7th March 1813: General Acland writes one of his final letters to General Maitland from Wakefield

Wakefield 7th March 1813.

My dear Sir.

The Reports receiv’d this day are most satisfactory I copy Raynes’s as the most intelligent, & confirming what I wrote to you about the arms on the 1st Inst.

This part of the country remains perfectly tranquil, I have not heard of the least disorder or outrage of any description.

I am inform’d by Mr. Scott from the depositions of persons who have been before him, that it appears as soon as the offenders were found guilty at York, those concern’d in Arms stealing, thought proper to get them out of the way by any means in their power—the Arms taken Clifton &c were thrown into Kirklees Mill Dam—

From every enquiry I have made, I cannot learn that there ever was a Depot of Arms in a greater number than half a dozen or Eight stand in a place —

Brigade Major Bullen return’d this day from a visit to Colonel Fletcher at Bolton — both Col. F. & Mr. Hulton state that part of the Country to be perfectly quiet — the Colonel says no persons have been to him to take the oath of Allegiance, but several from the neighbourhood of Chowbent, Worsley & Bolton have been to the other Magistrates & some few to Dr. Drake at Rochdale—

Mr. Ratcliffe set out on his Tour the beginning of next month, he is quite comfortable without his Guard & tells Bullen he is satisfied it will be a good measure to remove the Troops.

I really think we may do so with perfect safety & prudence, if you meet your approbation—& the sooner the Horse Artillery move to [illegible] & the Suffolk gets a Route the better the more if it is done by the [degrees] the less it will be thought of & every one I talk with is of this opinion.

I am very anxious to hear from you as to my disposal, I wish to be in Town after General Grey comes back, & if it can be so arranged that I do not return, it will not only be gratifying but convenient—as long as any thing was to be done & you remain’d I was perfectly content, but now every thing is quiet, I shall be glad to get nearer to my friends, for with a limited income this campaign has been expensive, which however I never regard as long as I can be [useful] & I repeat I can only be so at home as my health is not equal to active Service abroad.

Wroth: P Acland

[To] Lt General
The Rt Honble
T. Maitland
London

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This letter can be found at HO 40/2/9.