FIELD MARSHAL FREDERICK "1ST EARL ROBERTS" ROBERTS - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 10/17/1897 - HFSID 166566

FIELD MARSHAL LORD FREDERICK ROBERTS
Triumphant in Afghanistan, he became Baron Roberts of Kandahar.
Autograph Letter signed: "Roberts", 3p (integral leaf), 4¼x7. The Royal Hospital, Dublin, 1897 October 17. To "My dear Graham", in full: "On my return to Dublin last evening I found the packet of pictures, and I hasten to thank you for thinking of sending us 'Happy Memories'. It is a most charming little picture, and will delight Lady Roberts - who is away from home at present. She would, I know, wish me to give you her thanks for your kind thought. I am very sorry indeed to hear that your eldest boy is laid up with enteric fever, and trust sincerely you will soon have good accounts of him. I wish he could be taken to Lady Roberts's home at Murree, where he would be well looked after. With kindest regards to Mrs. Graham and yourself, believe me yours sincerely". [Enteric fever is another name for typhoid fever.] Prior to the US intervention in 2002, British Field Marshal Lord Roberts (1832-1914) was the only military leader in 200 years to emerge triumphant from a campaign in Afghanistan. Roberts marched his army from Kabul to Kandahar, 313 miles across Afghanistan's hostile terrain. On September 1, 1880, he obliterated Ayub Khan's Afghan Army in the decisive victory of the Afghan War. From 1892, he was known as Baron Roberts of Kandahar. Roberts (1832-1914) later served as Commander in Chief in India (1885-1893), Commander in Chief in Ireland (1895-1899) and he held the supreme command in South Africa during the Boer War(1899-1900), annexing the Orange Free State and Transvaal and capturing Johannesburg and Pretoria. Lightly foxed. Mailing folds. One-half-inch tear near upper edge of center fold. Otherwise, fine condition.