Government House,
Sydney, N.S. Wales,
15th. Augt. 1818.

My dear Sister,

It is with feelings of the deepest
anguish and distress of mind that I now
sit down to perform the most painful
of all tasks that can fall to the lot
[of] man, namely – to convey to you
the Heart rending and afflicting
accounts of the death of your beloved
and gallant Son John, who fell
nobly in the Field of Honor, in the
performance of his Professional
Duties, in the Service of His King
and Country, in the Island of Ceylon,
on the 13^th. of January last, and it is to
be hoped expired without pain, as he
fell dead on the spot from his Horse
on being shot by his merciless and
Cowardly Foe – who was concealed
from view of our Troops behind a
Bank when he took the fatal
aim that laid low one of the most
manly, gallant, and promising Youths
that ever served his King and Country.

On this fatal and afflicting event,
I can only assure you that your Sister's
and my own grief is little, if at all,
short of your own. —He was ever the
darling and favorite [sic] Nephew of his
Aunt, and she always felt a motherly
affection for him; and notwithstanding
all his wildness, and youthful Levities,
while living here in the Bosom of our
Family, he always possessed my fullest
love and affection. —He ever retained
a sound, faithful, and affectionate Heart
and Nature had endowed him with
very Superior Talents; which, if God
had spared his life, would have
raised him to eminence and renown
in his Profession, and rendered him
an honor and credit to his Name and
Family! —Alas! all these fond Hopes
are frustrated by his untimely fall,
and all the Comfort we have now left
us is – that – he did not live in vain for
the short period God was pleased to spare
him to his Friends and to his Country
and that he died nobly in the discharge
of his Duty! —Accept therefore,
my dear Sister, my sincere condolences
and sympathy on this afflicting and
distressing Catastrophe — and Calamitous
event – which I pray God may enable
you to bear with becoming Fortitude and
pious resignation. —This fatal news
was conveyed to us here only through the
Channel of the India Newspapers – no
Letters having yet been received by us on
this mournful subject from any of our
friends in the 73^rd. Regiment – which we
are much hurt and surprised at. —The
afflicting news first reached us here on
the 17^th. of last month. —I enclose for your
further information a Sydney Gazette, which
mentions our poor dear John in highly
honorable terms. —I also enclose you a Letter
from your Sister on this mournful subject
who suffers the extremity of grief for the loss
of her darling and beloved Nephew. —I shall
not write to any other Person of your Family on
this fatal event; as, I conclude you will make
a communication of it to all of them. —-

Adieu my dear Sister. —Yours ever affectionately,

L. Macquarie

M^rs. Maclaine of Lochbuy Sen^r. —

Provenance:
Lachlan Macquarie to his sister-in-law Jane Maclaine of Lochbuy (c1761-1824). [Letter dated 15 August 1818]. Jane was the elder sister of Elizabeth Macquarie, second wife of Lachlan Macquarie.

Manuscript Transcript
Transcription prepared by Robin Walsh
Macquarie University Library, Sydney, Australia. © 2003

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