Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Asst. Surgn. J Adamson, Med. Dept.) nearly extremely fine £400-£500

James Adamson was born at Dunfermline on 29 April 1830. He was nominated as an Assistant Surgeon with the H.E.I.C. Army by Charles Mills and recommended by Lord West. He was appointed to the 3rd Madras European Regiment at Bellery, 4 July 1854, and to the 1st Madras Native Infantry, 29 April 1856. He was appointed Civil Surgeon in charge at Bandah, 1 July 1858, and served during the Mutiny in Bundelkund and at the action at Bandah. He was afterwards Assistant Surgeon to the 24th Madras Native Infantry, 17 September 1859, and removed to the department of Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals, Presidency Division, 9 January 1861. He was court martialled and dismissed the service on 21 February 1861, as announced in the following General Order:

‘At an European General Court Martial held at Rangoon on Thursday the 27th day of December 1860, James Adamson, Assistant Surgeon of the 23rd Regiment Light Infantry, was arraigned on the following charge:

For conduct highly unbecoming the character of an Officer and a Gentleman and to the prejudice of good order and Military discipline in having at Rangoon on the 22nd October 1860, at an entertainment given on the occasion of the Dusserah festival in the lines of the 23rd Light Infantry by the Hindoos of the Regiment been in a disgraceful state of intoxication and thereby necessitated his being carried to his house by certain Officers of his Regiment.’

An appeal was made on his behalf to Sir Patrick Grant, the Commander-in-Chief, who refused to accede ‘on the ground that this was not the first occasion on which he had been guilty of the same offence, and serious results are very liable to arise from intemperance in a medical officer.’