Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (Corp. James Beard, 13th Reg. Light Dragoons,) fitted with steel clip and ring suspension, polished and overall contact wear, otherwise better than good fine £2,400-£3,000

Provenance: Galway Foley Collection 1910.

James Beard was born in the Parish of Chislet, Kent, and enlisted into the 13th Light Dragoons at Canterbury on 19 March 1806, aged 15, for unlimited service. He served in the Peninsula and at Waterloo. He afterwards served in the East Indies from where he was sent home for discharge, owing to a chronic enlargement of the right knee, on 14 April 1829.

The following anecdote concerning the killing of a French cavalry officer by Private James Beard in a charge at Los Santos is taken from Historical Records of the British Army by Richard Cannon:

‘The siege of Olivenza was undertaken by the fourth division, and the army advanced to drive the French detachments from the province of Estremadura. The British and Portuguese cavalry arrived at Los Santos on the 16th April, and fell in with a body of French heavy cavalry, when the leading troop of the Thirteenth, under Captains Boyse and Macalister, promptly formed and checked the advance of the enemy. The remainder of the regiment, commanded by Colonel Head, quickly formed line, charged, cut down many of the enemy, took two officers and a number of men and horses, and continued in close and rapid pursuit for several miles, successfully frustrating every attempt of the French to rally, and driving them from the field in utter confusion. The enemy suffered a very severe loss in killed and wounded. The left squadron of the Thirteenth, partly formed of the men who had escaped on the 6th instant, had the satisfaction of recapturing some of their horses and accoutrements, and severely revenging their own and their comrades’ mischance on some of the very authors of it, who were among their opponents on this occasion. It was observed that these men displayed the most determined gallantry: nothing daunted by the superior numbers of the enemy immediately opposed to them, they rushed fearlessly into their ranks, and committed terrible havoc with their sabres. Captain Doherty had a horse shot under him in this affair. The French commander, whose gallant bearing in leading his men to the attack was a long theme of admiration among the officers who witnessed it, was killed by Private James Beard of the regiment, much to the regret of those who had observed his gallantry.’

An accompanying unattributed typescript note adds the following:

‘At the close of this engagement, Marshal Beresford halted and dismounted the 13th which had played the major part, & paid them a handsome compliment on their conduct. The French cavalry officer who led the enemy counter charge was engaged and killed by Private J. Beard of Captain Macalester’s troop. This Frenchman was very well known to the regiment from previous encounters, as a very gallant enemy, and was to have been married a few days later to the daughter of the Mayor of the town of Zaffra. This trooper survived the Peninsular War, and fought as a corporal with the 13th Light Dragoons throughout the Waterloo campaign.’

Sold with copied discharge papers and related extracts as quoted above.