Auction Catalogue

23 June 2005

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 782 x

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23 June 2005

Hammer Price:
£4,800

An emotive Indian campaign pair awarded to Captain E. A. C. D’Oyly, Bengal Horse Artillery, who was mortally wounded in the action at Sassiah on 5 July 1857: his death in this ‘unequal conflict was as glorious as any that had immortalised the fields of Alma and of Inkermann’ and his last words, “They have done for me now; put a stone over my grave, and say I died fighting my guns!”

Sutlej 1845-46
, for Aliwal 1846, 1 clasp, Sobraon (Lieut., 3rd Brigade H. Ay.), surname spelt ‘Doyley’; Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Chilianwala, Goojerat (1st Lieut., 2nd Tp. 3rd Bde. H. Arty.), both with silver brooch bars for wearing, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise generally about very fine (2) £2000-2500

Edward A. C. D’Oyly, one of ‘the most gallant and skilled officers the splendid Bengal Horse Artillery ever produced’, was originally commissioned into that distinguished corps in December 1841. Advanced to 1st Lieutenant in September 1844, he went on to witness active service in the First Sikh War at Aliwal and Sobraon, and in the Punjab Campaign at Chilianwala and Goojerat, but it was for his subsequent bravery in the early stages of the Indian Mutiny that he won his place in the annals of British military history - indeed few histories of that bloody conflict fail to make mention of his exploits in the costly action fought at the village of Sassiah on 5 July 1857.

On that fateful day, Brigadier T. Polwhele’s force numbered several hundred assorted arms versus an enemy contingent of 4000 infantry and 1500 cavalry. The latter statistic was particularly concerning, Polwhele’s mounted strength being ‘18 volunteers’, and so, too, his deficiency in artillery, namely a battery of 6-guns commanded by D’Oyly to counter nearly twice that number in the enemy camp. Nonetheless, had Polwhele employed his force to better effect, he might well have won a resounding victory, but, as revealed by the following extract from Malleson’s famous history, this was not to prove the case:

‘ ... The English force continued to advance to within half a mile of the enemy’s position when the latter opened with a fire from their left battery. Brigadier Polwhele then, halted his men, and ordered the Europeans to lie down and the guns on the flanks to return fire. Owing to the screened nature of the enemy’s position it soon became evident that the British fire was ineffective, and that, to drive the enemy from the village, it was necessary that the infantry should charge. In a short time, in fact, the enemy had acquired the exact range and had made such excellent practice that they had exploded two tumbrils, and dismounted one of the guns in the half battery on the left, besides inflicting severe loss amongst the horses and drivers.

Captain D’Oyly and Pearson, promptly realising the situation - that the exchange of artillery fire at the range was all to the advantage of the sheltered enemy and that a continuance of the same would exhaust, without any corresponding advantage, the reserves of ammunition at their disposal - had sent repeated messages to the Brigadier reporting the fact, and urging him to attack the village with his infantry. The enemy, far from being checked, had been encouraged by the success of their guns to throw out skirmishers to threaten our flanks with their cavalry. Every one in the British ranks who had an eye to see, realised that, if the battle were to be confined to a mere exchange of artillery fire, the enemy would have the advantage. Still, for two hours, the Brigadier seemed content to pursue that fatal course, keeping his infantry still lying down ... ’

At this juncture a second ammunition tumbril in the half-battery under Captain Pearson, on the left, exploded, and with a ‘frantic shout of joy’, the enemy cavalry bore down on his position. Quickly turning one of his guns to face the onslaught, and with the assistance of accurate musketry from a company of the 3rd Europeans, Pearson miraculously managed to repulse the enemy. But the mutineers were not to be thwarted easily, and now turned their attention to D’Oyly’s half-battery on the right. Malleson continues:

‘ ... At once about two hundred of the enemy’s cavalry advanced with the evident intention of charging Captain D’Oyly’s half-battery. At this sight Captain Prendergast, who commanded eighteen mounted volunteers, could not contain himself, but with his small force following charged the two hundred. As a manoeuvre to stop the enemy’s advance this gallant charge was effective, but in other respects it was disastrous.



In the hand to hand conflict which followed, our horsemen lost more than one-third of their number. Had the enemy not shown abject cowardice not one of our men would have escaped. More than two hours had elapsed. Captain D’Oyly now reported that his ammunition was all but exhausted. Then, and only then, did the Brigadier [Polwhele] give the order to advance. The result showed how decisive would have been the movement had it been made earlier. Our infantry started to their feet, moved forward, and though suffering severely from the enemy’s guns and from the fire of the marksmen stationed on the roof of the houses, gallantly forced their way into the village. One of the enemy’s guns was captured and spiked. But our loss in this advance had been severe. The gallant D’Oyly, whose horse had been shot from under him early in the day, was mortally wounded by a grape-shot whilst endeavouring to right one of his guns. Lifted on to a tumbril he still continued to direct the fire of the battery. The spirit of the soldier was still strong within him. Careless of his own sufferings, his duty to his guns, his corps, his country, mastered every other thought. Over come, at last, by intense pain, he turned to the man nearest him and said: “They have done for me now; put a stone over my grave and say that I died fighting my guns.” He died the second day after in the fort ... ’

A little over a month earlier, in the very same fort at Agra, D’Oyly’s battery had been present at the disarming of the 44th and 67th Bengal Native Infantry.

He is not entitled to an Indian Mutiny medal. Also see the campaign awards to General Thomas Polwhele (Lot 778).