Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The rare Regimental Commander’s Peninsula War group of four awarded to Lieutenant-General Sir John Cameron, K.C.B., who first saw action with the 43rd Light Infantry in the West Indies in 1794 at the captures of Martinique, St Lucia and Guadaloupe, displaying his gallantry and winning his captaincy at the storming of the Fortress of Fleur d’Epée; subsequently, as a junior captain placed in command of his sickness reduced regiment, he suffered severe wounds and was captured in the defence of Berville Camp, 4 October 1794, spending 2 years in a prison hulk off Pointe-á-Pitre, Guadaloupe.

Appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in the 9th Foot in September 1807, Cameron commanded the 2nd Battalion at Vimeiro the following year, and then, assuming command of the 1st Battalion - a position he retained throughout the Peninsula War - served under Sir John Moore in 1809 at Corunna where his intrepid bravery gained the approbation of his superior in command; he returned to Portugal in March 1810 at head of his Battalion, being Mentioned in Despatches for Busaco where he ‘exerted himself with the greatest gallantry in front during the charge, when his horse was killed under him’; was wounded and fell from the breach at the final assault on San Sebastian; and in the fiercely contested Battle of Nive, finding his regiment surrounded by superior numbers, made a successful charge to the rear taking between three and four hundred prisoners - the following day, while reconnoitring, he became engaged en tirrailleurs and had his horse shot from under him once more.

Appointed one of the first K.C.B.s on his return from the Peninsula Wars, in which campaign the 9th’s losses exceeded those of any other regiment, and from which his important journals and letters survived to be later published under the title, ‘The Letters of Lt. Colonel Sir John Cameron, 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment of Foot, 1808-14’, he was later appointed Colonel of the Regiment he had commanded for upwards of thirteen years

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s, a contemporary Paris-made breast star, circa 1815, 75mm, silver with appliqué centre in gold and enamels, the reverse centre inscribed ‘Mortier Bijoutier Palais Royal No. 34 A Paris’, fitted with silver pin for wearing; Army Gold Cross 1806-14, for Vimeiro, Corunna, Salamanca, and St. Sebastian, 3 clasps, Buzaco, Vittoria, Nive, the edge of the lower three arms of the cross inscribed ‘Lt. Colonel John Cameron 1st. Bn. 9th. Foot’, with usual oak and laurel suspension ring and swivel-ring gold bar suspension; Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal, the reverse centre inscribed ‘Vimiera, & Corunna. 1808-9.’, 1 clasp, Salamanca (Lieut. Coll. J. Cameron, 9th Foot.); Portugal, Kingdom, Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge, gold, 45mm, some light enamel chips to the first, very fine, otherwise nearly extremely fine (4) £70,000-£90,000

John Cameron was born on 3 January 1773, the second son of John Cameron of Culchenna, Inverness, Scotland and nephew of Cameron of Caltort, Inverness-shire, whose ancestor was a younger son of Lochiel, chief of the clan. He was educated at Eton College and entered the 43rd Foot as an Ensign on 25 September 1787, gaining promotion to Lieutenant in September 1790. In this latter year, Cameron served in the West Indies under Sir Charles Grey and was present at the reduction of Martinique (including the siege of Fort Bourbon and other minor engagements) and at the captures of St. Lucia and Guadaloupe, particularly displaying his gallantry and winning his captaincy in the storming of the fortress of Fleur d’Epée and in the sortie from and the defence of that place.
In 1794, Sir Charles Grey returned to England in the mistaken belief that his West Indian conquests were secure, leaving the 43rd Regiment, which had been so reduced by sickness that Cameron, though only a junior captain commanded it, forming part of Brig.-Gen. Graham’s garrison at Berville Camp in Guadaloupe. Cameron led his Regiment in the action of 30 September 1794 and in the different attacks made by the enemy, until 4 October when he was severely wounded and taken prisoner, remaining on a prison hulk at Pointe-à-Pitre for two years. Exchanged for release in 1797, he was immediately ordered to rejoin his regiment in the West Indies, remaining on foreign service again for over three years. He was appointed a Majority in the 43rd Foot on 28 October 1800 and brought his regiment home after it had suffered terrible losses from the West Indian climate.
In 1803, whilst stationed in the Channel Islands, he married Miss Amelia Brock, eldest daughter of Henry Brock, of Belmont, Guernsey, and niece of Admiral James Saumarez, notable for his victory at the Battle of the Gut of Gibraltar, and first cousin of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock. He gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel by transferring to the 7th West India Regiment on 28 May 1807; from which he was removed to the 9th (East Norfolk) Foot from 5 September 1807. On his return to England, he was then ordered with the 9th Foot to the seat of war in Portugal, where in August 1808 he commanded the 2nd Battalion at the Battle of Vimiera before assuming command of the 1st Battalion following the death in action of its commander, Colonel Stewart, at the earlier Battle of Roliça. He would remain its commander throughout the Peninsula War, the Walcheren Expedition and Canada 1814 and 1815. Cameron led the 1st into Spain with Moore during the advance to Salamanca, and afterwards, at the Battle of Corunna where he displayed intrepid bravery, gaining the approbation of his superior in command.

