Auction Catalogue

4 & 5 March 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 880 x

.

5 March 2020

Hammer Price:
£1,200

A rare and unusual Mutiny Medal awarded to Mr. L. Verries, a civilian in the Customs Department of the Saugor Division

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Verriers.) extremely fine £800-£1,000

Sold with transmission letter for the Indian Mutiny medal, dated 24 December 1860, and various contemporary copies of despatches and documents which mention Mr L. Verriers, Customs Department, Saugor Division, including one from A. C. Gordon, Deputy Commissioner of Chunderi to the Commissioner of Customs at Agra, dated Fort Saugor, 7 December 1857:

‘I have the honour to inform you that Mr Verrieres
(sic) Offg. Patrol of the Customs Deptt. was stationed at Lulletpur where I arrived on the 5th June last to assume charge of the District of Chunderi and that on the 12th of the same month owing to the Mutiny of the Sepoys of the 6th Regt, Gwalior Contingent, and the rebellion of the Raja of Baupoor he was compelled to fly with myself and the other European residents of that station. He lost the whole of his property and suffered with us a captivity of about three months duration, in the territories of the Raja of Shahgurh, he also received a severe wound in the cheek from one of the rebels as we were proceeding to join a detachment of the Saugor Force at Benaika. As Mr Verrieres has been so great a sufferer from the rebellion I have thought it my duty to bring these circumstances to your notice.’

In another he is mentioned for the gallant and spirited way in which he led his men into action during a skirmish on 20th February, 1858, near Dhamoni, Central India:

‘Major [W. A.] Orr had advanced to Barole with some Hyderabad Cavalry, and on the 18th February [1858] received information that a strong party of insurgent Bundelas in the service of the Banpur Raja had advanced from Dhamoni towards Barole and had taken possession of and fortified a post about five miles off. As the country was impracticable for cavalry, and Major Orr had nothing else, he obtained 150 Barkandazes from the Customs Police department at Bandri, under Mr Barter and Mr Verriers
of the Customs Department, and came upon the rebels four miles along the road. They had fortified a ridge, covered with thick jungle, with stone breastworks, beyond a stream which crossed the road. From this they opened a heavy fire on the head of the column, but the infantry, gallantly led by the two Customs officers, carried the position, and killed eight or ten of the enemy, taking two prisoners, who were shot.’ (Ref The Revolt in Central India 1857-59, compiled in the Intelligence Branch Division of the Chief of the Staff, Army Head Quarters, India, Government Press, Simla, 1908)