Orders, Decorations and Medals

An important manuscript draft history of the 13th Light Dragoons in the hand of Colonel Sir Patrick Doherty, K.C.H., C.B., who served for over 30 years in the regiment: the 123 numbered pages, in Doherty’s neat and legible hand, covering the history of the 13th Light Dragoons from the regiment’s formation in 1715 until 1816, with over 100 pp. dedicated to its part in the Peninsular War and Waterloo, with numerous text revisions; unusually other ranks are mentioned by name as well as officers, particularly in respect of major actions, thus a detailed account of the controversial action at Campo Major with list of casualties and the action at Olivenza, where the regiment was surprised by the French in a night sortie and many taken prisoner, all of whom are listed, including those who escaped a few weeks later; the only major incident not described - on account no doubt of Doherty being on sick leave at the time - is the murder of Lieutenant King under a flag of truce by Spanish irregulars near Badajoz, the paper in two sizes folio and 4to and watermarked ‘Britannia J. Stevens’ and dated 1810, 1813 and 1814, pages once stitched but now loose with dust staining and some wear in places £600-800

In his History of the XIII Hussars, published in 1911, C. R. B. Barrett stated:

‘Colonel Patrick Doherty was a most industrious diarist as far as military matters are concerned. His papers, bound in a volume, are now in possession of his old regiment, and have been of the greatest use in the compilation of this book ... It should be recorded, if only as an example to others to secure if possible regimental relics for their regiment, that this collection of papers was, the writer understands, found by chance by Colonel H. J. Blagrove, C.B., late 13th Hussars. He unearthed it in a second-hand bookshop or curio dealer’s in southern seaport. Handsomely bound, it was presented by him to the regiment, and is one among their most cherished possessions.’

To those papers may now be added the above described draft history, possibly an earlier account undertaken by Doherty.

In respect of Doherty’s distinguished career, C. R. B. Barrett stated:

‘He saw service first when he sailed with his regiment for the West Indies in February 1796. He was then a Captain, and of the fourteen commissioned officers who sailed with him, he and three others alone were spared by yellow fever to return home. His relative Cornet Doherty died. An exhaustive search fails to discover whether Patrick Doherty ever held the rank of either Cornet or Ensign. His exploits in the Peninsula and what ill-luck befell him in the Waterloo campaign are written elsewhere. For the battle of Vittoria he received a medal, 28 January 1814, and on 1 July 1815 ‘a gold clasp’ in commemoration of the battle of Orthes, to be worn on the ribbon of the Vittoria medal. On 19 September 1815, Colonel Doherty was honoured by a Companionship of the Bath. On 13th January 1835 he was nominated and appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order. Knighthood was conferred on him by William IV, at a full levee held at St. James’s Palace on 24 June 1836. Probably the greatest grief of the fine old soldier’s life was the fact that owing to a most severe attack of ague he was unable to be present on the glorious field of Waterloo. His two sons, Joseph and Gregory, who had served with their father throughout both campaigns, were both wounded. Elsewhere, it has been written how the three Dohertys, father and sons, charged side by side on one occasion, a spectacle probably not seen since the days of the great Rebellion, perhaps even not since the Wars of the Roses.’

The Colonel died at Bath in January 1837.