[ Commander Augustus Jacob, RN. ] Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'Augustus Jacob') to his brother 'Gay', one written from Balaclava Harbour during the Crimean War, the second describing an action he was involved in with cossacks and field guns.

Jacob was one of the ten children (seven sons) of Archdeacon Philip Jacob (1803-1884). Both items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: 'HMS Leopard | Dec 12th. 1854'. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. To 'My dearest Brother'. The fifteen-year-old Jacob has a shaky grasp of spelling and punctuation. Having 'returned from Balaclava', he begins by stating that 'The place were [sic] the ships are now is not the same as where so many ships were wrecked but is inside of all because when the Gale took place the heights of Balaclava had not been taken so that our ships could not get in it is a beautiful harbour very much sheltered and is crammed full of ships people who have been in Switzerland say it is very much like every thing there was covered with snow though that was a greatdeal better than mud.' He has been ashore twice, and finds the soldiers in the camp 'very uncomfortable They have not yet got any hulks up though there are several vessels in there full of themm as the roads are so bad and tey have very few horses and nwhat there remain are more like skeletons than horses as they have no covering for them and there is such a bad supply of food'. He finds the fact that the troops 'have to fetch their provisions from Balaclava every day [...] certainly helps to keep them in good health'. He has not been able to see 'Captn. Le. C<?> as he was stationed at the farthest part of the Camp which was about 10 miles from Balaclava which was to [sic] far to walk'. After talk of the family Christmas tree, he turns to the British commander: 'There is a talk about Lord Raglan being recalled as he is not though [sic] very highly off out here though the engagements we have had have been successfull but it has been more through hard fighting than good management It is though that if after the battle of Alma we had marched atonce to the Attack of Sebastopol we should have taken it at once it is said that General Cathgart [sic] allmost went down on his knees to Lord Raglan to attack Sebastopol at once'. He has heard a further rumour that the French general Canrobert 'has sent to say that if we will not attack the place he will by himself. I believe our guns are not yet placed'. The copy of The Times that he has been sent 'cuts up Lord Raglan terribly a great deal of which is true'. He cites the fact that 'the French cut us out in every thing they carry up our food they carry up our Shot our food for cattle and almost every thing'. TWO: 'H.M. H [sic] Excellent | December 7th. 1859.' Addressed to 'My dearest Gay' and signed 'Your affectionate Brother'. 2pp., 12mo. Having 'looked over the statement of my services', he finds that it cannot be beettered. 'About the distribution of those guns it was this. The guns were on their way to Sevastopol with an escort of Cossacks when we sent our boats onshore to stop them and they then brought down a field battery from <?> which is not very far off and commenced firing on us while we were engaged in rendering the Guns unfit for Service as they were too heavy to take off.' In the rest of the letter he discusses another Christmas tree and the fact that 'the nearer I am home the less I have to write about'.