Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Order of the Bath Chapel Stall Plate of Major-General Francis Hepburn, C.B., 3rd Foot Guards, severely wounded at Barrosa, and one of the Heroes of the Defence of Hougoumont at Waterloo

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s Chapel Stall Plate, gilded brass with engraved and painted badge of a companion, inscribed ‘Francis Hepburn Esquire, Colonel in the Army and Second Major of the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath Nominated 4th June 1815.’, 191mm x 115mm, corners pierced for attachment, light tarnishing, otherwise extremely fine £600-£800

Francis Hepburn was born on 19 August 1779, the second son of Colonel David Hepburn of the 39th Foot and 105th Highlanders, by his wife Bertha Graham of the family of Inchbrakie, Perthshire. His grandfather, James Hepburn of Brecarton and Keith Marshall, spent his fortune in the Stuart cause. Francis was appointed ensign in the 3rd Foot-Guards (later Scots Guards) on 17 December 1794; became Lieutenant and Captain, 23 April 1798; Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel, 23 July 1807; brevet Colonel, 4 June 1814; regimental 2nd Major, 25 July 1814; and Major-General, 19 July 1821. He served with his regiment in Ireland in 1798 and in Holland in 1799; was aide-de-camp to General W. P. Acland at Colchester, and afterwards in Malta and Sicily; but was laid up with fever and ophthalmia during the descent on Calabria and battle of Maida. He joined his battalion at Cadiz in 1809, and his leg was shattered at the battle of Barossa, 5 March 1811. He refused to submit to amputation, and by the autumn of 1812 had recovered sufficiently to rejoin his battalion, although his wound remained open and caused frequent and severe suffering during the subsequent campaigns. He was placed in command of the detached light companies of the Coldstream and 3rd Guards in 1812; was present at Vittoria, Nivelle, and the Nive; and at the end of 1813 was ordered home to assume command of the 2nd battalion of his regiment in the expedition to Holland. Delayed by contrary winds, he arrived after the expedition had sailed, but followed the battalion to the Low Countries, and commanded it there during the winter of 1814–15.

Hepburn joined the Duke of Wellington’s army in April 1815, and was in temporary command of the 2nd Brigade of Guards until the arrival of Sir John Byng in May. He commanded his battalion at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. The light company of the battalion was sent with other troops under Lord Saltoun to occupy Hougoumont on the night of 17th June. Other companies of the battalion were sent to reinforce the farm soon after the battle had commenced next day, and later Hepburn was sent with the rest of the battalion. From 1 o’clock he commanded the troops posted in the orchard and woods of the Chateau, an important service, the credit of which, by some official blunder, was given to a junior officer, Colonel Home, who had in fact held command only within the Chateau itself late in the day. This mistake was explained officially, but never notified publicly, and, it is said, was the means of depriving Hepburn of the higher honours awarded to other senior officers of the division of Guards. He had been made a companion of the Bath on 4 June 1815, and for his services at Waterloo he received the fourth classes of the Order of St Vladimir of Russia, and of Wilhelm of the Netherlands. He was promoted to Major-General in July 1821, and died at Tunbridge Wells on 7 June 1835, aged 56 years.