Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private P. Brown, 93rd Highlanders, one of the ‘Thin Red Line’ at the Battle of Balaklava

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Sebastopol, unofficial rivets between second and third clasps, as issued (3139. Peter. Brown. 93. Sutherland. Highlanders) Regimentally impressed naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Peter Brown, 93rd. Highlanders); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed as issued, pierced as issued with ring suspension; together with a 93rd tunic button in excavated condition, contact marks, nearly very fine or better (3) £1,400-£1,800

Peter Brown was born in Renfrew, Scotland, in 1817 and attested for the 66th Foot at Westminster on 25 September 1841. He transferred to the 42nd Highlanders on 1 June 1842, and to the 93rd (Sutherland) Highlanders on 1 March 1854. He served with the Regiment in the Crimea, and was present at the Battle of Balaklava on 25 October 1854, when the 93rd routed the Russian cavalry and won themselves the title of ‘The Thin Red Line’. The Times correspondent, William Howard Russell, who, standing on the hills above, could clearly see that nothing stood between the Russian cavalry and the defenceless British base but the ‘thin red streak tipped with a line of steel’ wrote of the 93rd:
‘With breathless suspense everyone awaits the bursting of the wave [of Russian Cavalry] upon the line of Gaelic rock, but ere they came within 200 yards another deadly volley flashes from the levelled rifle, and carries terror into the Russians. They wheel about, open files right and left, and fly back faster than they came. “Brave Highlanders! Well done!” shout the spectators.’

After proceeding with the Regiment to India, Brown saw service during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, being present at the Second Relief of Lucknow and subsequent operations. He was discharged on 11 November 1862, after 21 years and 17 days’ service.

Sold with copied discharge papers medal roll extracts, which further confirm that he was the only ‘Peter Brown’ in the Regiment at the time of both the Crimea and the Indian Mutiny.