Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Peninsula War medal awarded to Major John Middleton, 95th Rifles, who was present in every action in which the 3rd Battalion of that corps was engaged in the Peninsula and France, was an Assistant Engineer at Cadiz, and a Volunteer in the storming party at Ciudad Rodrigo, where he was severely hurt by the explosion of a magazine on the rampart

Military General Service 1793-1814, 10 clasps, Barrosa, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Vittoria, Orthes, Toulouse (J. Middleton, Capt. 95th Rifles) clasps mounted on widely spaced carriage in order listed, fitted with silver ribbon buckle and contained in an old case, extremely fine £10000-12000

Provenance: Tyrer Collection, Sotheby 1965; Spink, November 1994.

John Middleton was born in Aberdeen in 1781. He entered the army as an Ensign in the 75th Foot on 10 March 1808, and transferred in the same rank to the 91st Foot on 5 January 1809. He was appointed 1st Lieutenant in the 95th Foot on 4 October 1809. He served in the Peninsula and France with the 95th Rifles from 13 March 1810 to 18 July 1814, and was present in every action in which the 3rd Battalion of that corps was engaged, namely - the battle of Barrosa, siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, where he served with the storming party, and was severely hurt by the explosion of a magazine on the rampart; siege and storming of Badajoz, actions on the heights of San Christoval and at Castrajon, battle of Salamanca, capture of Madrid, action at San Milan, battles of Vittoria and the Pyrenees, storming the heights of Echalar and of Vera, battles of the Nivelle and Nive, actions near Bayonne of the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th December 1813 (horse shot under him on the 10th), action at Tarbes, and battles of Orthes and Toulouse, besides various affairs of outposts. He also served as an Assistant Engineer at the siege of Cadiz.

Middleton, who at no time had been able to afford advancement through the purchase of a commission, was promoted to Captain in the Rifle Brigade on 7 April 1825. He was appointed Paymaster, on the Recruiting Staff of the 2nd Battalion, on 25 November 1826, and of the Cork Recruiting District on 12 July 1844. He transferred to the Edinburgh District in September 1844, and retired on half-pay with honorary rank of Major on 1 July 1856. Major Middleton died at Waltham Lodge, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, on 20 December 1867.