Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Troop Sergeant-Major B. Nice, 22nd Light Dragoons, late 94th Regiment (Scotch Brigade)

Army of India 1799-1826, 3 clasps, Asseerghur, Argaum, Gawilghur (B. Nice, 94th Foot) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, suspension claw refitted, marks around edge from a case fitting; Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Java (B. Nice, Troop Serjeant Major, 22nd Light Dragoons) mounted for wear from a silver brooch bar, edge bruising, contact marks, nearly very fine (2) £6,000-£8,000

Approximately 150 Army of India medals issued to Europeans with three clasps, including 38 with this combination, of which 33 went to the 94th Foot.

Benjamin Nice was born in Inveresk, near Musselburgh, Midlothian. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the 94th Regiment on 9 April 1799. With them he served in India, seeing action in the Deccan campaign 1803, at the capture of the fort at Asseerghur, 21 October 1803; the battle of Argaum, 29 November and, finally, the capture of Gawilghur, 15 December.

Of the important part played by the 94th (Scotch Brigade) at Gawilghur, Mountstuart Elphinstone wrote: ‘The advance of the 94th was silent, deliberate and even solemn. Everybody expected the place to be well defended. As we got near we saw a number of people running on the rampart, near the breach. I was amazed they did not fire: our cannon fired over our heads. We got to the breach where we halted, and let the forlorn-hope, a sergeant's party, run up: then we followed, ran along and dashed up the second breach and huzzaed. Perhaps the enemy fired a little from some huts by the second breach: I did not see them do that. I saw some of them bayoneted there. We kept to the right after entering the second breach and soon after the troops poured in, so that there was no distinguishing forlorn-hope or anything. We huzzared and dashed up the second breach and leaped down into the place. Such of the enemy as stood were put to the bayonet, but most of them ran off to the right and down a narrow valley which led to a gate. Here they met Colonel Chalmers coming on with half the 78th.

The 94th pressed behind, firing from above and a terrible slaughter took place. After this we endeavoured to push on, when to our astonishment we discovered that we had only gained a separate hill, and that the fort lay behind a deep valley, beyond which appeared a double wall and strong gates. I thought we should have to entrench ourselves and wait till guns could be brought up to breach the inner walls. The 94th followed the road down and crowded around the gate. The first wall was joined to a steep hill and the 94th began slowly and with difficulty to climb up one by one. Beyond the first wall was a narrow rocky road, overtopped by a steep rock, and another wall and gate, over which those who climbed the first wall would have to go, which the steepness and height of the wall made impossible. While the 94th were climbing over, the enemy kept up a fire from their works: in the meantime our people poured in at the breach and covered the hill opposite to the enemy. They fired on the enemy and the valley was filled with such a roar of musketry as can hardly be conceived. The sight cannot be described. At last our men got over and opened the first gate. Scaling ladders were brought, got up the hill and applied to the second wall. The enemy fled from their works: we rushed over the wall, and the fort was ours.’

The capture of the fort at Gawilghur, crowning the decisive victory at Argaum, ended the war, with Bonsia Rajah of Berar suing for peace and accepting British terms.

In September 1807 Nice transferred to the 22nd Light Dragoons and served with them in the Java campaign, 4-26 August 1811. As the Troop Sergeant-Major he was discharged on 12 September 1820 on the disbandment of the regiment. His papers record that on one occasion his leg had been broken from a kick by a horse.

Sold with copied research.