Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Henry Campbell, 7th Husrs.) nearly extremely fine and unique to the regiment £500-600

Henry Campbell died in India on 14 November 1858. The regimental medal roll confirms both clasps and states: ‘Served with the 13th Co. of the 5th Battn. Royal Artillery previously to rejoining 7th Hussars, and was present with the Company at the Relief of Lucknow, and operations against it from 2nd to the 15th March, with the 7th Hussars from 3rd April 1858 to 1st October 1858, including the affairs of Baree, Sursee and action of Nawabgunge.’

In the Remarks column it states: ‘This man surrendered himself as a deserter from the 7th Hussars on 3rd April last - his name has also been returned by the Artillery for a medal and clasps.’ The roll then shows an abstract of awards to the 7th Hussars: Lucknow 435, No bar 106, Relief of Lucknow 1.

Campbell’s Battery was actually the 5/13th R.A. (not 13/5th as shown on the roll above) which arrived in India from China at Calcutta in September 1857. It would seem that for some reason Campbell was unable to join his regiment as expected and was posted as a deserter, but his circumstances must have proved ‘acceptable’ for him to have been able to join a battery of the Royal Artillery. This can be substantiated by the fact that when he eventually did rejoin the 7th Hussars at Lucknow in April 1858, far from being punished as a deserter, he was taken back on the strength, fought with the regiment for a further eight months and in doing so earned himself a unique award of the Indian Mutiny medal. Sold with relevant research.