Can anyone point me at any info on how fast messages travelled in the postal system during the Peninsular War. I am interested in communication in Portugal rather than Spain and by horse / boat not by telegraph. Any pointers welcome.
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There were clearly some issues! I am off to Lisbon on Monday with a group of Royal Engineers. A quick tour of the Lines and the border fortresses.
Also I found this most interesting letter from Wellington to Craufurd on the matter dated March 30th, 1810:
Hi Rui, it is great to hear from you. I have a copy of the Carta Military, but thank you for the postal routes map. I am just puzzled as to why letters between John Jones in Lisbon and Richard Fletcher around Celorico were taking several days. It seemed far too long for the journey.
Mark
the Portuguese Army had an established Military Postal System from Lisbon to Almeida and Elvas. It changed throughout the war but there are several sketches with the system like this one for May 1810:
Sketch of the system of courier posts between Lisbon, Almeida and Elvas (DIE - 4051/8º-2A-29-41 (DSE) - CRT/2003)
The note on the bottom right reads: "this system was observed on May 25, 1810".
RM
Hi Mark
I do recommend to read chapter 4 - "Les Transmissions" of the book: Raeuber, C.-A., & Chandler, D. G. (pref). (1993). Les renseignements, la reconnaissance et les transmissions militaires du temps de Napoléon : l’exemple de la troisième invasion du Portugal, 1810. Lisboa: Comissão portuguesa de história militar.
The chapter divides in 4.1 Les postes, 4.2 Estafettes et Guides, 4.3 Signaux optiques, 4.4 Codes et chifres.
Also in the "Military map of the main roads of Portugal, Lisbon, 1808" from Cunha de Eça (hi-resolution download here: http://purl.pt/6302) you have all the roads in Portugal with distances and times (on foot) between locations.
Regards,
RM
Hi Jacqueline, thanks but no-thanks, I have my answer. I can't wait for the Popham book. I would agree the film rights now :-) #trumpsanamateur Who would play Popham?
I can dig you out the letters in which Popham complains that letters are reaching him in 16 hours when his messengers can do it in half the time if you like............... (to be filed under #sopophamithurts)
If anyone is still interested :-) Celorico-Lisbon (about 210 miles) 3 days in July 1810. Freineda to Portalegre (about 140 miles) 2 days in 1811. So about 70 miles per day. SGP Ward, Wellington's Headquarters, p.124. I did not look hard enough, the first time I looked there.
Kenton, sorry, I should have said. I will get it off my bookshelf and have a look.
Hi Mark,
I believe the time taken is also mentioned, along with the method of changing horses. It’s been a long time since I read it, so I can’t remember the detail.
Hi Kenton. It's not the distances, it is the time taken. How far can a rider or more probably, a succession of riders travel in one day? Is it 40, 60 or 80miles? The roads between Lisbon and Almeida were not bad. One letter took 9 days; iIt must have got lost! With horse changes is 60 or 80 miles a day possible?
Hi Mark
’A Treatise on the Defence of Portugal’ by William Granville Eliot (1811) has some comments and distance tables, but not sure how useful it might be.
Huw Davies’ recent book ‘Spying for Wellington” should give you some pointers on how information was moving around in various ways.
Hi Mark It is clear that letters to and from England would normally take 10 to 14 days according to the receipt dates on numerous letters. There is an interesting book on the Postal service packets, can dig out title if you need it.