Welsh Journals

PENINSULAR WAR LETTERS Letters written from the Peninsula by a cavalry officer who served under both Moore and Wellington, are now preserved at the National Library of Wales. The writer was Major Edwin Griffith of Rhual, near Mold (Flintshire) who served in the 15th (the King's) Light Dragoons (Hussars). With him was a sister's son, Cornet Frederick Charles Philips, known as 'Rico'. The Griffith family were related by marriage to the Morgans of Golden Grove, Flintshire, and the 'Edward' referred to in the correspondence was almost certainly Captain Edward Morgan of that well-known house. Rhual was built shortly before the Civil War by Evan Edwards, Baron of the Exchequer of Chester, and passed in 1688 to the Griffith family by the marriage of the heiress, Mary Edwards, to Walter Griffith of Llanfyllin. Their son, Thomas Griffith, married Jane Mostyn of Cilcen (Flintshire) and their heir, another Thomas, born 1740, married in 1764 Henrietta Maria Clarke, a sister of General (later Field Marshal) Sir Alured Clarke. Their eldest daughter was Henrietta Maria, who married Frederick Philips of Ashley Hall, Warwickshire. Their eldest son was Edwin (born 15 January 1786) writer of the letters. He was a captain of the 15th Hussars which formed part of Lord Paget's brigade when Sir John Moore was sent to Spain. Most of the letters are addressed to one of Edwin's younger sisters-Charlotte, affectionately called 'Chats'. Edwin Griffith was a major when the 15th were sent out to Wellington early in 1813. The 'Dalrymple' mentioned in his letters would be the Lieutenant- Colonel of the 15th. One of the bedroom windows at Rhual bears, scratched on a pane:- 'Edwin Griffith left this for to join the 15th Drags. at Dorchester on Monday 16 day of February 1801.' 'Rico', fresh from the Royal Military College, had only been commissioned cornet a few weeks when the 15th disembarked at Coruna. He survived not only the retreat to Coruna, but the Peninsular War and Waterloo, and was lieutenant- colonel of the regiment in 1832. He died at Bagni di Lucca, Roscana, on 13 July 1852. Some of his letters home from the Peninsula, though not included in Edwin Griffith's 'Letter Book', form part of the Rhual Collection of Manuscripts and Documents1. Edwin Griffith, on the regiment's arrival at Coruna, wrote a cheery letter to his sister on 17 November 1808. 'My dearest Chats, As the transport which brought me here returns tomorrow I shall charge the Captain of 1 Schedule of Rhual MSS & Documents. For permission to make use of these letters the writer is indebted to the National Library of Wales, to Mrs. G. M. Heaton, C.B.E., of Rhual who deposited the documents, and to Mr. B. G. Owens, Keeper of Manuscripts and Records, for his kind co-operation.