Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Assye (M. Jordan, 19th Lt. Dragns.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, good very fine, a rare single clasp especially to a casualty £4600-5500

Provenance: Cheylesmore Collection 1930; Needes Collection 1940; Brian Ritchie Collection, D.N.W., September 2005.

Approximately 87 clasps for Assye were issued to European recipients, all but 11 in combination with other clasps. Only 14 medals were issued to the 19th Light Dragoons, including two lieutenants and two medical officers, just four of these with the single clasp for Assye.

Michael Jordan, a weaver by trade, was born in County Mayo and enlisted into the 19th Light Dragoons at Westport on 5 June 1801. He was wounded at Assye where his regiment proved particularly effective; their Sheffield steel blades sometimes cutting clean through the Mahrattas’ tulwars (Ref: WO 25/2461). Jordan was discharged on 25 November 1818 in consequence of ‘his long services and reduction having taken place in the Establishment of the Regiment he is considered as one of the men least eligible for the Cavalry Service. His conduct as a soldier has been that of a very good Light Dragoon.’ Sold with copied discharge papers.