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22 May 57 John Dublin Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

My dear Mother

I am packing up my receipts & a pair of flannel trousers (which will require the stripes taking off) for Peter & a pair of boots for Taylor which were packed up & sent off with my heavy things instead of being left out, so they came here against my wishes. The carpets I should wish to have care taken of as they may come in useful to me at a future time.

Our heavy baggage embarked this morning & we tomorrow morning & weather permitting we sail on Sunday morning.

We are of course highly complimented in the Dublin papers, both officers & men. I have drawn on Cox & Co as far as £51. I may draw the other nine pounds which my Father said that he would lodge to my credit, £25 for the horse & £25 for June in advance.

I had to pay my 50 day difference of pay between Lieut't & Captain this month & that not only took all this monthspay but put me considerably in debt. But we are entitled to an advance of pay when going on overseas & that enabled me to leave myself pretty square.

I owe Cayley for the shell jackets* & coat he made me the other day & Heath* for two hats. Besides, there is my other tailor, to whom I owe about £20 & that is all, so I am not subjected to any annoyances in the way of dues & can in a short time easily settle these trifling matters.

I have got a very good outfit as everything is intolerably dear out there. There is a shave that we go out to India but I fancy there is no truth in it. I wish it were true. I would not mind drawing about £45 a month pay & allowances. That is better than £15 but I must take everything as it comes & will not grumble till I have good cause & I hope that may be a long time.

I was just attacked by two men who said they were sailors & came from Devonshire & knew Barnstaple very well so I had to hand out five shillings & they put my name down & were going to publish me all over Barnstaple.

I will write from Kingstown before the ship starts so that you may hear that we are all safely embarked, but the wind is dead against us at present & unless it changes I do not see that we can get away.

Best love to my Father & all at home & hoping continually to hear from you & always to hear good accounts

Believe me ever

Your affectionate Son

J Wimburn Laurie

4th K.O. Regt.

Dublin

May 22nd 1857

I enclose a cheque for £12 on Cox & Co in favour of Captain Pitt or bearer. This is for my rifle & fittings. Captain Pitt said he would try it & send it to H.P.P. by the end of the month & then you can send the cheque to him. I included this cheque in what I said I had drawn from Cox & Co.

* shell jackets – Short jackets reaching down to hip level used as part of a military uniform. The style was first created in Austria and became very common in Europe and USA during the 19th century

* Heath – Henry Heath, Hat Manufacturer, 393 Oxford Street