Tonyn, Charles William.

with regular entries covering his life in the army in Britain and the Low Countries especially during the campaigns against the French, and including first-hand accounts of the Battle of Dettingen and the Battle of Lauffeld, about 255 pages of manuscript entries interleaved in 10 printed almanacs, 8vo, for the years 1722, 1724, 1731, 1733, 1741, 1743, 1747, 1749, 1750, and 1754, six in stiff vellum covers two of which are stained green, one in limp calf, three unbound, many loose and missing pages with most volumes being incomplete, damp staining, soiling



"...21st [June 1747, o.s.] This morning some Alterations were made in the Line of Battell. We took possession of the village of Rosmer and others near it about Ten o'Clock the Armies began to Canonade Each other ... About two o'Clock our Foot had so much the advantage that I was in hopes Victory had declared for us, but on a sudden the French bent their whole force that way & obliged our Foot to retire in confusion. Upon which H:R:H: came to the British Cavalry ... to charge the right wing of French Cavalry. I engaged a squadron of light horse & defeated it entirely & took their standart. A Terrible havock was made by our Cavalry till we came to the French Foot whose heavy fire broke us and obliged us to retreat towards Maestricke..."



 



 

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Charles William Tonyn (d.1754) was a Colonel in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. An Irishman, he was the father of Patrick Tonyn, who became Governor of East Florida at the time of the Revolutionary Wars. He was also a distant relative of Alexander Hume Campbell, Lord Polwarth and later Second Earl of Marchmont, and accompanied him when Polwarth served as one of the British Ambassadors to the Congress of Cambrai (1722-25). Tonyn later served in the Netherlands during the War of the Austrian Succession. The Battle of Dettingen was the last occasion a British monarch (George II) personally led his troops on the battlefield. The British commander at Lauffeld was the Duke of Cumberland. Most of these volumes are inscribed with Tonyn's motto "Dum Tempus Habemus Operemur Bonum" [while we have the time, let us do good].