The Peninsula War K.C.H. pair awarded to Lieutenant General Sir James Charles Dalbiac, Colonel-in-Chief, 4th Light Dragoons

THE ROYAL GUELPHIC ORDER, K.C.H. (Military) a particularly attractive breast star in silver, gold and enamels by Mortimer & Hunt, Goldsmiths & Jewellers to the Queen, inscribed on the reverse back plate with makers name, as before, and 'Lt. Gen. James Charles Dalbiac,' some light repair to central red enamel; MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Talavera, Salamanca (Sir C. Dalbiac, Lieut.-Col. 4th Dgns.) unless otherwise described, extremely fine (2)

Ex Payne collection.

James Charles Dalbiac embarked as Second Lieut.-Colonel with the 4th Dragoons in April 1809, and landed at Lisbon the same month. He served in the campaign of 1809 and was engaged in the battles of Talavera on 27 and 28 July. He served throughout the winter campaign of 1810 in the lines of Lisbon, and in the campaign of 1811. He commanded the regiment in the affair of Campo-Major on 25 March, and in the cavalry affair at Los Santos on 16 April. In the campaign of 1812 he was engaged in the affair at Llerena on 11 April, when Lord Combermere, with two brigades of British Cavalry, gave Marshall Soult's rear-guard a smart defeat. Also at the battle of Salamanca on 22 July, when the 4th Dragoons were brigaded with the 5th Dragoon Guards and 3rd Dragoons, under the command of Major-General Le Marchant, who was killed in a charge against a column of the enemy s infantry. Dalbiac's wife had accompanied him on this campaign and, believing him to have been wounded, searched the battlefield at Salamanca for him. Dalbiac does not appear to have seen any further active service during the war and was promoted Brevet-Colonel on 4 June 1814. He was Inspecting Officer of Cavalry in the East Indies in 1822; Major-General, 1825; Lieut.-General, 1838. Appointed to the Colonelcy of the 3rd Dragoon Guards in 1839, and to the 4th Light Dragoons on 24 September 1842. He died in 1847 but not before he had claimed his Peninsula War medal.