situation that would merely intitle me to respect, and trust I should be enabled to afford the most useful assistance to the service, and to merit by care and attention to all future welfare your Lordship's good opinions.
I have the honour to be respectfully My Lord
Your Lordship's most obed’t ser’t
John HOGAN, Halfpay
14th Reg’t
Family consisting of your pensioner
John HOGAN & wife
Son 16 & daughter 14 y’rs of age & healthy and determined to remain in the settlement.