A Collection of Medals to the Gloucestershire Regiment

The Peninsula War medal awarded to Captain Samuel Morris, 28th Foot, who was severely wounded at the battle of Vittoria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 6 clasps, Barrosa, Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (Saml. Morris, Capt. 28th Foot.) carriage a little bent between the first two clasps, otherwise good very fine £2,400-£3,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Gloucestershire Regiment.

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Provenance: Sotheby, November 1979.

Only eight officers of the 28th Foot survived to claim the clasp for Barrosa, where the 1/28th highly distinguished themselves

Samuel Morris was appointed Ensign in the 28th Foot on 31 January 1805; Lieutenant, 2 April 1806; Captain, 25 November 1813. He served in the Peninsula with the 2/28th from July 1809 to July 1810, and with the 1/28th from December 1810 to April 1811, and from July 1811 to April 1814. He was present at the battle of Barrosa, 5 March 1811; the actions of Arroyo dos Molinos, 28 October 1810, and Almaraz, 18-19 May 1812; retreat from Burgos; battle of Vittoria, 21 June 1813, where he was severely wounded; battles of Nivelle, 10 November 1813, and Nive, 9-13 December 1813; action at Garris, 15 February 1814; battle of Orthes, 27 February 1814; the combat at Aire, 2 March 1814; and the battle of Toulouse, 10 April 1814. Captain Morris was placed on half-pay on 25 December 1814, and saw no further active service. He died at Torquay, Devon, on 8 July 1865, aged 79.