A Collection of Medals Relating to the War of 1812

The Naval General Service Medal awarded to Major-General J. H. Stevens, Royal Marine Artillery, for his services at Algiers in 1816; he was earlier distinguished when embarked in a Rocket Ship in the Chesapeake river and engaged in the attack on Craney Island, at the capture of Hampton and Ocracoke under Sir George Cockburn; he afterwards commanded the Marine Artillery at the capture of Oswego (despatches) and took part in the campaign on the Niagara frontier and the siege of Fort Erie

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Algiers (John H. Stevens, 1st Lieut. R.M.A.) good very fine £2,600-£3,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals Relating to the War of 1812.

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John Harvey Stevens was born in 1790, youngest of three sons of Commander John Stevens, Royal Navy. His brothers Thomas and Cornelius served in the Royal Marines, both becoming captains, whilst Cornelius was killed in action during the battle of Navarino in 1827. John Harvey Stevens joined the Royal Marines as 2nd lieutenant on 28 September 1805; 1st lieutenant, 2 September 1809; captain, 14 April 1832; major, 9 November 1846; lieutenant-colonel, 17 August 1848; colonel, 28 November 1854; major-general, 20 June 1855.

Whilst Lieutenant Stevens served in H.M.S. Fame, he was employed in the Western Ocean, West Indies and Coast of America. He disembarked to join the Royal Marine Artillery and after pursuing mathematical studies and artillery instruction, embarked in the Princess of Orange and served during the whole of the Expedition to Walcheren in 1809, was disembarked in North Beveland, engaged in the flotilla and mortar brig Gallant with enemy’s battery in Clough passage, and was much exposed and health suffered from the Walcheren Fever or Ague. Was under the command of Commodore Owen in the Scheldt service. During the period Lieutenant Stevens belonged to the mortar brig Fearless, October 1810 to November 1812, he served at the successful defence of Cadiz and of Tarifa in 1810 and 1811; and was engaged in several detached operations, particularly in one of a severe character on the river Guadalquiver. After the siege of Cadiz was raised Lieutenant Stevens returned to England, his health having again suffered from the nature of his two years service in a mortar vessel of only 180 tons.

In 1813, Lieutenant Stevens was selected for the Rocket Service and attached to a rocket company under Lieutenant Balchild and after receiving instruction in the Rocket Service (then a novel one) embarked in the Mariner rocket ship and joined the expedition under Sir J. B. Warren in the River Chesapeake; was engaged in the attack on Craney Island, at the capture of Hampton and Ocracoke under Sir George Cockburn, and taking of the Anaconda Brig and Atlas Schooner, at Hart Island &c. Disembarked at Quebec in October 1813 for service in Canada, then invaded by the Americans, was detached to the Upper Province in command of a part of the Rocket Detachment, served in a Winter Expedition on the ice to Four Corners. He commanded the marine artillery at the capture of Oswego and was mentioned in the public despatches of Lieutenant-General Sir Gordon Drummond published in the Gazette; employed in constructing a field work in the Bay of Quinte; during the attack and siege of the enemy’s army in their fortified position on the Niagara Frontier, of which Fort Erie formed a part, Lieutenant Stevens was almost daily under fire at the batteries for six weeks; afterwards at the defensive position at Chippewa, Lieutenant Stevens was entrusted with the construction of a field work for the defence of the right of the position at Wishoun’s point, in close presence and under occasional fire of the enemy; at the conclusion of the war Lieutenant Stevens returned to England in command of some men to be discharged. In the performance of arduous duties and trying exposures during the Niagara Campaign, Lieutenant Stevens’ health once more suffered as a consequence from typhus or camp fever.

In July 1816 Lieutenant Stevens was again selected for service and was present at the battle of Algiers on the Books of the Queen Charlotte near the person of Lord Exmouth. Lieutenant Stevens was employed in firing 3pr rockets into the embrazures of the enemy’s batteries and afterwards detached by Lord Exmouth to fire 8-inch carcasses at the hulls of several frigates laid up in the mole, some of which by these means were burnt. Captain Stevens possesses a document from Lord Exmouth in which His Lordship is pleased to express his sense of Lieutenant Stevens’ humble exertions in the following sentence, “your indefatigable zeal on that day fell under my immediate observation and very deservedly excites my admiration and applause.”

In 1824 Lieutenant Stevens was a third time selected for service, on this occasion to take charge of a new description of Sea 11.5 inch mortar in the Infernal bomb, invented by Sir William Congreve, destined for service at Algiers under Sir H. B. Neale; there was a demonstration before the city but no other military operations on this occasion.

In July 1835 he was appointed superintendent of the Marine Artillery Laboratory at Portsmouth, which establishment originated in his proposition and was organised by him. Stevens was, at various times over the course of the following ten years, employed on the Continent and directed to communicate with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, including visits to the Port of Brest, Vienna, Black Sea, Constantinople, Denmark, Sweden, Paris, and the principal military forts of France and Holland. These visits were conducted over short periods in order that he might not unnecessarily be absent from the laboratory too long at one period. Since Captain Stevens has been superintendent of the laboratory the instructions of the establishment have been extended to the whole of the officers and seamen gunners of the Excellent, as well as to other officers of the naval college, including captains, commanders and lieutenants.

Retiring, on promotion to lieutenant-colonel, from the direction of the laboratory, Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens received the approbation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty (Vide D.A.G’s letter of 28 August 1848). He afterwards visited Schemforde in Schleswig to ascertain and report on the causes that led to the destruction of the Danish 84 gun ship Christian VIII and capture of the Geffion of 42 guns by the Holstein batteries manned by Russian artillery. Major-General Stevens died on 25 February 1866, aged 76, and is buried in Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth.

Sold with research including copied record of service.