In July 1809, Cameron embarked on the expedition to the Scheldt under the Earl of Chatham, in command of the 1st Battalion of the 9th Regiment, and returned the following September to England from where he proceeded, in March 1910, to increase the force in Portugal under the command of the Duke of Wellington, at the head of the 1st Battalion of 9th Regiment (the 2nd Battalion, aside from their participation at Barossa, remained confined to Gibraltar during this period). Likely having received news of the death of his brother, Captain Ewen Cameron, 43rd Regt., at the Battle of the Coa, 24 July 1810, Cameron rose from his sick-bed to command the 9th Foot at Busaco, 27 September 1810, particularly distinguishing himself and having his horse shot under him.

After the battle, a report submitted to the Duke of Wellington by Major-General Leith contained the following extract relating to the conduct of Cameron’s 9th Regiment:

‘...that part which looks behind the Sierra was inaccessible, and afforded the enemy the advantage of outflanking the 9th on the left as they advanced; but the order, celerity, and coolness with which they attacked, panic struck the enemy, which immediately gave way on being charged with the bayonet; and the whole were driven down the face of the Sierra in confusion, and with immense loss, from the destructive fire which the 9th Regiment opened up on him as he fled with precipitation after the charge. The steadiness and accuracy with which the 9th Regiment altered the direction of its march, which before they were engaged was continually changing, in order to form in the most advantageous manner for the attack on the enemy; the quickness and precision with which they formed line under a heavy fire; their instantaneous and orderly charge, by which they they drive the enemy (so superior in numbers) from a formidable position; and the promptitude with which they obeyed Major-General Leith’s order to cease firing, was altogether conduct as distinguished as any regiment could have shown; and perhaps not the less worthy of notice, that it is well known the attack was made by the flower of Regnier’s corps, who had volunteered the service, in which the enemy was ultimately defeated. The 9th Regiment was commanded by Lieut.-Col. Cameron, who notwithstanding his being extremely ill, exerted himself with the greatest gallantry in front during the charge, when his horse was killed under him.’

Welcome addition to our knowledge of the 1/9th during the Peninsula War comes from Cameron’s letters and journal from the period. Edited by Gavin Glover and published in 2013, these records form an important understanding of the regiment in the campaign particularly as Cameron was in the best position to fully understand his troops movements. Of events at Busaco, Cameron’s own lucid account is worth sharing:

‘Proceeding further, I met Colonel Waller of the Adjutant General’s department of the 3rd Division and who said ‘Do you command this brigade?’
I replied ‘I lead the brigade in the absence of Major-General Leith who is reconnoitring on the ridge.’
He then said ‘I am come from General Picton to hasten your march as he is very anxious you should arrive to his support.’ I of course continued as I had done all along, and on approaching the scene of action perceived the ridge thickly planted with tirailleurs who, on discovering the brigade, pointed their fire towards us. Our advance was a little impeded by the retreat of a considerable body of Portuguese crossing our front and flying to the rear. I rode among them and requested them to clear my front which they understood and shouted ‘Viva los Ingleses’, ‘Valora Portuguesas’. Having received directions from General Leith to wheel up, we formed line, advanced to the charge and drove the enemy from the sierra at the point of the bayonet. When we had gained the ridge I perceived a strong column of the enemy within 50 yards and charging them, they faced about and retired preserving their formation, down the hill under a heavy fire of musquetry which I opened upon them as far as they retreated. The 9th pursued them some distance down the sierra inflicting a heavy loss of killed and wounded. The face of the sierra was covered with them. In the charge my horse was killed under me.’ (The letters of Sir John Cameron of the 1/9th Foot, 1808-14 edited by Gavin Glover)

Cameron commanded the 1st Battalion, 9th Foot in the Peninsula at the following actions:

16 January 1809, battle of Corunna - having marched into Spain with Moore, the 1st/9th suffered with the rest of the Army on the retreat to Corunna where, attached to Beresford’s Brigade, it was posted to hold the town and saw little involvement in the fighting; provided the party of gravediggers at Sir John Morre’s grave; the very last battalion into the boats at embarkation.

