[Sir George Thomas Napier, distinguished soldier.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Geo. Napier') to 'Captn. Hamilton', regarding his request for a position, and quoting from a letter from Secretary at War Fox Maule.

The letter must have been written in 1855, as Fox Maule (later Earl of Dalhousie) was appointed Secretary of State for War on 8 February of that year, and Napier died on 16 September. 4pp, 16mo. Bifolium with black border. Loss to part of second leaf caused by removal from mount, resulting in loss of a few words of text, otherwise in good condition. Begins: 'In consequence of a letter from my Son William of your regt. [i.e. the King's Own Scottish Borderers] stating your wish to be appointed a Paymaster to the Out Pensioners, I wrote to my friend Mr Fox Maule the Secy. at War, & herewith give you the answer which I am sorry to say holds out but little prospect of success'. He proceeds to transcribe Fox Maule's letter, dated 'War Office | 8th. July', adding: 'You had better not depend much upon this, but use all other interest you may have in that quarter, as the more Irons [y]ou have in the fire the [bette]r!' He concludes 'Lady Napier [jo]ins me in best compliments to Mrs. Hamilton'. In a postscript he asks for Hamilton to give the Napiers' best regards to a 'friend', whose name has been torn away, 'at Chatham'. Napier's son Major-General William Craig Emilius Napier (1818-1903) would end his career as Governor of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.