Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The First Afghan War medal awarded to Corporal Robert Ferguson, H.M.’s 31st Regiment, a survivor of the burning of the East Indiaman Kent in March 1825

Cabul 1842 (Corpl. Robt. Ferguson, 31st Regt.) fitted with original steel clip and bar suspension, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise about nearly very fine and scarce £500-700

The East Indiaman Kent (Captain Cobb) of 1,350 tons was en route to India carrying officers and men of the right wing of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Fearon. On 1 March 1825, in heavy seas in the Bay of Biscay, an oil lamp was accidently dropped into the hold, setting fire to some spirits leaking from a cask. The fire took hold and spread rapidly. With hopes of saving the vessel swiftly vanishing, the officers and men of the regiment preserved the utmost order in the face of almost certain death. Providentially, the brig Cambria (Captain Cook) of 200 tons appeared on the scene.

In his report of 4 March 1825, Cook writes, ‘... we discovered a large sail to the westward, and on approaching found her to have a signal of distress flying, which induced me immediately to render every assistance in my power, and on nearing, found her to be on fire.

About 3 p.m. being then on her bow, we succeeded in getting the first boat from the vessel ... with troops and passengers amounting to 637 souls. From 3 to 8 p.m. the boats were constantly employed in bringing the people to the Cambria and succeeded in saving 296 officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the 31st Regiment, 46 women and 52 children appertaining to ditto, 19 male and female private passengers and Captain Cobb and 139 of the crew, amounting in all to 553. The flames now becoming exceedingly fierce, I could not urge the sailors again to return to the ship, nor deem it at all prudent for the preservation of lives already on board my vessel to remain longer near the Kent, expecting her instantly to blow up. By accounts since made it is supposed that 68 soldiers, 1 woman, 21 children and 4 of the crew were left when Captain Cobb quitted the vessel, whose conduct during the trying occasion is beyond my humble praise, displaying the greatest coolness and intrepidity, and by his exertions, and those of Colonel Fearon, the commander of the troops, who were last to quit, the women, children and passengers were got into the boats; and they did not leave themselves until their influence to induce any more to go into them was useless.

At 2 a.m. the Kent blew up after being completely enveloped in flames for four hours previously.... I feel the greatest gratification in stating that the gentlemen and their Cornish miners, in all 36, with my crew, 11 more, behaved throughout the trying period with the greatest kindness in getting the people from the boats, soothing their sufferings, giving up their own clothes and beds to the women and children, volunteering to go into the boats ... and leaving nothing undone to make them as comfortable as the limited size of my brig would allow. It would be pleasing also could I speak as highly for the crew of the Kent, but I cannot refrain from expressing my disappointment of their conduct (in which I am borne out by Capt. Cobb) derogatory in every respect to the generally received character of a British seaman - by refusing to return to the Kent for the people, after the first trip, and requiring my utmost exertions and determination to compel them to renew their endeavours to get out the soldiers, passengers, and the remainder of their own shipmates, who were left behind; and it was only by coercive measures, in conjunction with my own crew and passengers, and telling them I would not receive them on board unless they did so, that they proceeded, though reluctantly, in their duty.’

A further 14 men who were unwilling or unable to leave the ship, were found clinging to wreckage and picked up by another ship, the Caroline. The survivors were taken by the Cambria to Falmouth and were cared for by the people of that and the other Cornish towns listed on the medal. It was soon resolved to strike a medal for award to the crew and miners of the Cambria as a reward for their heroic efforts and a medal was designed and struck by Thomas Halliday of Birmingham and it is stated that probably 50 or 60 were struck in silver for issue to specific participants, with an unknown number in copper or white metal which would have been sold as souvenirs.

Such was the gratitude of the country, that in addition to the medals, Captain Cook and his crew were awarded sums of money from several quarters; Lieutenant-Colonel Fearon was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath and both Cook and Fearon awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal.

Robert Ferguson was born at Athray, Co. Tyrone, and attested for the 31st Regiment at Armagh on 18 March 1823, aged 20 years. His discharge papers, dated 9 July 1844, state that ‘He served in the campaign of 1842 in Afghanistan and was present at Mazeena and Tazeen. He was on board the Kent Indiaman when she was burnt at Sea in 1825.’

The Surgeon’s report just prior to his discharge serves only to emphasize the extreme rigours of service that soldiers were subjected to in Afghanistan: ‘Is completely worn out from disease, climate and length of service. Has been four times in Hospital, is completely worn out, constitution greatly impaired, and he is become so emaciated & debilitated by the effects of climate, length of service and hardships and fatigue of the late campaign in Afghanistan as to be totally unfit for Military duty, in consequence of which he is recommended to be sent to Europe for the purpose of being Discharged the Service.’ Sold with copy discharge papers and other research concerning the loss of the Kent.