Auction Catalogue

17 September 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 406

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17 September 2020

Hammer Price:
£5,000

Waterloo 1815 (Capt. Claud Alexander, 1st Bat. 92nd Highlanders) fitted with steel original clip and ring suspension, edge bruising and obverse polished, otherwise nearly very fine £6,000-£8,000

Provenance: Glendining’s, April 1971.

Claud Alexander was born in 1789, son of Claud Alexander of Ballochmyle, Ayrshire. He was appointed Ensign in the Renfrewshire Militia on 20 February 1804, and shortly afterwards purchased an ensigncy in the 1st Foot Guards. He was appointed Lieutenant in the 92nd Foot on 19 September 1805, and became Adjutant on 2 June 1808, a position he still held at Waterloo where he was the senior Lieutenant in the regiment.

Lieutenant Alexander served with the 92nd in the Peninsula from August 1808 to January 1809, including the battle of Corunna, and afterwards in the Walcheren Expedition. He was again in the Peninsula from October 1810 to April 1814, being present at Fuentes D’Onor, Arroyo dos Molinos, Almaraz, Alba de Tormes, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive, Orthes, and Aire.

Lieutenant Alexander was one of very few regimental officer to be present at the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball held on 15 June, as was his commanding officer, Colonel John Cameron of Fassiefern of the 92nd, whose regiment had been raised by the Duchess’s brother. Lieutenant Alexander was present to introduce a display of Highland sword dancing and reels and to a skirl of pipes he led in Pipe-Major Alexander Cameron and four sergeants bearing broadswords to entertain the guests. Lieutenant Alexander’s uniform, by family tradition worn at the Ball, is held by the National Museum of Scotland. Lieutenant and Adjutant Alexander was present at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and was promoted to Captain on 18 July 1815. He quitted the service in 1821, living afterwards at Ballochmyle, Ayrshire, where he died without issue in 1845.