Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59 (2), no clasp (Mr James Burton.); another, no clasp (James E. Burton, Volunteer Cavalry) this renamed, good very fine (2) £600-800

James Edmond Burton was born in Fort William, Calcutta, on 20 November 1834, the son of Ensign (later Major) Charles Aeneas Burton and Elizabeth Jane Burton. At the time of the Indian Mutiny, he served as a Volunteer. Together with his brothers Charles William Burton and Cecil Morton Burton, he was present at the action at Nimbhaira, in Rajasthan, 20 October 1857. There, a force of 70 men of the 83rd Regiment, 80 men of the 12th Bombay Native Infantry, and 150 men of the 2nd Bombay Cavalry, with two 9pdrs. and a mortar, under the command of Colonel Jackson, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, managed to force the mutineers from the town - Mr Charles William Burton, Officer’s Volunteer Corps, being slightly wounded in the process.

Both Charles William and James Edmond Burton were again in action at the siege of Neemuch, 8-22 November 1857 - a town 16 miles S.E. of Nimbhaira. The fort at Neemuch was besieged by mutineers numbering 4,000 with three artillery pieces. In his report, the Commanding Officer at Neemuch, Captain Simpson, 2nd Light Cavalry, listed his fighting men as H.M. 83rd Regiment 78; 12th Regt. N.I. 186; 2nd Cavalry 32; Officers 15; Unattached Sergeants 9; Two sons of the late Major Burton 2; Mahidpore Contingent 5. The garrison managed to hold off the mutineers and in his report of the siege, Captain Simpson mentions both of the Burton brothers -

‘I must not conclude this report without bringing to the notice of the Brigadier the able assistance offered by Messrs. Charles and James Burton, two sons of the late gallant Major Burton. The former volunteered to serve as a gunner and remained day and night at his post in the bastion into requisition, and the latter volunteered to perform the duties of Officer of the Watch, and thus relieved to a great extent the other officers whose duties were by no means light.’

Charles William Burton went on to serve at the siege of Kota, March 1858 and the actions at Chota Oodeypore and Vasselghur, was several times mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal with clasp for Central India.

James Edmond Burton was awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal without clasp. In 1858 he was appointed to the Bengal Civil Service (Uncovenanted) and was later District Superintendent of Police, Bankipore, Lucknow, in Oude. He died whilst on furlough in London on 25 February 1876.

Their father, Major Charles Aeneas Burton and two other brothers, Arthur Robert and Francis Clerke Burton, were murdered by mutineers at Kota on 15 October 1857.

With a quantity of copied research on the Burton family and the various actions in which they were involved. The medal to James Burton was the subject of an article in the Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society, June 2011 - Indian Mutiny Medal 1857-59, Mr James Burton - an Enigma, by Captain T. Ash, M.B.E.