Sir.
I have the Honor to inform you that nothing very material has occurred since my last Report to you, Elland and its Neighbourhood has been perfectly quiet ‘till last night when three guns were fired between the Hours of ten and eleven I tried in vain to discover the Raskals by concealing myself near the place I judged the Report came from & firing a Pistol and hope it would be answer’d.
I have sent two or three times for Joshua Gibson to come to me, which he promised to do, but I have seen nothing of him, I therefore apprehend his tale was forged for the purpose of obtaining money or that he is withheld by fear from proceeding in his engagement.
A man whose name is Joseph Park has been publickly accusing three of the Suffolk, in my Detachment, of stealing Potatoes in the Middle of the afternoon of this day fortnight as I have every reason to believe it is scandalous falsehood particularly from my always parading the men during the afternoon’s Service I would severely punish the Man if I knew how to proceed and the Law will allow me.
I understand Joseph Park is one of the Multitude that attack’d Rawfolds Mill and that he is very shortly to be apprehended, with another Man of this place (Saml Robinson) for that Crime, I should therefore like to punish him previously by way of example as there has been many Reports of the same nature, which must be very detrimental to the characters of the Soldiers as it makes them appear to the Inhabitants the Depredators instead of the preservers of their Property.
I have [etc]
Alf. Cooper Lieut.
West Suffolk Regt.
[To] M. General Acland
&c. &c. &c.
This letter can be found at HO 40/2/3.
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