27 September 1810, battle of Busaco - the lead battalion of Barne’s Brigade, Cameron distinguishing himself counterattacking the French right as the enemy was about to gain the crest of the hill; horse shot from under him - retired with the Army to lines of Torres Vedras.

4 and 5 May 1811, battle of Fuentes D’Honor - barely engaged.

March and April 1812, siege of Badajoz - kept in reserve near Wellington’s vantage point. Marched into the town the following morning to assist in quelling the mayhem.

22 July 1812, battle of Salamanca - having just received permission to return to England due to poor health Cameron was on the road back to Portugal when he heard the sound of artillery. Rushing back to his battalion, he led them during the battle. His personal letters tell of how his command had to pass through the village of Arapiles and reform in the face of enemy cavalry; how they advanced under fire, and how they became intermingled with battalions of the 6th Division. Present at subsequent capture of Madrid.

18 June 1813, affair of Osma with rearguard of French Army

21 June 1813, battle of Vittoria - as part of Hay’s Brigade in Oswald’s 5th Division, the regiment was engaged in furious attacks and counterattacks to control the bridges of Arriaga and Gamarra.

17 July 1813, assault and capture of the fortified convent of St. Bartholomew, in front of St. Sebastian - taken by the 9th Foot - Cameron slightly wounded and mentioned in Graham’s report to Wellington. Glover summarises the action as follows:

‘The assault was launched at 10am, with the attackers suddenly emerging from behind the hill overlooking the convent. The Portuguese attack on the convent was slow and because of heavy fire from the main fortress Cameron moved rapidly on with the grenadier company and overtaking the Portuguese and reaching the shelter of a wall fifty yards from the convent with his men. The French garrison of the convent, fearing having their retreat cut off, now abandoned the convent. The 9th followed rapidly, capturing the convent ruins before the mines could be sprung and even taking some houses in the nearby suburb where the company now found themselves heavily outnumbered. Luckily, further companies arriving offset this disadvantage and the suburb was captured. The convent was captured with little loss but, but the over enthusiasm of the troops leading to an attack on the suburb caused heavy losses. The losses totalled over seventy officers and men including Colonel Cameron himself slightly. (ibid)

7 July to 8 September 1813, siege of St. Sebastian including the assault, 25 July, which failed; and the final assault and capture on 31 August 1813, on which occasion he was slightly wounded and knocked from the breach into the ditch - at the final assault, the 9th Foot lost two-thirds of their officers and three-quarters of their soldiers and 5 colour sergeants.

7 October 1813, crossing the Bidassoa, and gaining the heights on entering French territory - the regiment suffering severely on this occasion, in repeated charges with the bayonet, having led the attack (vide despatch of the Duke of Wellington).

10 November 1813, operations connected with the Nivelle - formed part of the holding force under Sir John Hope on the right. Few casualties.

9 to 11 December 1813, battle of the Nive - where the regiment was engaged for three successive days in fiercely contested battles, lost several officers and about three hundred men; on the second of these days, the regiment was at one time surrounded by superior numbers of the enemy, when by a successful charge to the rear, they took between three and four hundred prisoners; on the following day the regiment being advanced to reconnoitre the enemy, became engaged en tirrailleurs at the village of Anglet, where it suffered much, and Cameron had his horse shot under him. Cameron recalled the events of 10 and 11 December at the Nive in a letter written in 1836 to Colonel Colin Campbell, prefaced ‘I have no doubt my memoranda are correct’:

