Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Corunna (Duncan McNivan, 92nd Foot.) some edge bruising, otherwise good very fine £800-£1,000

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, September 2010.

Duncan McNivan was born in the Parish of Killamany, Argyllshire. He served in the Dumbarton Fencibles, November 1799-July 1802, before joining the 92nd Foot on 3 June 1805. In 1808 the regiment embarked for Sweden under Sir John Moore, but its services were not made use of; and immediately upon the return of the expedition to England the troops employed were ordered to Portugal, landing on 27 August. The 92nd accompanied all the movements of General Moore's army, and had the misfortune to lose its commanding officer, Colonel Napier of Blackstone, who was killed at Corunna, where the first battalion was posted towards the left of the army on the road leading to Betanzos. McNivan appears in the Musters at the time of Corunna and is the only soldier of that name. He was discharged at Edinburgh Castle on 15 July 1814, his character being given as ‘Very Good’. On 5 August 5 1814, he enlisted into the 9th battalion of Royal Veterans, with whom he served until April 1821 at which time he was 43 years old.