The First Burma War medal to Major-General William Cotton, 10th Madras Native Infantry

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (Lieut. W. Cotton, 10th N.I.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, some surface and edge nicks, otherwise better than very fine £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

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William Cotton, the son of Thomas Cotton of Enfield, Stockbroker, and his wife Sarah, was born on 20 October 1802 and was baptised at St Mary’s, Walthamstow. He was nominated for the Madras Infantry by J. Bosanquet, Esq., and joined the 10th Madras N.I. He became Lieutenant on 13 June 1819, and served as Interpreter and Paymaster.

During the First Burma War he was present at Mungoodoo and at the taking of Arracan on 3 April 1825. In December 1827 he was appointed Adjutant, and advanced to Captain in May of the following year, and in 1836 was ‘present at three or four trifling affairs in Goomsoor’. Cotton married Anne, the daughter of L. H. Stirling, Second Commissioner of the Court of Requests, Madras, on 20 December 1823. They had a daughter Sophia who died at Wallajabad aged four years in 1831, and Mrs Cotton herself died at Madras in 1832. Cotton retired with the rank of Major-General in December 1861 and died at Margate on 16 September 1869.

Ref: Hodson Index (NAM); IOL L/MIL/11/39.