Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important and rare ‘Garcia Hernandez 1812’ casualty Waterloo Medal awarded to Lieutenant Augustus Fumetty, 2nd Light Dragoons, King’s German Legion, who was wounded in this historic cavalry action when he led his troop, with that of Captain Baron von Marschalck, in charging a ‘third square’ formed of those who had escaped from the destruction of the first two squares, which they broke and completely overthrew; upon the wreck of these routed battalions making another stand, ‘Marschalck and Fumetty led their troopers a second time to the charge, but their little force had become too much reduced, and the horses were too fatigued to admit of any impression being made upon the enemy... Captain von Uslar was killed, Lieutenant Fumetty was wounded, and several men and horses were struck down.’

Waterloo 1815 (Lieutenant Fu[m]ette, 2nd Reg. Light. D[ra]g. K.G.L.) fitted with silver clip and small ring suspension, dark toned, considerable contact marks commensurate with a long serving cavalry officer, a few letters of the naming now weak but still discernable, otherwise nearly very fine and the only named medal to an officer casualty of the historic action of Garcia Hernandez £8,000-£10,000

Augustus Fumette, so named in the Army List of 1810, or Fernetti [A.L. 1815], or Fumetti [A.L. 1817, 1821, 1830, and in Beamish’s history of the K.G.L.) was henceforth, from the Army List of 1840 to the announcement of his obituary in the Army List of 1862, styled as Joannes Justinus von Fumetti or Fumetty.

Fumetti served as an N.C.O. in the 2nd Heavy Dragoons K.G.L. (designated Light Dragoons from 1813) in the Baltic campaign of 1807. He was commissioned as a Cornet on 27 February 1809, and promoted to Lieutenant on 24 March 1812. He served in the Peninsula and South of France from January 1812 until April 1814, being present in 1812 at the combats of Castrejon (18 July), Salamanca (22 July), Garcia Hernandez (23 July), Venta del Pozo (23 October), San Munoz (17 November), and in 1814, at Vic Bigorre (19 March) and the battle of Toulouse (10 April). He afterwards served in the Netherlands in 1814 and the campaign of 1815 including the battle of Waterloo. He was slightly wounded at Garcia Hernandez on 23 July 1813, or, as it was termed in the London Gazette, ‘an Affair with the Enemy’s Rear-Guard near La Serna’.

Garcia Hernandez

Following the bloody victory at Salamanca on 22 July 1812, the allied troops designated to pursue the French General Foy were under the command of Major-General Eberhardt Otto George Von Bock, who had taken temporary command of the Cavalry Division after Le Marchant had been killed and Stapleton-Cotton wounded. These troops consisted of Baron Von Bock's Heavy Brigade, comprising 1st Heavy Dragoons K.G.L. (3 Squadrons, each of 100 men) and the 2nd Heavy Dragoons K.G.L. (3 Squadrons, each of 100 men); and General George Anson's Light Brigade, comprising the 11th Light Dragoons (1 Squadron of 105 men) and the 16th Light Dragoons (1 Squadron of 105 men).

The action that followed on the 23rd of July is best described by N. Ludlow Beamish’s classic History of the King’s German Legion:

‘The French infantry and artillery being at first, concealed by the inequalities of the ground, the brigades were ordered by Lord Wellington to attack the cavalry, and their pace was accordingly increased to a gallop. The German regiments, confined by the narrowness of the valley, had been unable during their progress through it, to move upon a larger front than sections of threes, and now, being an echelon of squadrons, they attempted to form line upon the first squadron. Who without waiting hurried forward, however, by the excitement of the moment, the leading squadron of the first regiment under Captain Von Hattorf - having also in front General Bock; the field officers of the regiment and Lt. Col. May of the English artillery, who had brought the order from Lord Wellington - dashed on without waiting for the remaining squadrons, and made straight for the enemy's cavalry.’

‘The left wing of the French horsemen retired from the charge of Anson's brigade and those in front went about on the approach of Hattorf's squadron; but in pursuit the flank of the squadron became exposed to the fire of the infantry on the heights, by which Colonel May and several men and horses were wounded, and the pursuit was discontinued.’

‘Captain Gustavus Von Der Decken, who commanded the third or left squadron of the regiment, seeing that if he advanced according to the order given, his flank would be exposed to the fire of a dense infantry square, formed the daring resolution of attacking it with his single squadron.’

