Orders, Decorations and Medals

The First China War Medal awarded to Major William Pitt Macdonald, Indian Army, Grandson of the Jacobite Heroine Flora Macdonald
China 1842 (W. P. McDonald, Captain, 41st Madras Nat. Infantry) fitted with replacement silver bar suspension, edge bruising and contact marks, therefore good fine

William Pitt Macdonald was born on 4 April 1804, son of Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald, late Madras Army, and Grandson of Flora Macdonald, the Jacobite heroine. He joined the Madras Army as Ensign in the 21st N.I., in April 1820, and transferred as Lieutenant to the 41st N.I. in 1824; Captain 1831; Major 1851. He was twice married, having 11 children by his first wife and 5 by his second.

Flora Macdonald was the son of Ranald Macdonald, a farmer at Histon on the Hebridean island of South Uist. While Flora was on a visit to the Clanranalds in Benbecula (Hebrides), Prince Charles Edward (Bonnie Prince Charlie) arrived there after the disaster at Culloden in 1746. Flora successfully helped the Prince to escape in a boat to the island of Skye, disguised in women’s clothes as an Irish spinning maid. For her part Flora was imprisoned in the Tower of London on 6 December 1746, but was released by Act of Indemnity six months later. Sold with further research.