The Peninsula War medal awarded to Sergeant Sampson Sibley, 66th Foot: taken prisoner at Albuhera on 16 May 1811, he was later stationed at St Helena during Napoleon’s exile there, and subsequently joined the St Helena Regiment

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Talavera, Busaco, Albuhera (S. Sibley, 66th Foot) good very fine £2,000-£2,400

Glendining’s, March 1927 and February 1953; Phillips Collection, Glendining’s, May 1965.

Sergeant Sampson Sibley was taken prisoner at Albuhera on 16 May 1811 (WO 25/1967 refers). He is shown on the muster rolls as being entitled to Prize Money for the capture of Oporto on 16 May 1809.

Sampson Sibley was born at Axminster, Devon, and enlisted into the 66th Foot at Dorchester on 16 February 1807, aged 14 years. He was discharged at St Helena on 14 February 1819, ‘not at his own request having re-enlisted for said regiment but rejected on account of being under sized by Superintendents of Accounts and discharged in consequence’, his conduct being described as ‘uncommonly good.’ Sibley next joined the St Helena Regiment and served a further 13 years 6 months with that unit. Both the 66th and the St Helena regiments were employed on guard duties during Napoleon’s exile on the island. He was admitted to a Chelsea pension of 1s per diem on 29 June 1836, and died on 24 July 1851.

Sold with copied discharge papers, Albuhera muster roll ‘missing’ and French P.O.W. muster confirming him as a prisoner at Albuhera.