Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private Hugh McPherson, 3rd Foot, who fought at the battles of Albuhera in 1811 and at Plattsburgh in 1814, and afterwards served in France, New South Wales and Bengal East Indies

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Albuhera (H. McPherson, 3rd Foot.); Army L.S. & G.C., W.IV.R. (Hugh M’Pherson, 3rd Regiment Foot. 1832.) fitted with fitted with original steel clip and rectangular steel bar suspension, the first good very fine, the second with contact marks, otherwise very fine (2) £2,600-£3,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment.

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Single M.G.S., Spink, March 1993, and Glendining’s, March 1994; reunited with L.S. & G.C. from The Robert F. Brett Collection of Medals to the Buffs, Dix Noonan Webb, September 1999.

One of only 19 single-clasp medals for Albuhera to the regiment.

Hugh McPherson was born at Louth, near Inverness, Sutherland, and attested for the 3rd Foot at Dundalbin, County Sutherland, on 1 April 1808, aged 17 years. Commencing his adult service on 1 April 1809, he completed a further 25 years 100 days, including additional allowance of 1 year 336 days for service in the East Indies, and was discharged at Fort William on 31 December 1831. He received his final discharge at Fort Pitt, near Chatham, on 8 May 1832. His discharge papers record that he ‘served at the Battles of “Albuhera” - “Nive” - “Nivelle” - “Orthes” - “Pyrenees” - on the Peninsula; and at “Plattsburgh” in North America; afterwards Three Years in France - Five Years in New South Wales, and Three Years and a half in Bengal, East Indies.’ He was discharged ‘on the reduced Pension of 10d per diem, under the Regulations dated 14th November 1829, by authority of the General Commanding in Chief, dated, Horse Guards 13th May 1831.’ He received testimony from Ensign & Adjutant White, 3rd Regt., ‘that his character has been most exemplary & has been recommended by his Commanding Officer for the Gratuity in addition to his Pension.’ Hugh McPherson was examined at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on 8 August 1832, then aged 41, and although stating his intention to reside in Glasgow, it would appear that he drew his pension from the Dublin District in Ireland, where he received an increased pension of 1/3 from 22 November 1859, and was still drawing his pension in 1863. Despite his discharge papers showing his presence at further actions in the Peninsula after Albuhera, the medal rolls confirm his entitlement to the single clasp for that battle, one of approximately 20 single-clasp medals to the 3rd Foot, out of the 165 medals issued to the regiment with that clasp.

Sold with copied discharge papers.

The Battle of Albuhera
Albuhera was the bloodiest battle of the Peninsula War, fought on 16 May 1811, and was the only significant battle of the war at which Wellington was not in command. Fought in south-west Spain, 75 miles north of Seville, on the Badajoz road. Marshall Beresford, in command of 37,279 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops, was attacked by Marshal Soult’s French army of 28,272, whose main intention was to raise their siege of Badajoz.

Following a feint attack on the Allies’ left flank at the village, Soult heavily attacked the Spanish under Zaya in the centre. Colborne’s Brigade [3rd (Buffs), 31st, (East Surrey), 1st and 2nd Bns. 48th (Northamptonshire), and 66th (Berkshire) Regiments of Foot] of the 2nd Division, aligned from the right, advanced to support them. Attacked with volley fire at 60 paces, the French columns began to break. Colborne’s line cheered and went forward to complete the victory with the bayonet. Unfortunately a dreadful catastrophe then occurred as French cavalry, the 1st Polish Lancers of the Vistula and the 2nd Hussars, some 880 men, attacked Colborne’s flank at the very moment that a blinding shower of rain and hail fell. This masked their approach and they were mistaken for Spanish cavalry.

The Buffs, on the right, suffered the most. Muskets were rendered useless by the storm and, in the space of five minutes, 4 officers and 212 men were killed, with 14 and 234 wounded, and 2 and 177 taken prisoner or missing, an eighty-five percent casualty rate. The total Brigade losses amounted to 58 out of 85 officers, and 1190 out of 1568 men. This ghastly slaughter was partly due to the Polish Lancers, many of whom were believed to be intoxicated, not only refusing to accept surrender from the infantry but spearing them with their long lances as they lay wounded.