1st. That I am totally unable to give any information relative to the
family of Mrs. Wolfe.
2d. Edward Wolfe was not, I believe, a native of Westerham, and only
resided there when not on active duty. His wife lived there some years,
but could only have been staying temporarily in the house where her son
was born, as it always was the residence of the vicar; the room, named
after him, is still pointed out where James Wolfe drew his first breath.
Quebec House was only rented by Edward Wolfe: to this house James was
very early removed, and, as I have always been informed, always resided
in it till he entered on his military studies; if so, he must have been
educated in the neighbourhood.
3rd. Sir Jeffrey Amherst is the same person as [Gh.] alludes to; I was
wrong, perhaps, in using the term "patronise." Wolfe and he were,
however, staunch friends through life; Amherst ever encouraged Wolfe,
who was liable to fits of despondency, and always represented him at
head quarters as one worthy of a high command in those trying times.
Amherst was afterwards executor to Mrs. Wolfe's will.
I feel gratified that the letters mentioned corroborate my assertion as
to his birth; not only is the date I gave on the tablet in Westerham
church, but was informed of the various accounts by a former curate of
Westerham, who assured me the date on the tablet was the correct one.
The circumstance of Barre's friendship with Wolfe is interesting, and I
am now enabled to mention another friend, on whom Wolfe equally relied,
viz. General Hugh Debbieg, who fought with him at Louisbourgh, and
afterwards followed him to Quebec, where he directed part of the
engineering operations.
The soldier who supported Wolfe after he received his death-wound, was
named James; he was in the artillery; he likewise served at Louisbourgh
and Quebec, and survived till 1812, when he died at Carlisle Castle,
where he had been stationed for many years as a bombardier, aged
ninety-two.
In no notice of him I have read, is he mentioned as having been at
Carthagena. The _Penny Cyclopaedia_ mentions the chief engagements he was
in, but makes no allusion to Carthagena whatever.
Southey and Gleig contemplated writing the life of Wolfe; but some
unknown circumstance prevented the completion of so laudable a design.
In George's _Westerham Journal_ is a curious account of Mrs. Wolfe
adopting a young man named Jacob Wolfe, and of Lord Amherst obtaining,
by her representations, a place of 700_l._ a-year for him. It is
extracted from Trusler's _Memoirs_; but being too lengthy for insertion
in "NOTES AND QUERIES," I will copy it out, if [Gh.] wishes to have it.
In Thackery's _Life of the Earl of Chatham_ is mentioned the following
anecdote, which I have often seen otherwise applied: George II. was once
expressing his admiration of Wolfe, when some one observed that the
General was mad. "Oh! mad is he?" said the King; "then I wish he would
bite some of my other generals." Other information occurs in the same
work.
I have learnt that a family named Wolfe was settled at Saffron Walden,
Essex, in the last century, and the obituary of _Sylvanus Urban for
1794_, p. 770., records the death of the lady of Thomas Wolfe, Esq., of
that place. Does this give a clue as to the county in which George Wolfe
settled?
I had intended to have applied myself to "NOTES AND QUERIES" relative to
our hero; and though I have been anticipated, I will still endeavour to
follow up my enquiries, and all I can obtain shall be at the service of
[Gh.], in the hope that something substantial may be done to rescue from
the comparative oblivion the life of one of England's greatest sons.