Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sutlej 1845-46, for Aliwal 1846, 1 clasp, Sobraon (John Eaton, 16th Lancers) overall contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine £500-600

John Eaton was born in the Parish of Cambridge, in the county of Cambridge, and was attested for the 16th Lancers at Maidstone, Kent, on 8 November 1838, aged 20 years 7 months, a gardener by trade. He served a total of 24 years, including 6 years 6 months in the East Indies, and was discharged at Sheffield, at his own request, free with pension, on 20 January 1863. He was admitted to an In-Pension at Chelsea Hospital on 1 August 1878 and died on 4 October 1893.

The following letter from Private John Eaton, 16th Lancers, was published in both the Cambridge Chronicle & Journal and the Cambridge Independent Press on 4th April 1846:

Camp Aliwal
1st Division of the Army of the Sutlej,
Feb. 2, 1846

My dearest Mother, - With feelings of the greatest pleasure I once more address you, hoping it will find you in good health, in which state, thank God, I still remain. Since I wrote to you last, I have a deal to tell you about. We left the main army on the 19th January and marched 25 miles, on the 20th 23 miles, and on the 21st we had to fight our way through the enemy. We marched at midnight... (illegible)... until 9 o’clock, we found the enemy ready to receive us. They commenced firing on us and our regiment had to cover the retreat of our small army, which we did with a trifling loss; but the poor infantry were so knocked up that it was impossible to give them battle, so we made a retreat on Lodianah, where part of our troops were besieged, and relieved them. The enemy did not follow us up, but satisfied themselves by cutting off our baggage, and murdering our poor sick comrades. I, as well as the rest, lost everything, but I did not hear one of our men complain. After receiving some reinforcements, which made our army between 10 and 11,000 strong, the enemy took up their position on the plains of Aliwal, and entrenched themselves; their numbers were, on that morning of the 27th, 20,000 men and 56 pieces of cannon; on the night of the 27th they received 4,000 men and 12 pieces of cannon. On the 28th, about six in the morning, we advanced on them, and one of the most decisive and brilliant victories was the result. About 9 we came in sight of them, and formed our line in most beautiful order, advanced to the attack, their long guns firing on us at the time. As we advanced the firing increased, but British troops were not to be deterred; on we went, as steady as if at drill, and many a fine fellow was destined not to meet the foe, the enemy’s guns made such havoc amongst our men. The cannonading on both sides was terrible. At length we received orders to charge: we gave three hearty cheers, and went on at a steady trot, till we had arrived within 40 yards of the enemy, who were in square; we gave a loud British hurrah, which was answered by a tremendous volley, and in a few moments we were in their squares, which being broken, the work of death commenced. We gave no quarter, nor was it asked by us; in vain the trumpet sounded the recall; the infantry came to our relief, and from this time we made a complete victory, took their guns, and slew their soldiers, our artillery firing on their flying ranks with grape-shot and shell. From where we charged, to the ford in the Sutlej river, we kept taking their guns, which were of the most beautiful description: never was a more complete victory obtained. We had to storm their entrenchments. But now to tell you of the enemy’s loss: 9,000 is owned by themselves to have been their loss: our loss in killed and wounded is not 600, but 150 of that number belong to the 16th Lancers, 57 of whom were killed, and the greater portion of the wounded have lost limbs. I have not received a scratch, nor my horse, nor any of the lucky Cambridge men. I saw Gee, Edmunds, Jarvis, Mayes, Everet, and Blinkhorn, on the field of battle, and poor old Edmunds came and shook me by the hand as if I had been his brother. I had the hair M. and H. sent me round my neck; it seemed to turn the balls aside; how I escaped, or any from such a fire, God only knows. One of my stirrups was cut away, and also the lines of my cap; but before I went in the action I prayed to God in silence, and he heard it. As soon as the Commander-in-Chief received the despatches, which he did on horseback whilst reconnoitring, he leaped from his horse and gave three cheers, a salute of 18 guns was fired and the whole line gave three hearty cheers for us, their gallant comrades, as they called us. My dearest mother, give my best love to father, and my dear brothers and sisters. I wish they would all write and send some newspapers. Also my dear mother, tell R- H- I thought of her in the battle’s heat, and that as I cut at the enemy and parried their thrusts, my arm was strong on her account. If you can get me a paper with the account of the battle send it. The General gives, in his despatches, the greatest praise, as I suppose they will do the same; he told us that when our regiment was in Lahore, in 1837, that the King thought us all gentlemen, but had he seen us on that day, he would have proclaimed us all devils for you charged their ranks more like them than anything else. As he left us we saw tears in the poor old man’s eyes, and he said, “God bless you, my brave boys, I love you

Now, dear mother, farewell, from your affectionate son till death

J. Eaton.’

Sold with copy discharge papers and old copies of both published letters but these are now quite faded and difficult to read.