Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 8 clasps, Roleia, Vimiera, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (J. Mitchell, Bugle Major, 95th Foot) clasp carriages sometime reconstituted, light contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise very fine, the first clasp scarce to the 95th £1400-1600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Rifle Brigade and Affiliated Regiments from the collection formed by Michael Haines.

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James Mitchell was born in the Parish of St Mary’s, Tipperary, and enlisted for the 95th Foot, on 8 May 1805, aged about 15, being shown variously as Bugler and Drummer. In July 1807 he accompanied the regiment to the Baltic in the expedition under Lord Gambier and was severely wounded in both legs at the battle of Keyogue, Denmark, on 29 August 1807. Promoted to Private, from Bugler, in January 1808, Mitchell proceeded to Portugal where he was engaged at the battles of Roleia and Vimiera. He returned to the Peninsula in January 1813, where he was promoted to Drum Major as Sergeant, from Private, in April 1813, and took part in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 in Spain and France. He served in Captain Miller’s Company of the 2nd Battalion at Waterloo as Drum Major in the rank of Sergeant. Discharged from the 95th Foot in January 1819, Mitchell re-enlisted for the 23rd Foot at Limerick and served as a Corporal in that regiment until his final discharge on 24 August 1821.

Mitchell’s claim for the M.G.S. medal was made from Sydney, New South Wales, where he was then residing. He was in receipt of a pension of 1s 10d per day having been admitted on the Chelsea Register in February 1819. This medal was catalogued by Baldwin’s in 1948 with the last four clasps only, and subsequently appeared at Glendining’s in 1964 with the correct entitlement of 8 clasps. Sold with copy discharge papers and muster details.