The 2-clasp Naval General Service medal awarded to Rear-Admiral Alexander Montgomerie, Royal Navy, Lieutenant in the Sceptre at the destruction of the French 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine at Anse la Barque, and afterward in the operations leading to the reduction of the Island of Guadaloupe
Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Anse la Barque 18 Decr 1809, Guadaloupe (Alexr. Montgomerie, Lieut. R.N.) toned, good very fine £5,000-£7,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

View
Collection

Colin Message Collection, August 1999.

Confirmed on the rolls as Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Sceptre at Anse la Barque, and as Acting Lieutenant of the Freija at the capture of Guadaloupe. 42 clasps issued for Anse la Barque.

Alexander Montgomerie was born in London on 30 July 1790, the second son of the late Alexander Montgomerie, Esq., of Annick Lodge, co. Ayr (brother of Hugh, twelfth Earl of Eglinton, and grand-uncle of the present Peer), by Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Taylor; and brother-in-law of the Right Hon. David Boyle, Lord Justice-Clerk. His brother, Hugh, married a daughter of Lieutenant-General Rumley, E.I.Co.’s service; and his grand-uncle, James, died a Lieutenant-General in the Army, 13 April 1829. His eldest brother, William Eglinton Montgomerie, Esq., of Annick Lodge, is Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant, and Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry.

This officer entered the Navy on 27 June 1802, as First-class Volunteer on board the Hazard sloop, Captain B. J. Neve, lying at Portsmouth; and from the following August until August 1808, was employed as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Argo 44, and Tigre 74, both commanded by Captain Benjamin Hallowell. In the Argo, after visiting the coast of Africa, he assisted at the reduction of Ste. Lucie and Tobago; and when in the Tigre, besides accompanying Lord Nelson to the West Indies in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, he participated in the operations of 1807 in Egypt, was present at the capture of Alexandria, and saw much boat service on Lake Mareotis. In September 1809, on passing his examination, he joined the Orpheus 36; and from that ship he was soon transferred to the Sceptre 74, Captain Samuel James Ballard, for a passage to the West Indies, where, on 18 of the ensuing December we find him contributing, in the boats of a squadron under the personal command of Captain Hugh Cameron, who was killed, to the destruction, in L’Anse la Barque, Guadeloupe, of the 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine, laden with stores, and protected by numerous strong batteries. As a reward for his conduct on the occasion, which was officially reported, he was nominated, the next day, Acting-Lieutenant of the Freija frigate, Captain John Hayes, an appointment the Admiralty confirmed by a commission dated 4 May 1810. Previously to that event Mr. Montgomerie, during the operations which led to the reduction of Guadeloupe, had been employed in the boats of his own ship and the Sceptre in destroying the various batteries erected on the island. After three months’ command of the Magnanime at Sheerness, he was appointed, 28 January 1811, to the Aquilon 32, Captains William Bowles and James Boxer, under whom he served for upwards of three years and a half on the North Sea, Baltic, and South American stations. When in the Baltic in 1812, and engaged with the boats under his orders in an attempt to bring some vessels off from the island of Rugen, he greatly distinguished himself by his conduct in capturing a temporary fort occupied by a superior number of troops, whom, on their being reinforced and endeavouring to recover their loss, he several times repulsed. On his return from the Rio de la Plata in September 1814, Mr. Montgomerie, who had been latterly First-Lieutenant of the Aquilon, found that he had been promoted to the rank of Commander on the 7th of the preceding June, and appointed to the Racoon sloop, which vessel, however, being at the time on the coast of Brazil, he never joined. He afterwards, 21 March 1818, assumed command of the Confiance 18, fitting for the West Indies, where he became, 13 July 1820, Acting-Captain of the Sapphire 26. He was confirmed 3 October following, and, in September 1821, he returned to England and was paid off. He accepted the Retirement on 1 October 1846, and was appointed Rear-Admiral retired on 2 March 1852. He died at Bridgend, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, on 26 December 1863.

Sold with copied record of service and extracts of Sceptre’s log for Anse la Barque.