Medals from the Collection of Paul and Margaret Faber

The Indian Mutiny medal awarded to Private C. Pratt, 32nd Light Infantry, an Original Defender who was killed in action at Chinhut on 30 June 1857

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (C. Pratt, 32nd L.I.) nearly extremely fine £1,600-£2,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Paul and Margaret Faber.

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Charles Pratt served with the 32nd Light Infantry in India during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, and was killed in action at the disastrous Battle of Chinhut on 30 June 1857. Casualties for the Battle, when Sir Henry Lawrence, on hearing of the fall of Cawnpore, led his men out of Lucknow to meet the much larger rebel army, were 118 Europeans and 182 loyal Indian soldiers killed or missing. As a result of having his force so severely weakened, Lawrence ordered the entire Lucknow force to retire to the Residency. Mortally wounded two days later during the Defence of the Residency, his last words were “to ask the poor fellows who I exposed at Chinhut to forgive me. Bid them remember Cawnpore and never surrender.”