Orders, Decorations and Medals

An important medal for Bhurtpoor awarded to Major General Matthias Everard, C.B., K.H., who commanded the storming party of the 14th Foot at Bhurtpoor and who had earlier, in 1807, commanded the Forlorn Hope at the storming of Monte Video

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Major M. Everard, 14th Foot) short hyphen reverse, impressed naming, extremely fine £1200-1500

Matthias Everard, third son of Thomas Everard, of Randilestown, county Meath, was appointed Ensign in the 2nd, or Queen’s, at Gibraltar, on 28 September, 1804, and became Lieutenant, 21 March, 1805. In December, 1805, the company of the Queen’s to which he belonged and two others of the regiment, and two of the 54th Foot had a singular series of adventures. Returning home after some years service at Gibraltar, they were captured by a French naval squadron of six sail of the line and some frigates, under Admiral Guillaumont, bound for Mauritius. The troops were put on board La Volontaire, frigate, and were carried about at sea for about three months, when La Volontaire put into Table Bay for water, in ignorance of the recapture of the Cape of Good Hope by Sir David Baird. The frigate had to strike to Fort Amsterdam and the other batteries, and the troops were put on shore.

Everard was temporarily attached to the 54th Foot companies, which were sent to South America with other reinforcements, and served as mounted infantry with the force under Sir Samuel Auchmuty. Whilst so employed, Everard was present at the taking of Maldonado and led the Forlorn Hope at the storming of Monte Video, 3 February, 1807, when twenty-two out of thirty-two men with him were killed or wounded. For this service he was promoted to a company in the 2nd battalion, 14th Foot and received the Freedom of the City of Dublin. He also had the honour of being presented with a unique sword to the value of £50 by the Patriotic Fund ‘for his great gallantry, in leading on The Forlorn Hope, in the assault and capture of Monte Video, on the 3d of February, 1807.’

He served with the 2nd battalion 14th Foot in the campaign in Spain in 1808-9, and battle of Corunna (awarded M.G.S.), and in the Walcheren Expedition. When in the latter he was thanked in General Orders for his conduct at the Siege of Flushing, 12 August, 1809, upon which occasion the flank companies of the 2nd battalion 14th Foot, one of which he commanded, supported by the rest of the battalion, in conjunction with some companies of the King’s German Legion, stormed one of the enemy’s batteries and effected a lodgment within musket-shot of the walls. Everard subsequently commanded one of the companies sent to Tarifa, and was temporarily attached to the 47th Foot, for the defence of that place, in 1810.

After the arrival of his battalion at Malta, he was transferred to the 1st battalion in India, in which he long commanded the light company. He commanded a battalion at the siege of Hatrass in 1817, and commanded a provisional battalion of flank companies against the Pindarees in 1818-19. At the siege of Bhurtpoor the command of the 14th again devolved on Major Everard, as Colonel McCombe and Lieut.-Colonel Edwardes were appointed to command brigrades, and Major Tidy was absent as Deputy-Adjutant-General with the army in Burma. Everard commanded the four companies of the 14th Regiment in the assault on the right main breach, or Cavalier breach, of the fortress of Bhurtpoor. He was honourably mentioned by Lord Combermere and by the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company: “To His Majesty’s 14th Regiment, commanded by Major Everard, and 59th, commanded by Major Fuller, belongs the proud distinction of having led the column of assault on the memorable 18th of January! the gallantry, order, and steadiness evinced by those corps, was equalled by the conduct of a detachment of the European Regiment, leading a small column under Lieutenant-Colonel T. Wilson.” In recognition of his services at Bhurtpoor Everard was given the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed a Companion of the Bath. He became regimental Lieutenant-Colonel on 12 July, 1831, commanding it for sixteen years at home, in the West Indies, and North America. He retired in December 1847, and became a Major-General in 1851. He died at Southsea on 20 April, 1857.