Cape Breton's Magazine

So, after leaving the Royal Military Col? lege at Marlow. he became an Ensign in the 41st Regiment and in 1805 sailed from Portsmouth in the transport "Two Friends" for Military duties in Quebec. There is a note which says: He was drowned in the wreck of the transport "Two Friends" off Cape Breton, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the night of October 22nd, 1805. about midnight. The transport was on her voyage from Portsmouth to Quebec. Through his ex? ertions all the soldiers excepting two, and all the passengers, including women and children, were saved. He was unmarried, and was buried in the cemetery of Louisbourg. in the island of Cape Breton. He was not quite seventeen at the time of his death. The following is an extract from a letter written to W. Gilpin. Esq.. Army Agent, London, by W. Robertson. Assistant Surgeon in the 41st Regiment, who was one of the survivors of the wreck: "Montreal, November 13th. 1807 "At the time the vessel struck everyone on board put what money they had in their pockets, and Mr. E. among the rest. Next day the boat which conveyed some of the men ashore having broke and no officer having left the ship we resolved to try and get ashore on the rope that had been fixed to the boat. I went on first and with great difficulty got safe. Mr. E. followed but had only got a short way from the wreck when he let go his hold and un? fortunately was lost. No assistance could be given him owing to the uncommon heavy surf. Another man who followed shared the same melancholy fate, and no more attempt? ed to escape by that conveyance. What box? es of Mr. E's floated ashore no-one for some time took any care of. Upon hearing this I got them conveyed to a place of safety, etc. etc. "P.S. Mr. E's body was found by some peo? ple the night after he was lost. Before any of the soldiers dis? covered him they had taken everything out of his pockets and even took some of his clothes off." After William's death, his younger brother George was sent to Harrow School and in 1810 he too entered the Army. He served under the Duke of Wellington in the Pe? ninsular War as Lieu? tenant and Captain in the 1st battalion of the 3rd Regt. of Foot Guards. He transferred from the 1st to the 2nd battalion which he joined in Belgium before Waterloo, and in the defence of the Chateau of Hougoumont was severely wound? ed. His father went out to see him in Brussels (to see how he was getting on af? ter his serious wound) and wrote home an account of his son's personal experiences in surviving the battle (which is too long and not really relevant). William's nephew George Palmer Evelyn vis? ited Louisbourg many years later, when he too, an Army Man, was quartered at Halifax and in a letter dated Sept. 6th 1845 gives the following narration: "A fisherman said that the ship was lost Oct. 23. 1805, and that a young officer of the name of Evelyn and two of the men were drowned. He was lost while endeavouring to reach the shore by means of a rope passing from it to the ship. He held it for some time, but at last the waves proved too strong for him and washed him away. He was buried with military honours in the old French burial ground about a mile from the place. Of course I went to see the grave, it is only a mound of earth with a stone at each end...." So here I am, 187 years after the event, wishing I. too, could pay my respects at his graveside. Is it, one wonders still on? ly a mound of earth with a stone at each end? Or, more likely even the stones may have sunk beneath the turf by now. I won- der if the gravesite is yet known? S & M Trucking Ltd. • General Trucking • Local & Long Distance • Loader & Trailer Rentals ' Float, Flatbed, Drop Deck Service D- OFFICE 1 567-2260 FAX 564-1443 • ' Operating in: ;]NS,NB,NFLD, J PEI, ONT, PQ, fand the U. S. A. Donald Sives Manager L GARAGE & DISPATCH 564-2011 IF BUSY CALL 564-0204 - ;j SYDPORT INDUSTRIAL PARK • SYDNEY • NOVA SCOTIA SKI BEN EOITSF 5000 sq. ft. of new base facilities • 100% snow making • 100% ligliting for niglit sitiing • quality grooming TME FyVlVIILY SK:I jS.TLE.jS. Sl(i Ben Eoin • Route 4, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia • Completely Serviced • 20 minutes from Sydney SNO-PHONES: 902-828-2222 or 539-1 SKI Direct Info Line: 828-2804