‘This square stood on the lower slope of the heights and obedient to the signal of their chief, the German troopers advanced against it with order and determination, while a deafening peel of musketry from the enemy greeted their approach. Arriving within a hundred yards of the point of attack, the gallant squadron officer, struck by a ball in the knee, fell mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Von Voss, with several men and horses, were killed; but instantly, Captain Von Uslar Gleichen, who commanded the left troop, dashing forward, placed himself at the head of the squadron and re-animating his followers by words and example, while another shower of bullets carried destruction among their ranks, the intrepid soldiers forced onward and bringing up their right flank, appeared before the enemy's bayonets on two sides of the square.’

‘The two front ranks, kneeling, presented a double row of deadly steel, while in the rear of these, the steady muskets of four standing ranks were levelled at the devoted horsemen. At this critical moment, when the sword was about to be matched against the firelock, and the chivalrous horsemen against the firm foot soldier - when victory hung yet in equal scales - an accidental shot from the kneeling ranks, which killing a horse, caused it and the rider to fall upon the bayonets - gave the triumph to the dragoons!’

‘For a path was now opened, and the impatient troopers rushing in amid the blazing fire, while men and horses fell fast before the muskets of the French infantry, their firm formation was destroyed, and the whole battalion were either cut down or taken prisoner.’

‘Captain Von Reitzenstein, who commanded the second squadron, seeing the success which had attended the daring onset of his comrades on the left, and being also impeded in his forward movement by the difficulties of the ground, decided upon following up the discomfiture of the infantry, and attempting the second square, which stood on the edge of the heights. He was received with a steady and destructive fire, by which Lieutenant Heugel was killed and Lieutenant Tappe severely wounded; but the moral force of the French infantry had been shaken by the fearful overthrow which they had just witnessed, and some timid individuals leaving their ranks, Reitzenstein rushed in with his ready followers; the square broke, and the greater part of the battalion was cut down or captured.’

‘A third square was instantly formed by those few who had escaped from destruction, and some cavalry came to their support. Against these Captain Baron Marschalck led the third squadron of the second regiment, and, being joined by the left troop of the second squadron under Lieutenant Fumetty, charged and dispersed the enemy's cavalry; then riding boldly at the infantry, broke and completely overthrew them.’

‘The wreck of the routed battalions now rallied and attempted to make a stand on a rising ground near the high road to Peneranda, where they again formed a connected body. Marschalck and Fumetty led their troopers a second time to the charge, but their little force had become too much reduced, and the horses were too fatigued to admit of any impression being made upon the enemy. The French received the attack with a heavy fire and with a shower of stones, to which they now had recourse; Captain Von Uslar was killed, Lieutenant Fumetty was wounded and several men and horses were struck down. No further attempt was made by the dragoons, and the enemy resumed their retreat.’

Beamish continues, ‘Soon after this memorable combat, the officers of the legion were granted permanent rank in the British army; which distinction was communicated to the corps in the following notification from the War Office:-

War Office, 10th August, 1812.
“In consideration of the King’s German Legion having so frequently distinguished themselves against the enemy, and particularly upon the occasion of the late victory obtained near Salamanca, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent is pleased, in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, to command that the officers who are now serving with temporary rank in the several regiments of that corps, shall have permanent rank in the British army from the date of their respective commissions.”

The losses of the K.G.L. were 53 killed, 68 wounded and 6 missing. French casualties are variously stated to have been around 200 killed or wounded with some 1400 captured. The officer casualties amongst the 1st and 2nd Dragoons of the K.G.L. amounted to four killed and two wounded, the latter being Lieutenant Tappe of the 1st Dragoons, and Lieutenant Fumetty of the 2nd Dragoons. Tappe was placed on half pay in April 1815 so was neither present at Waterloo, nor lived to claim an M.G.S. medal. Fumetty is, therefore, the only officer casualty from Garcia Hernandez to receive a named medal and also lived to claim his M.G.S. medal for Salamanca and Toulouse. He was also awarded the 3rd Class of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order and the Hanoverian King William’s Cross. By 1817 he is shown in the Army List on the Foreign Half-Pay but he saw further service in the Hanoverian Army and achieved the rank of Major. From 1840 onwards he is styled in the Army List, and also in Beamish, as Joannes Justinus von Fumetty/Fumetti. He died sometime in the year 1861 and his death was recorded in the Army List for 1862.