Series of nine illustrated manuscript reports from Lt. Col. Ralph Carr Alderson (1793-1849) of the Royal Engineers, to Charles Richard Fox, secretary to the Master-General of the Ordnance Office, bound together with their accompanying explanatory letters, the first report covering 8 January to 17 March 1838, the last dated 10 July 1840, giving details of events as they unfold, with reports on strategic towns ("...Alicante is strongly fortified and is the most thriving looking town... we are billeted on the English houses and they seem to vie with each other for our attention..."), much on defences and fortifications ("...a Moorish Castle... admirably adapted for a Telegraph station, as well as for a large piece of ordinance on a travelling platform..."), describing various actions, strategies and the practicalities of siege warfare ("...a few pickaxes here, sandbags there, shovels, hatchets, crowbars, baskets for carrying earth..."), the Carlist followers ("...being seduced into service on the condition of leading an idle life in the mountains watching their opportunity, when the Queens troops are absent, to descend into the Plains..."), conditions ("...the troops are harassed every day by a long march in search of food..."), skirmishes ("...we were awoke by a sharp fire of musketry in the camp and, jumping up, I found myself in the midst of a Battalion forming and advancing to the charge..."), agriculture ("...garlic, the mulberry tree (for silk worms)... a large kidney bean (in great abundance throughout the plain), grapes, of which a good wine is made... Garlic... valued at 25,000 dollars this year... wine 50,000 canteros..."), Spanish generals ("...Cabrera has published a manifesto to his troops... General Borso with his division... will form the convoy for supplying the Army in Aragon... The Insurrection of the Basque Provinces under Muñagorri is an event of the highest importance..."), long comment on breaches of the Eliot Convention of April 1835 ("...The Queen's Party have, I believe invariably respected the Treaty and well treated their prisoners but, it is well known that this has not been the case on the opposite side; and the refined cruelties of Cabrera to his prisoners recorded... bears ample testimony..."), commenting "...the war may unfortunately be prolonged by want of energy, money or cooperation, there is not the slightest chance of any event occurring to give the Party of Don Carlos the most distant prospect of placing their chief on the throne of Spain...", suggesting foreign intervention would help the "...middling & lower orders of Spain, who suffer most severely...", and much else, the reports illustrated with c.60 fine line vignettes and plans, 7 pull-out plans and maps in pen and ink, some coloured in wash; manuscript copy of Cabrera's address to his troops prior to the Siege of Morella, 16 June 1838, various charts, manuscript grid map tipped in; several printed items in Spanish including three addresses to his troops from General Oraà of the Army of the Centre, 1838; statement to Valencianos from Narciso Lopez, October 1838; Dairio de Valencia, December 1838; Boletin Estraordinario del Jueves, March 1839; Boletin del Ejercito Real de Arago, Valencia Y Murcia, no. 219 (with annotation "Carlist Paper"), etc., c.300 leaves, dust-staining and marks, brown calf, gilt tooling, worn and scratched with losses, red label titled in gilt 'MSS. LETTERS. From Lt. Col. Alderson to Col. Fox from Spain 1838.9.40' on spine, upper cover and spine detached, marbled front endpaper and first 3 leaves also detached, folio (325 x 205mm.), Alicante, March 1838 to Barbastro, July 1840