Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Honourable East India Company Medal for Seringapatam 1799, silver, 48mm., Soho Mint, contained in an ornately chased silver rimmed glazed frame, the edge inscribed (Captain J. W. Freese. 1st Battalion Artillery) fitted with straight swivel-ring suspension bar and ornate silver ribbon bar inscribed ‘Seringapatam’, lacking obverse glass lunette, otherwise nearly extremely fine and rare £1600-1800

John William Freese joined the army as a Cadet in 1785 and was appointed Ensign in the Madras Artillery on 7 December of that year; Lieutenant, 11 August 1792; Captain, 1 March 1800; Major, 21 September 1804; Lieutenant-Colonel, 19 July 1809; Colonel 1 May 1821.

After the capture of Seringapatam Captain Freese was appointed Commissary of Stores at Seringapatam. It is believed that at this time Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) had an affair with Freese’s ‘very young and rather pretty’ wife, Isabella. She gave birth to a son on 7 July 1802, who was quite possibly Wellesley’s, and who was christened Arthur, with Wellesley being made his godfather. The affair seemingly ended with warm feelings on both sides and, despite his marriage Wellington kept a portrait of Mrs Freese, and saw no reason to hide it away.

Colonel Freese died on 25 July 1825, at sea on board the E.I.C.S. Duke of York, off Sambelang Islands, in the Straits of Malacca.

For further references see Wellington: The Path to Victory 1769-1814, by Rory Muir; Wellington the Beau: The Life and Loves of the Duke of Wellington, by Patrick Delaforce; and Years of the Sword, by Elizabeth Longford.