‘I went immediately to the rear to satisfy myself on the subject, when I saw a good sized battalion of the enemy regularly formed in line, about my own strength in point of numbers. I then determined on attacking them with the bayonet, and ordered my men to face about having about 40 men, in order to keep up appearances to our proper front. We moved on to the rear in as good a line as the very unfavourable nature of the ground would allow us, receiving the enemy’s fire, which was slow at first but increased rapidly as we neared them. When within a very few yards of them, we hurried our pace at the charge, but instead of standing the shock, the enemy’s line was in an instant broken, the men running to right and left, throwing away their arms and packs, and in fact in complete deroute. Some of the fugitives passed by the right of the brigade and took an officer of the Royals with them. The greater part were made prisoners. I lost no time in taking up my proper front again, which contrary to my expectations, was done without the least confusion. I unfortunately lost 2 officers killed, 4 or 5 wounded, and during the day there were about 90 casualties, the greater portion of them in the charge to the rear....
About 7 o’clock on the morning of 11 December I received an order to take my regiment to the front, where I found Lord Wellington and all his Staff with the colonels of the Nassau regiments which had come over from the French. As the enemy had commenced a loose fire of musquetry from the village of Anglet, I was ordered to send out a company to skirmish, and if they increased their skirmishers I was ordered to increase mine. In a short time all my companies were skirmishing with the exception of a small reserve, and as I had been told by Colonel De Lancey that I might occupy the village, we drove the enemy towards it. At the entrance my horse was shot under me, and I soon discovered the mistake into which I had been led; for a very large force, which I understood afterwards amounted to 25000 men, was collected in the rear of the village. They detached a considerable body of men to drive us away and I was glad to escape, pursued for about 200 yards, when I halted under the fire of some Portuguese troops which Sir John Hope had brought to cover our retreat.’ (ibid)

February, March, April 1814, operations before Bayonne under Sir John Hope, including sortie from the left bank of the Adour.

Having been twice wounded, twice severely contused and twice having had his horse shot from under him, for his services in the Peninsula Wars - in which his regiment’s losses exceeded those of any other regiment - Cameron was made one of the first K.C.B.s on the extension of the Order of the Bath in January 1815, the citation reading, ‘In consideration of his eminent service and we can honestly assert there was not a better soldier in any army’ (Hall and Oman vol. viii refers). Immediately after he received the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal and he was also awarded the Army Gold Cross for Vimeiro, Corunna, Salamanca and St. Sebastian with clasps for Buzaco, Vittoria and Nive, and the Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal for Vimiera and Corunna with clasp for Salamanca.

Cameron was given the Brevet of Colonel on 4 June 1814 and the same month embarked for Canada, from Bordeaux in France, in command of the 9th Regiment, remaining there for the winter, but was recalled with his regiment the following year in consequence of the return of Napoleon to France. Reaching Ostend in August 1815, the 9th immediately proceeded to join the allied army in the occupation of Paris, where Cameron commanded a Brigade. He was promoted to Major-General on 19 July 1821, when he relinquished command of the regiment. On 25 September 1823 he was appointed to the command of the Western District, and to be Lieutenant-Governor of Plymouth, which appointments he held until 30 September 1834. John Cameron was appointed to the Colonelcy of the 93rd Regiment in 1832 and the following year was removed to the 9th Foot, which regiment he had commanded for upwards of thirteen years. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General on 10 January 1837, he died at Guernsey on 23 November 1844, after a period of nearly sixty years service, and was laid to rest in Town Church Candie Road Cemetery, St. Peter Port, to the end a fervent defender of the 9th‘s reputation and record of service in the Peninsula War. His issue of five included Lieutenant-General John Campbell, Royal Engineers, CB, FRS and General Sir Duncan Alexander Cameron, GCB, who fought in the Crimea at the head of a brigade, commanded troops in the New Zealand Wars and who latterly, in 1875, as Governor of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, deposited in the Chapel there a set of the colours of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot from his father’s command in the Peninsula.

Sold with a silvered bronze medal commemorating the renaming of Plymouth Dockyard to Devonport by King George IV in 1823, 55mm, together with a rare contemporary fringed silk panel with printed description of the medal, this distressed in parts and extremely fragile, and an ivorine display label inscribed ‘Lieut. General Sir John Cameron, K.C.B., Ensign 1787 43rd Regiment of Foot’; and a copy of The Napoleonic Archive Volume 1: British Line Infantry Memoirs edited by Gareth Glover (Ken Trott publishing, 2003) containing inter alia, 76 pages ‘The Letters of Lt. Colonel Sir John Cameron, 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment of Foot, 1808-14’

For related family medals see Lot 47.